116 melastomacejE. [Oxyspora. 



Petals 4, acute. Stamens 8, of which 4 smaUer, or 4 only. Anthers of the 

 4 larger ones linear, opening in a single pore, slightly 2-lobecl at the base, but 

 without any appendage. Ovary 4-oelled, adhering by the angles only. Cap- 

 sule almost free, enclosed in the calyx, 4-celled, opening in valves at the top. 

 Seeds nearly straight, with a lateral hilum.— Shrubs usually glabrous, or nearly 

 so. Plowers in terminal panicles. 



Besides the following species the genus only comprises one or two from northern India. 



1. O. ? pauciflora, Benth. Apparently a shrub. Branches slightly 

 rusty-tomentose. Leaves ovate, acuminate, rounded or slightly cordate at the 

 base, 3- or B-ribbed, glabrous above, more or less covered underneath with 

 glandular dots, and slightly tomentose on the ribs, those of each pair very un- 

 equal, the larger one about 3 in. long. Flowers in a loose panicle, much 

 smaUer than in the Indian 0. panieulata. Stamens 4 only, resembling the 

 larger ones of that species, — Allomorjphia pwuciflora, Benth. in Lond. Journ. 

 Bot. i. 485. 



Hongkong, Hinds. I described this from a single specimen in Mr. Hinds' collection, and 

 have seen no other one since. Having, however, examined good specimens of the true 

 Allomorphia, I find I was wrong in referring the Hongkong plant to that genus, but it 

 agrees well in habit and characters with Oxyspora, except that the 4 stamens opposite the 

 petals are entirely wanting, instead of being only much smaUer than the others. 



5. ANPLECTRUM, A. Gray. 

 (Aplectrum, Blume, not Suit.) 



Calyx-tube campanulate ; the limb entire or 4-toothed, but without acces- 

 sory teeth. Petals 4, lanceolate-acuminate. Stamens 8, of which 4 sterile, 

 or 4 only. Anthers of the fertile ones linear or ovoid, opening in a single pore, 

 slightly 2-lobed at the base, but without any or only a very small appendage 

 to the connective. Ovary 4-celled, entirely adnate to the calyx. Fruit a glo- 

 bular indehiscent berry. Seeds nearly straight, with a lateral hilum. — Shrubs, 

 either glabrous or slightly tomentose. Flowers very small, in axillary or 

 sometimes terminal clusters or short panicles. 



A genus of very few species, all from tropical Asia. 



1. A. ■pa,wi&orxim,Benth.n.sp. A shrub, either glabrous or the branches 

 and under side of the leaves minutely powdery-downy. Leaves on long pe- 

 tioles, oval-oblong, with a long acumen, 3 to 4 inriong, and 1 to 2 in. broad, 

 acute at the base, glabrous above, of a thinner consistence than those of other 

 Jnplectra, those of each pair nearly equal. Pedicels 3 to 5 together, in the 

 axils of the leaves, 1 to 2 lines long. Calyx-tube about 1 line long, slightly 

 contracted at the top, with 4 minute teeth. Stamens 4 only, the anthers with- 

 out appendage. Fmit about H lines long, ovoid or pear-shaped, not veiy 

 succulent, and perhaps opening in short valves at the top. Seeds acuminate 

 at both ends. 



Hongkong, Wriffht. Also north-west Formosa, Wilford, and Assam, Masters. The species 

 agrees well with the technical characters of Anplectrum, except in the total absence of the 

 4 smaller stamens. The habit and foliage come near to those of Di-iessenia, judging from 

 Korthals' figures, as I have seen no, specimens of that plant. 



