LOOSESTRIFE FAMILT. 149 



46. MTRTACEJE, MYRTLE FAMILY. 



• 



Trees or shrubs, with simple entire and mostly aromatic leaves 



punctate with pellucid or resinous dots, no stipules, perfect flowers, 

 calyx-tube adherent to the ovary, its throat, or a disk bordering it, 

 bearing the petals and numerous stamens : style and stigma single. 

 A large family in the tropics and southern hemisphere, here com- 

 monly known only by a few house-plants, which may be briefly 

 noted as follows : — 



1. M^tus commtinis, Common Myrtle, from the Mediterranean 

 region : smooth, with ovate or lance-ovate opposite shining leaves, small in the 

 variety usually cultivated, peduncles in their axils bearing a small white or 

 rose-tinged flower (sometimes full double), followed by a black berry, containing 

 several kidney-shaped seeds. 



2. Eugtoia j&mbos, Rose-Apple, from India : smooth, with opposite 

 shining long and lanceolate leaves, and clusters of large white flowers with their 

 long stamens most conspicuous ; the calyx-tube dilated and prolonged beyond 

 the ovary, which forms a large edible berry, like a small apple, scentless', but 

 when eaten of a rose-like savor ; seeds very few, large. 



3. Psidium pyriferum, Guava, of W. Ind. : with oval feather-veined 

 opposite leaves, and one or two white flowers at the end of an axillary peduncle ; 

 the fruit a large and pear-shaped yellowish berry which is eatable, and from 

 which Guava jelly is made in the West Indies. 



4. Callistemon lauceol^tum, of Australia, called Bottle-Brush, 

 on account of the appearance of the flowers (sessile all round the stem below 

 the later leaves) with their very long deep red stamens ; the 5 petals small and 

 falling early ; the fruit a small many-seeded pod opening at the top ; the alter- 

 nate lanceolate leaves remarkable for being turned edgewise by a twist at their 

 base, as in many related Myrtaceous plants of Australia. 



47. LYTHRACE^, LOOSESTRIFE FAMILY. 



Differs from the related orders in having the ovary and pod free 

 from, but mostly enclosed in, the tube of the calyx, the leaves not 

 punctate, the anthers opening lengthwise. To thi.s family has lately 

 been appended the Pomegranate, which, although peculiar, is com- 

 monly referred to the Myrtle Family, notwithstanding the dotless 

 leaves. 



§ 1. Omrg coherent with the calyx-tube, becoming a fieshij fruit. Small tree. 



1. PUNICA. Calyx-tube colored (scarlet), thick and coriaceous, its top-shaped 



ba.se coherent with the ovary, above enlarged and 5-7-lobed; its throat 

 bearing the 5-7 petals and verj' many incurved stamens. Style slender. 

 Ovary with many cells in two sets, one above the other, and very many 

 ovules in each. Fruit large, globular, crowned with the calyx-lobes, berry- 

 like, but with a hard rind : the numerous seeds coated with a juicy edible pulp. 



§ 2. Ovary free from the calyx-tvbe, becoming a 1 - 6-celled pod. 

 * Stamens indefinitely numerous. Small tree. 



2. LAGERSTR(EMIA. Calyx 6-lobed. Petals 6, very wavy-crisped, raised on 



slender claws, borne on the throat of the calyx. Stamens borne in the bot- 

 tom of the calyx, very long and slender, 6 outermost larger than the rest. 

 Stvle very slender. Pod oblong, thick, many-seeded, 3 -6-celled, only the 

 base covered by the persistent calyx. 

 • Stamens 4 - 16, only as many or twice as many as the foScs of the calyx, inserted 

 lower down than the pethls. Herbs or nearly m : calyx mostly widi projecting 

 folds, or accessory teeth between the proper teeth or lobes. 



