174 



42. MELASTOM^CEiE. 



[Memec^lon, 



Southern ghats of the Deccan peninsula. Fl. Br. I. In the ever- 

 green forests of North K^nara, fro n A'inshi southwards. Fl. Dec- 

 Feb. Fr. ripe March.-May. A shrub 2-8 feet high. Flowers in umbels 

 of a beautiful blue colour. 



4. M. edule, Roxb. Cor. PI. t. 82 ; Fl. Br. I. 2. 563 ; Dalz. A Gibs. 

 Bomb. Fl. 93; Bedd. Fl. Sylv. 113. Iron- wood Tree. Anjun, anjuni 

 kurpa, Vern. Harcliarif arclieti^ lahhonde, K. 



E., W. and S. India, Ceylon, Tenasserim, and the Andamans. Very 

 common in the Konkan and North Kanara, in moist evergreen forests, and 

 along the coast. Fl. 0. S. Fr. Apl.-May, black. A small tree or large 

 shrub. Wood hard, close-grained, durable, difficult to work, resembles 

 boxwood ; similar in structure to that of M. Wightii, and weighs about 

 the same. See Appendix for note on Memecylon by Sir D. Brandis. 



Order 43. LYTHRACE-S:. 



Trees, shrubs or herbs ; branches often quadrangular. Leaves 

 simple, opposite. Stipules 0. Flowers regular, hermaphrodite. 

 Calyx 3-6 lobed. Petals as many as calyx-lobes, rarely 0, inserted 

 near the top of the calyx-tube. Stamens definite or indefinite^ on the 

 calyx-tube. Ovary free, 2-6-celled ; style long, stigma capitate or 

 2-lobed ; ovules many, placentas axile. Fruit a capsule, 1-2-4 or many 

 celled. Seeds numerous, exalbuminous. 



Ovary superior. 



Calyx curved. Flowers secund ., 1, WoodfobdiA. 



Calyx straight. Flowers symmetric. 



Flowers 4-fid. Capsule irregularly breaking 



up 2. La-WSokia. 



Flowers 6-fid. Capsule 3-6-valved 8. Lageestbcemia. 



Berry subglobose 4. Sofjteeatia. 



Ovary inferior 5. PuNiCA. 



1. WOODFORDIA, Salisb. 



A shrub. Leaves opposite^ subsessile, lanceolate, usually cordate, 

 black glandular — dotted beneath. Flowers scarlet in axillary, 

 pedunculate cymes. Calyx long, tubular, curved, mouth oblique. 

 Petals 6, small or 0, at the top of the calyx -tube. Stamens 12. 

 Ovary free, sessile, 2-celled ; style filiform, stigma small, ovules 

 many. Capsule membranous, included in the calyx-tube. Seeds 

 many, smooth. 



W. floribunda, Salisb. Farad. Lend. t. 42 ; Brandis For. Fl. 238. 



W. tomentosa. Bedd. Fl. Sylv. 117. Grislea tomentosa, Roxb., Dalz. & 

 Gibs. Bomb. Fl. 97. Dayti, dhaijfhal, phusati, M. ; Dhaiiri, dowarif Vern. ; 

 Dhai, Sind. ; Dhavadina, Guz. 



Common throughout India, ascending to 5000 ft. in the Himalayas. 

 Throughont the presidency, common in the Konkan and North Kanara 

 near the sea-coast. Fl. Dec.-Apl. A large shrub with smooth bark. 

 Wood reddish-white, close-grained, hard, used for fuel. The flowers yield 

 a dye, and the leaves one of the most commonly employed taus. 



