M YZODENDR ON 
491 
Myrsine Linn. Myrsinaceae (11). 80 sp. trop. As. Afr. 
Myrsiphyllum Willd.= Asparagus Tourn. 
Myrtaceae. Dicotyledons (Archichl. Myrtiflorae). 72 gen. with about 
2000 sp., trop. and sub-trop. ; the chief centres of distribution are 
Austr. (. Leptospermoideae ) and trop. Am. (Myrtoideae). They are 
trees and shrubs, varying in size from a small creeper to the giant 
Eucalyptus, with oil-glands in leaves &c. Leaves usually opp., 
exstip. , evergreen, entire. Firs, generally in cymes, £ , regular. The 
receptacle is more or less hollow and united to the ovary. In Metro- 
sideros and most of its allies the union is not very complete, but in 
the rest of the order it is complete, and the 
fir. is epigynous. K (4 — 5) or 4 — 5, in some 
genera not opening when the fir. opens, but 
thrown off as a lid, usually quincuncial, with 
the second leaf posterior; C 4 — 5, the petals 
often nearly circular; Aoo , free, rarely definite 
usually bent inwards in bud; Goo — i-loc., 
with 2 — co anatropous or campylotropous 
ovules in each loc. ; style and stigma simple ; 
placentae usually axile, rarely parietal. Fruit 
a berry, drupe, capsule, or nut. Seeds with Floral diagram of Myrtus 
no endosperm. Several M. are economically communis (after Eichler). 
important, e.g. Eucalyptus (timber, kino, oil), Eugenia (cloves &c.), 
Psidium (guava), &c. 
Classification and chief genera: 
I. MYRTOIDEAE (berry, rarely drupe) : 
1. Myrteae\ Myrtus, Psidium, Pimenta, Eugenia, Syzygium. 
II. LEPTOSPERMOIDEAE (dry fruit) : 
2. Leptospermeae (ovary multi-loc.) : Metrosideros, Eucalyptus, 
Callistemon, Melaleuca. 
3. Chamaelaucieae (i-loc. ; i-seeded nut) : Darwinia. 
[Benth.-Hooker unite Lecythidaceae to M. and place it in Myr- 
tales; Warming adds to M. both L. and Punicaceae, placing it in 
Myrtiflorae.] 
Myrtales (Benth.-Hooker). The 12th cohort of Polypetal ae (p. 135). 
Myrtiflorae. The 25th cohort (Engler) of Archichlamydeae (p. 130). 
The 22nd cohort (Warming) of Choripetalae (p. 138). 
Myrtus (Tourn.) Linn. (incl. Ugni Turcz.). Myrtaceae (1). 70 sp. trop. 
and subtrop. M. communis L., the myrtle, is a W. As. shrub, long 
naturalised in Eur. The Chilian sp. (§ Ugni ) have edible fruits. 
Mystacidium Lindl. Orchidaceae (31). 35 sp. Afr. 
Myzodendraceae. Dicotyledons (Archichl. Santalales). Only genus 
Myzodendron. United to Santalaceae by Benth.-Hooker and Warm- 
ing. See Nat. PJl . 
Myzodendron (Banks) Soland. Myzodendraceae. 7 sp. Chili, Pata- 
gonia. Semi-parasitic green shrubs (p. 176), like Loranthaceae. 
