Myrsinaceae. 171 
MYRSINACEAE 
Ardisia Family. 
The Ardisia family possesses 33 genera and nearly 1100 species; 
the genus Ardisia is only represented by two cultivated species. 
Ardisia humilis Vahl. 
Ardisia humilis is a shrub six to ten feet in height, with thick, 
fleshy glabrous branches ; the leaves are obovate oblong, acute at the 
base and rounded at the apex, thick, fleshy and smooth on both sides, 
and are on very short leaf stalks. The inflorescence is glabrous, 
drooping and shorter than the leaves. The flowers are pinkish- 
purple with small black dots dispersed over the surface of the petals 
and sepals ; the berry is subglobose and dark purple. 
This species is a native of the East Indies, extending over Bur- 
mah to Southern China, the Philippines and neighboring islands. It 
is cultivated on account of its pretty purplish flowers, and clean, 
glossy leaves. In Honolulu specimens occur in Mrs. M. E. Foster's 
premises. Another species, A. solanacea Roxb., a native of India 
(in the tropical regions of the East Himalayas), is perhaps identical 
with the foregoing species, with which it is united by several 
authors, save C. Mez, who considers it a separate species in his mono- 
graph on the Myrsinaceae. It does in fact differ from A. humilis in 
the petals, which are obtuse and not acuminate, and in the anthers, 
which are smooth and not rugose and dotted as in A. humilis. The 
leaves are obovate-oblong, acute and not obtuse at the apex. 
Fine specimens of this species may be found in the grounds of the 
Government Nursery on King Street, and in Mrs. M. E. Foster's 
premises. 
The family Plumhaginaceac is represented by the blue-flowered 
Plumbago auriculata Lam., commonly known as P. capensis Thunb., 
which is a synonym. It is a native of South Africa, but now com- 
monly cultivated. 
