MALPIGIIIACEiE. 
147 
axillary, shorter than the leaf, solitary : common peduncle half 
an inch in length with appressed hairs ; pedicels of the same 
length, one-flowered, with a pair of minute bracteoles below 
the middle : flowers purple. Calycine segments oblong, con- 
cave, 6-8 glandulose (one of the segments being eglandulose 
and those on each side having in general only one glandule). 
Petals with the limb crisped, fimbriated. Filaments subulate, 
connate at the base: anthers yellow, tetragonal. Ovary ovoid, 
glabrous : styles 3 : stigmata simple. Drupe spherical, from 
the size of a large pea to that of a small cherry, smooth, shining, 
scarlet, bearing the persistent remains of the styles : seed 3, 
triquetrous with the angles acute, and with a sharp longitudi- 
nal ridge running down the centre of the outer side. 
The fruit of this species is juicy and of a sweet but rather 
insipid taste, and is scarcely ever brought to the dessert. In 
the wild state, this is a lowly shrub. When cultivated in gar- 
dens, however, it attains the size of a small tree and the fruit 
is much larger and more juicy; but the leaves are usually smaller. 
I have no doubt, but that the fruit might be still more improved, 
by further cultivation. 
3. Malpighia punicifolia. Pomegranate-leaved 
West- India Cherry. 
Leaves ovate very entire glabrous, peduncles axil- 
lary 1 -flowered. 
M. fruticosa erecta, floribus solitariis, j Browne, 230 — M. mali 
punici facie, Plum. Gen. 46. t. 160. f. 2. — JVI. punicifolia, 
Lamarck, Encycl. IV. 303. 
HAB. Woods near Bath, St Thomas in the East. 
FL. Autumn. 
This has a great resemblance to M. glabra, of which it pro- 
bably is only a variety. 
II. Byrsonima. 
Calyx 5-partite, externally at the base S-10 glan- 
dulose. Petals clawed. Stamens 10 shortly mona- 
delphous at the base. Styles 3. Drupe with a nut 
3-celled, 3-seeded. — I)e Cand. 
Racemes spiked, terminal, simple or branched. 
1. Byrsonima coriacea. Lotus-berry Tree. 
Leaves oblongo-ovate acuminate ; the young leaves 
ferrugineo-sericeo-tomentose, the adult subglabrous ; 
