Melanthem.] euphobbiacejB. 318 



late or urceolate at the base, with 6 teeth or lobes, connivent over the stamens 

 in the males, spreading and persistent in the females. Disk none. Stamens 3. 

 Anthers sessile at the top of the central column. Ovules 3-ceUed, with 3 

 ovules in each. Styles bifid. Fruit succulent, indehiscent. — Shrubs or herbs, 

 with the distichous leaves and habit of Phyllanthus, but almost always turn- 

 ing black in drying. 



A small genus, spread over tropical Asia and Australia. 



1. M. chinensiS} Blume, Bijdr. 593. A glabrous somewhat glaucous 

 shrub. Leaves ovate to ovate-lanceolate, obtuse or almost acute, 1 to 1^ in. 

 long, coriaceous when old. Flowers 3 to 4 in each axil. Males in the lower 

 clusters, on slender pedicels of 1 to I^ lines ; Perianth 1 line long. Female 

 flowers in all the other clusters : Perianth turbinate at the base, the border 

 expanding to a diameter of 3 lines when in flower, twice that in fruit. Drupe 

 about 3 lines diameter, enclosing six 1-seeded cocci. — Melanthem. cernua, 

 Benth. in Lond. Joum. Bot. i. 491 ; not ofDcne. Phyllanthus lucens, Poir.; 

 Hook, and Arn. Bot. Beech. 310. P. turbinatws, Bot. Mag. t. 1863 ; not of 

 Keen. P. Simsiana, Wall. Cat. n. 7930. 



In woods, Champion and others. On the adjacent continent, in Siam, and perhaps in 

 Java. 



• 17. GLOCHIDION", Forst. 



Flowers monoecious, in axillary clusters.- Perianth-segments 6, free or shortly 

 united, imbricate in the bud. Glands none. Male flowers : Stamens 3 to 6 

 or rarely more. Anthers oblong, sessile on a central column, tipped by their 

 projecting connectivtim. Females : Ovary 3- to 10-celled, with 3 ovules in 

 each cell. Styles short, erect and connivent in an oblong or globular mass or 

 in a short ring, or rarely spreading. Capsule globular or depressed, loculici- 

 dally dehiscent or separiating into 3-valved cocci. — Shrubs. Leaves entire, 

 usually distichous on short petioles, but larger, and coarser than in most 



A considerable genus, extending over tropical Asia and Australia. 



Anthers 3. Leaves usually under 3 in. or thin. 

 Branches and leaves (juite glabrous. 



Leaves l-J in. long. Ovary 3-celled \. G. Wrighfii. 



Leaves about 3 in. Ovary 5 -celled 2. G. philippinense. 



Branches and leaves pubescent or hirsute. 



Pubescent. Leaves oblong, glabrous above . . . . . . Z. G. sinicum. 



Hirsute. Leaves ovate or ovate-lanceolate, pubescent above . 4. G. eriocarpum. 

 Anthers 5 or more. Leaves coriaceous, mostly above 3 in. 



Branches and leaves sbftly.pubesceiit . 5. ff. molle. 



Branches and leaves quite glabrous. 



Capsule 4 lines diameter. Leaves 3 or 4 in 6. G. littorale. 



Capsule 6 lines diameter. Leaves 5 or 6 in 1. G. macrophyllum. 



1. G. Wrightii, Benth., n. sp. A perfectly glabrous glaucous shrub, 

 with slender branches. Leaves oblong, shortly acuminate, about li in. long, 

 very oblique at the base, on petioles of near 3 lines. Male flowers in smaU 

 clusters, on pedicels of 1 to 1\ lines. Perianth- segments less than 1 line. 

 Stamens 3. ' Female flowers 3 or 3 together, almost sessile. Perianth-seg- 

 ments ■} line long in flower, ^ line in fruit, the 3 inner smaller. Ovary 3- 



