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DOMESTIC BOTANY. 



climbing plant with elliptical three-nerved leaves and pretty 

 pink flowers. 



The genus Memecylon, which consists of upwards of fifty 

 species, was by some considered to constitute a distinct 

 family, but is now admitted to be a section of Melastomacece. 

 The principal of them consist of shrubs and small trees, 

 having entire thickish leaves, and differing from Meldstoma 

 by the veins being pinnate, often obscure. The cultivated 

 species have the habit of myrtles. The leaves of M. tinc- 

 torum produce a yellow dye, but it is not permanent. Those 

 of M. umhellatmn are used with Sappan wood to produce a 

 red dye. They are chiefly natives of India and other parts 

 of tropical Asia. 



The Myrtle Family. 



(Myrtace^.) 



Lofty trees or shrubs. Leaves entire, opposite, or alter- 

 nate, sometimes whorled, generally smooth and glossy, con- 

 taining aromatic oil cells often visible as pellucid dots, many 

 with a marginal vein. Flowers axillary or terminal, disposed 

 in various ways. Calyx 4 or 5 cleft, sometimes circumcised, 

 the upper part falling away like a cap. Petals 4 or 5, stamens 

 generally numerous, free or united in several bundles, seated 

 on an epigynous disk. Pistil simple. Fruit a fleshy drupe, 

 or berry-like, or a dry hard capsule, opening by fissures in 

 the apex. Seeds numerous. 



This interesting family contains about 1500 species. They 

 are widely distributed over all tropical countries, and 

 abound in Australia and New Zealand, but are found spa- 

 ringly in temperate South America and Africa ; in Europe 

 the family is represented by the myrtle. None are found 

 in North America or Northern Asia. They contain an 

 aromatic oil, and many are of great importance for timber, 

 especially the genus Eucalyptus^ some of which are the 

 largest and loftiest trees known. 



Pomegranate {Funica granatum). A bushy deciduous 

 tree, 20 to 30 feet high, native of Northern India and 



