400 MANUAL OF NATUKAL HISTORY. 



VI. OEDEE.— Myrtals (Myrtales). 



Flowers dichlamydeous, polypetalous ; placentae 

 axile ; embryo with little or no albumen. 



1. Family. — Brazil- Nuts (Leeythidacese). Large 



trees ; leaves alternate, not dotted ; flowers 

 showy, terminal, solitary, or racemose ; calyx 

 valvate or imbricate ; petals 6 ; stamens mona- 

 delphous ; anthers oblong ; ovary plurilo- 

 cular; fruit a woody capsule, either re- 

 maining closed or opening by a lid. Found 

 in Guiana and other hot parts of South 

 America. Yield Brazil-Nuts. 



2. Family. — Myrtle-blooms (Myrtacese). Trees or 



shrubs ; leaves opposite or alternate, entire, 

 usually dotted, and often with an intrumar- 

 ginal line ; inflorescence variable ; flowers red, 

 white or yellow, never blue ; calyx val- 

 vate, 4-5-cleft ; petals 4-5 ; stamens usually 

 00 ; anthers oblong, 2-celled ; ovary pluri- 

 locular ; fruit dry or fleshy. Natives of hot 

 countries, both intratropical and extratro- 

 pical. Among the members of this family 

 are the huge Eucalypti of New Holland, one 

 of which produces "Botany-Bay Kino/' the 

 Guava-tree, and the Pomegranate, and among 

 the products are Cloves, Pimento, and Caje- 

 put-Oil. 



3. Family. — Melastomads (Melastomacese). Trees, 



shrubs, or herbs ; leaves opposite, undivided, 

 usually S-9-ribbed, dotless; flowers terminal; 

 calyx imbricated, 4-6-lobed ; petals 4-6 ; sta- 



