Descriptions of Malayan Plants. 329 



the cells betwixt the calyx and ovary. Style as long as the 

 stamina. Stigma simple. Berry rubescentj four-celled, many- 

 seeded. 



17. MELASTOMA PULVERULENTA. flV, J.J 



M. octandra, floribus terminalibus corymboso-paniculatis 

 rubicundis pulverulentis, foliis ovatis basi bituberculatis gla- 

 berrimis trinerviis. 



Sibiring. Malay. 



Found, along with the preceding, at Singapore, and in many 

 parts of Sumatra and the islands which skirt its western coast. 



A shrub with smooth brown bark, and furfuraceous 

 branches. Leaves opposite, petioled, ovate, obtuse^ bitu- 

 berculate at the base, very entire, very smooth, three-nerved, 

 veins not prominent^ coriaceous, paler beneath. Stipules 

 none. Petioles shorty round, furfuraceous. Panicles termi- 

 nal, oppositely corymbose: peduncles dichotomous, reddish 

 and papillous. Calyx sub-globose, obscurely four-angled, 

 surrounding the ovary, rubescent, pulverulent ; limb four- 

 lobed. Corolla four-petalled, red, sprinkled with yellow 

 powder ; petals spreading, lanceolato-ovate, with a small 

 toothlet on each side. Stamina eight, erect ; anthers long, 

 red, with white cells, opening by a pore at the top, straight, 

 furnished behind the base with a fascicle of white hairs ; 

 before expansion incurved like the other Melastomce, but 

 being without beaks, not reaching beyond the top of the 

 ovary. Ovary adnate to the calyx, four-celled, many-seed- 

 ed ; placent(B from the inner angle of the cells. Style decli- 

 nate, as long as the stamina. Stigma obtuse. Berry sub- 

 globose, four-celled, many-seeded. 



Obs, — ^These two Singapore species are nearly related to 

 each other, and differ considerably in habit from the other 

 Melastomce chiefly in their extreme smoothness and the 

 greater delicacy of their flowers. The latter is by far the 

 most frequent, and appears to prefer the neighbourhood of 



2 T 



