MANUAL OF NATURAL HISTORY. 401 



mens definite ; anthers rostrate ; ovary pluri- 

 locular; fruit dry or succulent; seeds very 

 numerous. Chiefly tropical plants, some occur 

 in North India, China, Australia, and the 

 United States. The succulent fruit of some 

 species is edible ; that of Melastoma dyes the 

 mouth black, whence the name. 



4. Family. — Napoleon-Worts (Belvisisicesd). Shrubs; 



wood soft, whitish ; leaves alternate, coriace- 

 ous, exstipulate ; flowers axillary, in sets of 

 threes ; calyx gamosepalous ; corolla in three 

 monopetalous rings ; stamens indefinite, 

 monadelphous ; ovary plurilocular ; fruit a 

 large, soft, spherical berry ; seeds large, kid- 

 ney-shaped. The two curious genera which, 

 at present, compose this family are from tro- 

 pical Africa. 



5. Family. — Mangroves (Rhizophoracese). Trees or 



shrubs ; leaves opposite, simple, occasionally 

 dotted ; stipules deciduous, interpetiolary ; 

 peduncles axillary or terminal ; calyx valvate, 

 4-12-lobed; petals 4-12; stamens indefinite; 

 ovary 2, 3, 4-celled ; fruit indehiscent, ad- 

 herent to, and crowned by the calyx; seed 

 pendulous ; cotyledon flat ; radicle long, 

 piercing the fruit. Occur on muddy shores 

 in the tropics, where they form close thickets. 



6. Family. — Evening - Primroses (Onagracese). 



Herbs or shrubs ; leaves alternate or opposite, 

 simple, not dotted ; flowers axillary or ter- 

 minal, variously coloured ; calyx valvate, 



