MEL 
MEL 
fis. Melafioma with oblong , heart-fhaped , acute-pointed 
leaves , having /awed indentures , 00^ flowers growing 
thinly in long bunches. 
12. Melastoma ( Verticillata ) foliis ovato-lanceolatis, 
quinquenervibus, fubtus aureis, floribus verticillatis, 
caule tomentofo. Melafioma with oval fpear-floaped 
leaves having five veins , which are of a gold colour on their 
under fide , and flowers growing in whorls , with a woolly 
ftalk. 
13. Melastoma {Acuta) foliis lanceolatis acutis denti- 
culatis inferne incanis trinervibus, floribus racemofis. 
Melafioma with acute fpear-fhaped leaves which are in- 
dented on their edges , hoary on their under fide , have three 
veins, and flowers growing in bunches. 
14. Melastoma ( Glabra ) foliis ovato-lanceolatis acu- 
minatis integerrimis, utrinque glabris trinervibus, flo- 
ribus racemofis. Melafioma with entire , oval , fpear- 
fhaped leaves ending in acute points , having three veins , 
and fmooth on both fides , with flowers growing in long 
bunches. Arbor Syrinamenfis, canellse folio utrinque 
glabro. Pluk. Phyt. tab. 249. fol. 5. 
15. Melastoma {Quinquenervia) foliis ovatis quinque- 
nervibus fcabris, floribus racemofis alaribus. Melafioma 
with oval rough leaves having five veins , and flowers 
growing in bunches from the fides of the branches. 
16. Melastoma ( Obtandria ) foliis lanceolatis trinervi- 
bus glabris, marginibus hifpidis. Melafioma with fmooth 
fpear-fhaped leaves having three veins , and hairy prickles 
on the border. 
17. Melastoma {Afpera) foliis ovatis quinquenervibus 
glabris, marginibus hifpidis. Melafioma with oval 
fmooth leaves , having five veins , and hairy prickly 
borders. 
18. Melastoma {Scabrofa) foliis ovato-lanceolatis fca- 
bris acuminatis quinquenervibus,' floribus racemofis. 
Melafioma with oval , fpear-fhaped , acute-pointed leaves , 
having five veins , and flo wers growing in long bunches. 
The title of this genus of plants was given to it by 
Profefibr Bur man, of Amfterdam, in the Thefaurus 
Zeylanicus •, fome of thefe plants have been titled 
Sambucus, others Chriftophoriana, and to fome of 
the fpecies Dr. Plukenet gave the title of Acidendron *, 
but Sir Hans Sloane and Father Plumier, gave them 
the title of GroflTularia, from whence I have applied 
the Englifh name of Goofeberry to them, which is 
the name by which fome of the forts are known in 
America. 
The firft fort rifes about four or five feet high, the 
Hem and branches being covered with long ruflfet 
hairs ; the leaves are placed on the branches oppofite ; 
they are five inches long and two broad, and are alfo 
covered with the fame rufiet down, having five ribs 
or veins running through the leaves from end to end, 
but the three inner join before they reach the bale, with 
fmall tranfverfe ribs •, the fruit is produced at the end 
of the Ihoots, which is a pulpy blue berry, as large as 
a Nutmeg. 
The fecond fort grows to be a large tree, having ma- 
ny crooked branches, covered with a brown bark, 
the leaves placed oppofite on the branches •, thefe are 
imooth, entire, and above five inches long, and two 
broad in the middle, with three deep veins running 
through them ; both fides of thefe leaves are of a 
light green and fmooth, and are Iharply indented on 
their edges, ending in acute points. The fruit 
grows in loofe fpikes at the end of the branches ; 
they are thinly placed on the fpikes, and are of a 
Violet colour. 
The third fort grows to the height of twenty feet, with 
a large trunk, covered with a rufiet bark : the leaves 
of this tree are very large, being above feven inches 
long, and three and a quarter broad, ofa dark rufiet 
colour on their upper fide, but of a yellowifh ruflfet on 
their under, foft to the touch, having a foft down over 
them ; the ftalks are covered with rough hairs, and the 
leaves are placed by pairs on the branches, which 
make a beautiful appearance when the trees are viewed 
at a diftance. 
