948 LXXIV. MYRSINEiE. 



1. M^SA, Forsk. 



(From the Arabic name of one species.) 



(Bseobotrys, Worst.) 



Calyx-tube adnate to the ovary, the limb 5-lobed. Corolla 5-lobed. Stamens 



5, with slender filaments and short anthers. Ovary inferior or half-inferior ; 



style short. Berry crowned by the calyx-lot)es or teeth. — Trees or shrubs. 



Flowers sniall, in simple or compound racemes, eitber axillary or rarely terminal. 



Bra,cts at the base of the pedicels, and 2 bracteoles under, the flower usually very 



small. 



The genus is limited to the tropical regions of the Old World. The 2 Australian species are 

 endemic, both readily distinguished Irom the Asiatic ones by their long simple racemes. — Benth. 

 Woody climber. Leaves cordate or rounded at the base. Ovary almost 



entirely inferior 1. M. dependent. 



Erect tree. Leaves tapering at the base. Ovary half-superior . . . . . 2. M. haplobatrys. 



1. JM. dependens (racemes hanging), F. v. M. Fragm. v. 107 ; Benth. Fl. 

 Austr. iv. 273. A tall woody climber, the typical form quite glabrous. Leaves 

 shortly petiolate, ovate, very shortly acuminate, irregularly sinuate-toothed or 

 almost entire, cordate or rounded at the base, distantly penniveined, without any 

 or very few intermediate veinlets, usually 3 to 4in. long, but on barren branches 

 often twice that size. Flowers rather distant, in slender racemes often twice as 

 long as the leaves, these racemes sometimes 2 or 3 together, but usually if not 

 always simple. Pedicels about as long as the calyx or at length rather longer. 

 Calyx-tube ovoid ; lobes broad, rounded, entire or minutely ciUolate, about ^ 

 line long. Corolla-tube broad, rather longer than the calyx ; lobes spreading, 

 shorter than the tube, imbricate in the bud. Stamens included in the corolla- 

 tube ; anthers about 'as long as the filament. Ovary inferior, except the very 

 short conical summit, which tapers into a very short style ; stigma capitate. 

 Fruit ovoid, crowned by the closed calyx-lobes. Seeds immersed in the placenta, 

 but not seen ripe. 



Hab.: Eoekingham Bay, Dallachy. 



Var. pubescens, P. v. M. Branches, foliage, and inflorescence softly pubescent or shortly 

 villous. Pedicels rather shorter, and young fruit more globular than in the glabrous form. — 

 Bockingham Bay, Dallachy. 



2. IKE. haplobotrys (flowers in simple racemes), F. v.. M. Fragm. v. 161 ; 

 Benth. FL Austr. iv. 273. A small erect tree, quite glabrous. Leaves narrow- 

 ovate to elliptical-oblong, acuminate, entire or irregularly sinuate-toothed, 

 narrowed into a petiole, which is usually short, distantly penniveined with, but 

 few! cross veinlets, 8 to 6in. long. Flowers in simple racemes, longer or rather 

 shorter than the leaves. Pedicels very short. Calyx-tube very short and adnate to 

 the base of the ovary, but enlarging after flowering ; lobes broad, almost acute, 

 about i line long. Corolla-tube broad, nearly as long as the calyx, the lobes 

 broad, much imbricate, at least as long as the tube.' Anthers ovate, as long as 

 the flattened filaments. Ovary at the time of flowering more than half-superior, 

 tapering into a very short style. Young fruit nearly globular, crowned by the 

 closed calyx-lobes. Seeds not seen perfect. 



Hab.: Bockingham Bay, Dallachy. 



2. MYRSINE, Linn. 



(The Greek name for Myrrh.) 



Calyx free, 4 or 5-lobed. Corolla deeply 4 or 5-lobed. Stamens inserted at 

 the base of the corolla-lobes, with very short filaments ; the anthers much 

 longer, erect and lanceolate. Ovary superior ; style short, with a capitate or 



