320 



Descriptions of Malayan Plants, 



recurved. Fruit within the calyx, and adhering to it by the 

 above-mentioned septa, four-celled, many-seeded. 



Obs, — This is a very beautiful large flowered species, and 

 is a great ornament to the thickets which it frequents. I 

 have met with it in various places, as on Sumatra^ Pulo 

 Nias, &;c. 



7. MELASTOMA BRACTEATA. (W. J.) 



M. octandra, floribus paniculatis terminalibus, bracteis 

 magnis ovatis, foliis cordato-ovatis quinquenerviis, calyce 

 stellulato piloso limbo subintegro.' 



Oosa. Malay, 



Native of Pulo Penang. 



The whole shrub with the exception of the upper surface 

 of the mature leaves is covered with ferruginous points or 

 dots of stellate hairs. Branches round. Leaves opposite, 

 short-petioled, ovate, acuminate, cordate at the base, entire, 

 smooth above, pilose with stellate hairs beneath, five-nerved. 

 Panicles long, terminal, with opposite ramifications. Bracts 

 large, pale, and membranaceous, ovate, obtuse, attenuated 

 to the base, as if petiolate. Calyx oblong, greenish, adher- 

 ing to the ovarium by eight septa, limb almost entire, with 

 four obscure toothlets. Corolla of a pale, rose-colour, four- 

 petalled, spreading, petals ovate, obtuse, and as if truncate. 

 Stamina eight, filaments red, furnished with two bristles at 

 the insertion of the anthers. Anthers arcuate, rostrate ; 

 four are red, and rather longer than the other four which 

 are yellow and more incurved. Style declinate, as long as 

 the stamina. Stigma simple. Fruit inclosed in the calyx, 

 four-celled, many-seeded. 



Obs» — The large bracts which envelop the young flowers 

 distinguish this species ; the flowers are not large, but their 

 number compensates for it. 



** Antheris omnibus consimilibus. (Stomandra). 



