MYETUS 



LOOSESTBIFE OBDEB 



EHBXIA 449 



and kept in ordinary living rooms during 

 the winter, with an occasional watering and 

 a sponging of the foliage with tepid water. 

 The Myrtle may be increased by cut- 

 ings of the ripe or almost ripe shoots 

 inserted in sandy soil imder a glass, or 

 the lower branches may be layered in the 

 autumn and detached when well-rooted 

 the following year. The seeds when ob- 

 tainable may also be sown as soon as ripe 

 in cold frames, or better still m gentle 

 bottom heat. 



M. Ugni (Eugenia XJgni). — A beauti- 

 ful Chilian shrub 4-6 ft. high with deep 

 green shining ovate acute leaves, the 

 margins of which are slightly reilexed. 

 Flowers in summer, white, with nume- 

 rous protruding stamens, and succeeded 

 by roundish red or black berries, which 

 have a pleasant taste and an agreeable 

 aroma. 



Culture Sc. as above for the Common 

 Myrtle. 



XLVI. MELASTOMACEiE 



A large order containing 134 genera and 1,800 species, consisting chiefly of 

 erect trees and shrubs, with opposite, exstipulate, paralled-veined leaves, and 

 flowers in panicles, spikes, cymes or corymbs. The genus Bhexia described 

 below is the only representative of the order hardy out of doors in the 

 British Isles. 



RHEXIA. — A genus including 7 

 species of erect branching herbs or under- 

 shrubs. Leaves oblong, shortly stalked, 

 3-nerved, entire or bristly serrulate. 

 Mowers solitary or cymose, regular, 

 hermaphrodite. Calyx tube oblong, bell- 

 shaped, 4-lobed. Petals 4, obovate. Sta- 

 mens 8, anthers with a pore at the apex, 

 and a spur at the base. Ovary flree, 

 smooth, 4-celled. 



Cultu/re and Propagation. — Ehexias 

 thrive in good peaty soil, and may be 

 increased by dividing the rootstocks 

 in early autumn or in spring. This 

 operation however should not be per- 

 formed more often than necessary, as the 

 plants do not bear disturbance very well. 

 In any case, only large clumps should be 

 divided, and that as carefully as possible. 

 They are excellent for massing in the 

 front of borders, flower-beds &c., with 

 taller plants as a background. They are 

 all natives of Eastern N. America. 



R. ciliosa. — A species 1-1^ ft. high, 

 with smooth, 4-angled stems. Leaves 

 about 1 in. long, ovate, 3-ribbed, and 



bristly above. Flowers in July and 

 August, purple, 1-lJ in. across, few on a 

 leafy cyme. 



Culture dc. as above. 



R. mariana. — A bristly plant 1-2 ft. 

 high, with round or 6-angled stems. 

 Leaves lance-shaped acute, bristly, ser- 

 rate, 3-ribbed. Flowers from July to 

 September, purple, I5-2 in. across, hairy 

 outside. 



Culture dc. as above. Owing to the 

 brilliant crimson-scarlet tint assumed by 

 the foliage of this species in autumn it 

 should be planted in bold masses to secure 

 a fine eifect at that season. 



R. virginica (Deer Grass; Meadovf 

 Beauty). — A bristly species 6-12 in. high,, 

 with 4-angled stems. Leaves ovate and 

 ovate-lance-shaped, somewhat acute, ses- 

 sile, bristly serrate, 3-5-nerved and covered 

 with short bristly hairs. Flowers in July 

 and August, bright purple or red, with a 

 cluster of yellow-spurred stamens in the 

 centre. 



Culture do. as above. 



XLVII. LYTHRARIEiE— Loosestrife Order 



This order contains about 250 species of trees, shrubs, or herbs of varied 

 habit, often with 4-angled branches. Leaves usually opposite exstipulate. 

 Flowers usually hermaphrodite, regular or rarely irregular. Calyx usually 

 free, persistent, tubular, or bell-shaped, 3-12-lobed or toothed, valvate. 



