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POPULAR GARDEN BOTANY, 



native of Brazil, is sometimes introduced into the green- 

 house ; it has white, myrtle-like flowers and purple fruit, 

 which has a pulp somewhat the flavour and consistence of 

 strawberries. It grows readily in light and rich loam, and 

 is increased by layers or cuttings. 



METKOSIDEROS. 



Gen. Char. (Icosandria Monogyniai) Calyx five-cleft, half-supe- 

 rior ; petals five ; stamens very long, separate ; stigma simple ; 

 capsule three or four-celled. 



The word means the heart of a tree and iron, from the 

 hardness of the wood. A genus of Myrtaceous plants, of 

 which M. florida, with straw-coloured flowers, and robusta 

 with crimson, are natives of New Zealand; corifolia has 

 white flowers, and is a native of New South Wales, as well 

 as umhellata, with red flowers ; capitata has pink flowers, 

 and is a native of the Cape. M. tomentosa is also extremely 

 ornamental in the greenhouse, for the foliage is very beauti- 

 ful, being shining dark green above, white with down un- 

 derneath, and of a coriaceous texture ; the brilliant scarlet 

 blossoms are very abundant and conspicuous objects, they 



