MELASTOMACEOUS PLANTS. 
5 
MELASTOMACEOUS PLANTS. 
WITH A FIGURE OF PLEROMA HETEROMALLUM. 
Some recent papers by correspondents on certain natural fami¬ 
lies of plants, which, from causes not easily explained, have fallen 
into neglect, appear to us so well directed, that we desire to second 
their tendency, and have selected the group denominated Melasto- 
maceous for the purpose. That fancy or taste, as the more polished 
phrase is, has much to do with the prevalence of certain descrip¬ 
tions of plants at particular times, cannot be denied; a kind of 
fashion leading cultivators to prefer at one time what they reject 
at another ; but we also think this preference may be the result 
of cultural inattention. That some families possess greater 
attractions than others is positive, but the point to determine is, 
have we yet seen all that are despised and neglected in their best 
condition ? It is a truism beyond controversion, that the art of 
gardening has advanced most rapidly of late, and were a compa¬ 
rison made between present specimens and such as used to be 
grown, even of the identical species, an ordinary observer would 
not believe them to be the same, the difference arising from good 
treatment being so great; if this be correct of some of our best 
plants, and no one who can remember the standard heaths, the 
scraggy geraniums, the pole-like crassulas, or the dirty stunted 
leaves and meagre flowers of all or either which used to be re¬ 
garded as the ornaments of plant-houses, will or can deny it; 
may not something of the kind attach to those groups at present 
regarded merely as old and worthless lumber? may they not 
be yet as the last race of gardeners left them, their value un¬ 
known, their beauty unappreciated, because never drawn forth 
by the fostering hand of careful skill ? if such is the case, and 
we do not doubt it with the majority, we are not without hope of 
witnessing their adoption. 
The family forming the subject of the present paper is rather 
an extensive one, containing nearly thirty genera, many of which 
are of considerable size, and having an extensive geographical 
range, it would indeed be strange did it not contain something 
worth the care necessary to grow it to the best condition. To 