The fourth fort feldom grows more than eight or ten 
feet high, the leaves are about four inches long. 
having three veins, which join before they reach the 
bafe ; they are entire, and are of a fattin colour on 
their under fide, but of a light green on their upper ; 
thefe are placed by pairs on the branches. 
The fifth fort feldom grows more than feven or eight 
feet high, fpreading out into many branches, which 
are covered with a fmooth purple bark ; they are {len- 
der, and are garnifhed with fpear-fhaped leaves, five 
inches long and two broad in the middle, where they 
are broadeft ; they are fmooth on both fides, their 
edges are entire, and they terminate in acute points. 
The flowers are produced in pretty long hanging 
bunches, of an herbaceous colour, with long ftyles 
which are ftretched out a good length beyond the pe- 
tals, and are permanent 5 the fruit is fmall, and black 
when ripe. 
The fixth fort rifes four or five feet high, dividing 
into many flender branches, which are fmooth, and 
garnifhed with fpear-fhaped leaves three inches long, 
and one and a quarter broad, of a lucid green on the 
upper fide, but white on the under, having three lon- 
gitudinal veins which join before they reach the bafe ; 
thefe are entire, and placed alternately on the branches. 
The flowers are produced in a loofe panicle at the 
end of the branches; they are fmall, white, and have 
pretty long tubes ; thefe are fucceeded by fmall pur- 
ple fruit. 
The feventh fort rifes with an angular ftalk fix or feven 
feet high, fending out branches oppofite, which are 
garnifhed with fpear-fhaped, oval, rough leaves, 
placed by pairs ; they are hairy, of a dark green on 
their upper fide, but of a pale green on their under* 
The flowers are produced at the end of the branches, 
two or three ftanding together ; they are large, and 
of a Rofe colour, inclining to purple, fitting in large 
hairy empalements ; thefe are fucceeded by roundifh. 
purple fruit crowned by the empalement, which are 
filled with a purple pulp furrounding the feeds. 
The eighth fort grows to the height of twenty feet, 
with a large ftrait ftem, covered with a gray bark, 
and at the top divides into many angular branches ; 
thefe are garnifhed with oblong oval leaves near a 
foot long, and fix inches broad in the middle, of a 
dark green on their upper fide, but filky on their un- 
der, with five ftrong longitudinal veins ; they are in- 
dented on their edges, and placed oppofite. The 
flowers are produced in loofe long bunches at the end 
of the branches ; thefe are white, and are fucceeded 
by roundifh purple fruit, filled with pulp, in which 
the feeds are lodged. 
The ninth fort rifes with a ftrong ere£t ftalk near 
thirty feet high, covered with a gray bark, dividing 
at the top into feveral angular comprefled branches, 
which are garnifhed with oval leaves indented on their 
edges ; they are feven inches long and almoft five 
broad, ftanding by pairs oppofite on very long foot- 
ftalks, of a lucid green on their upper fide, but of a 
pale gold colour and fattiny on their under, with five 
ftrong longitudinal veins, and a great number of 
fmaller tranfverfe ones. The flowers are produced in 
loofe panicles at the end of the branches ; they are 
white, and are fucceeded by purple fruit, about the 
fame fize as thofe of the former. 
The tenth fort rifes with a fhrubby ftalk ten or twelve 
feet high, covered with a hairy bark, and divides in- 
to many branches toward the top, which are garnifh- 
ed with heart-fhaped leaves ending in acute points ; 
they are five inches long and three broad toward their 
bafe, entire in their borders, of a dark green on their 
upper fide, but hoary on their under, with five lon- 
gitudinal veins, and many fmaller tranfverfe ones ; 
thefe are placed oppofite, and ftand upon hairy foot- 
ftalks, two inches and a half in length. The flow- 
ers are produced at the end of the branches, in a 
fort of umbel ; they are of a pale Rofe colour and 
pretty large, fitting on hairy empalements ; thefe are 
fucceeded by fmall black fruit, a little larger than 
Elder-berries. 
The eleventh fort rifes with a fhrubby ftalk about 
eight or nine feet high, covered with a dark brown 
bark, 
4 ax 
