233 myrtacej:. 



mary reins approximate : petiole long, with the under side of the midrib prickty ; racemes 

 compound, villous ; petals obovate, as long as the calyx-segments ; fruit ovoid- roundish, 

 twice as large as the appressed calyx : drupes numerous, deciduous, devoid of bloom.' — HI. t. 

 213./. 1. — E. ferrugineus, IKcfefr. .^— Fruit 4"' diam., purple. — Hab. Jamaiea!, Fd.,Al., 

 March, WullscM., common in the mountains. 



6. R. alpinus, Mac/. Shrubby, trailing, glabrescent ; prioliles recurved ; leaflets 3, 

 elliptical, pointleted, eoncolor-glabrous, unequally and shajply serrate : primary veins ap- 

 proximate : petioles long, with the under side of the midrib prickly ; pedicels long, fascicled, 

 in compound racemes ; calyx pubescent, appressed, half as long as the ovate, rounded fruit ; 

 drupes numeroHs, deciduous, devoid of bloom.— The unequal, spreading, approximate leaflet- 

 serratures distinguish this species at once from the similar B,. fagifoliiis, Cham. Sehlecht., of 

 Mexico. Fruit 3'" long, 24'" broad, dark-pm'ple.— Hab. Jamaica 1, Macf., Ed., in the Blue 

 Mountains, above 3000'. 



4*. FEAGAEIA, i. 



Calyx biserial, 10-fid, Petals 5. Stamens « . Achema oo , adnate to the baccate torus. 

 — Herbs; leaves 3^(7^d>/»^if. 



'i\/' 7*. TP. vesca, L. Petioles pilose; peduncles pubescent; calyx spreading from the fruit; 

 ■ ' aeheoia superficial on the conical or hemispherical torus. — Hab. Naturalized in the Blue 

 Mountains of Jamaica \,. Al. ; [introduced from Europe]. 



LXVII. MYKTACE^. 



Stamens inserted into the valvate calyx, mostly indefinite. Ovar^ inferior, coraponnS, 

 paracarpous in the beginning, at length usually plurilocular : ovules oo : style simple. 

 Seeds usually few, mostly exalbuminous. — Leaves simple, entire, tnostly exstipulaie, witJi 

 varginal nerves, or juartamart/iual vein-arches. Stems shriibty or arboreous in the West 

 Indian species. 



The Myrtaceee abound in fragrant, volatile oils : hence the leaves are usually pellucid- 

 dotted. The flower-buds of GaryOpkylliis (or cloves), and the unripe berries of Pimenta 

 (Pimento-pepper, or all-spice), are renowned spices, thefoimer of the East, the latter of the 

 "West Indies. The fruits of Psidium (Guava), Jamiosa (Bx)se-apple), and Syeygima (Jam- 

 bolin), are eatahle. The astringent bark of Punica is an anthelmintic drug. Timber-trees 

 are Myreia ferruginea, Eugenia ceruginea and eoffeifolia, Psidium montanum. A species 

 of Lecythis, affording timber, is stated to grow in Trinidad, but has not heen sent. 



Teibe I. MTRTEJE. — Stamens mostly oo , distinct. Periearji laceate. — Leaves opposite 

 (rarely whorled), quite entire. 



1. CALYPTRANTHES, Sa. 



Calyx closed, circnmscissile ahout the middle, at the insertion-line, and much above the 

 ovary. Petals (or 2-5, abortive). Berry 1-few-seeded. Testa cartilaginous. Cotyle- 

 dons thickish-foliaceous, corrugate or contortuplicate : radicle neai'ly as long, inflexed. — '■ 

 Flowers ci/mose, elmtered, or single. 



* Sranchlets cylindrical. 



/ 1. C Chytraculia, Sw.i Branchlets rusty-villous or glahrate, cylindrical; leaves 

 elliptical or elUptioal-oblong, with a bluntish point, glabrous or glahrate", pellucid-dotted : 

 veins running into arches ; cymes rusty-tomentose, compound, divaricate, pednncled, nearly 

 as high as broad, 5(-3)-chotomous, inteiTuptedly and shortly spicate at the end of the 

 hranches : flowers sessile, temate; calyx obovate, mucronaie, tomentose; petals ; herry 

 globose. — Br. Jam. t. 37./. 2; a«B/jt— Myrtus, £.— A low tree, 12' high; leaves vari- 

 able, 3i"-li" : calyx li"'_long.— Hab. Jamaica !, Macf., Al., Wils., March, common in 

 limestoue-districts ; [Cuba !] . 



2. C. Syzygmm, Sw.! Branchlets glabrous, cylindrical; leaves elliptical, bluntish. 



