MYRTACEM. 339 



indefinite number of stamens. Ordinarily, the Myrtaceee are compared 

 only with families with an inferior ovary ; this is because it is not 

 generally known that certain of them have an ovary almost com- 

 pletely superior, as is the case in several species of Tristania and 

 Metrosideros of the section Xanthostemon. Then let the cells of this 

 ovary be more or less incomplete, and the stamens united in fascicles; 

 let the leaves also be opposite and punctuate, and it will be diflacult 

 to decide if the plants in which these characters are united belong to 

 the Myrtaceee or to the Hypericacece. The latter then may be defined, 

 as we shall see, as Myrtaceee with a superior ovary, and the same, 

 consequently, may almost be said of the Glusiacece, which, as is 

 . known, it is very difiicult to separate absolutely from the Hypericacece. 

 We therefore place the Myrtaceee at nearly an equal distance from 

 the Bhizophoraceee, the Combretacece, the Lythrariacece, the Melasto^ 

 macecB, and the Hypericacece. 



Uses.' — These are very numerous, the Myrtaceee being generally 

 odorous plants, rich in stimulating, sometimes irritant essences, col- 

 lected in numerous punetiform reservoirs scattered throughout the 

 bark, the leaves and even certain parts of the flower and fruit. They 

 are moreover tonic and astringent from the tannic matter contained 

 in their bark, fruit, etc. Compared with this the wood is often inert 

 and without medicinal properties; not that it is always inodorous. 

 That of the American Oustavia is reported to have a cadaverous 

 odour, and in Foetidia^ the smell is said to be intolerable. The 

 wood of Melaleuca of the Indian Archipelago is often very hard and 

 much employed in building. The first place is given to that of If . 

 Leucadendron^ and of M. Gajeputi.* In New Caledonia, the former, 

 very abundant in fertile lands, furnishes the wood for all buildings 

 and for a certain number of domestic purposes. The Australian 

 Tfistania, chiefly T. neriifoUa,^ has also excellent wood. In the 

 island of Banca, that of T. obovata is employed for making ehar- 



' Enbl. Bnchirid. 652. — Lindl. Veg. Kingd. ^ See p. 345, note 8. 



736; Fl. Med. 73.— Guib. Drog. Simpl. ed. 6, " Protably formed of one and the same poly- 



iii. 268. — EosBNTH. Syn. PI. Biaphor. 919, 1131. morphoiis species (see p. 346, note 1). 



2 Especially in J?, mmtritiana Commbks. — ' E. Bb. Ait. Sort. Kew. ed. 2, iv. 417. — 



Lamk. Diet. ji. 457; III. t. 419.— DC. Prodr. Benth. Fl. Austral, iii. 262.— T. salieifolia A. 



iii. 295 {Boia pumt). This wood, according to Cuhn. Bot. Beg. suh n. m^.— Melaleuca nerii- 



report, has, besides, all the economic qualities folia Sims, Bot. Mag. t. 1068.— Jf. mlicifoUa 



of Walnut. Ande. Bot. Bepos, t. 48S. 



22—2 



