MYRTUS TOMENTOSA. 
105 
MYRTUS TOMENTOSA. 
Nat. Order, Myrtace/E. 
Generic Character.— Myrtus, Tournefort. Calyx adherent 
to the ovary, limb superior, four or five-toothed. Corolla of four or 
five petals inserted on the throat of the calyx, alternate with its 
lobes. Stamens indefinite, most frequently numerous, inserted 
in several rows on the throat of the calyx and the epigynous 
disk; filaments filiform, free; anthers two-celled, affixed by their 
backs, bursting longitudinally. Ovary inferior, two-, three-, or 
more rarely four-celled ; placenta generally two-parted, in the in¬ 
ternal angle of the cells, the inner face with many owiles, rarely 
undivided and with two ovules; style, simple; stigma terminal. 
Berry crowned by the limb of the calyx, two-, three-, or rarely 
four-celled, sometimes one-seeded by suppression. Seeds mostly 
hippocrepic, testa generally bony.—( Endlicher Gen. Plant, 6316). 
Sect. II., Rliodomyrtus. —Flowers rose-coloured; seeds flat, 
compressed, in two series in the cells. 
Myrtus tomentosa, Alton . Woolly Myrtle.—Peduncles 
one-, three-flowered, shorter than the subjacent leaf, bearing 
two ovate bracteoles, branches and calices velvety, leaves ovate, 
when young velvety above and hoary-tomentose beneath, three- 
nerved, lateral nerves sub-marginal, calyx five-toothed.— Alton, 
Hort. Kew, 2. p. 267. 
Synonymes. — M. tomentosa. Curt. Bot. Mag. t. 2.50 —Herb. 
Amat. t. 267.— M, canescens, Lour. coch. 1 p. 281.— IPluk. aim. 
t. 372, f. 1. 
B ESCRIPTION.—A small shrub, with a tendency to dichotomous branching; shoots slightly 
hairy. Leaves opposite, lanceolate, shortly stalked, three-nerved, the lateral nerves leav¬ 
ing the mid-nerve a little above the base and running up, about the same distance within the 
margin, to the summit; young leaves and buds velvety hoary beneath,, with a thinner pubescence 
above, full-grown leaves glabrous on both sides, glandular punctate in the areolae of the reticu¬ 
lations of the nerves. Peduncles one-, three-flowered, and, like the calyx, hoary. Calyx-tube 
campanulate, adherent to the ovary, and with a pair of sessile bracteoles, one-third its length, 
at the base, the limb spreading, five-parted, the lobes broadly and obtusely spathulate (broader 
than long), imbricated. Petals large, rose-coloured, fading to whitish, broadly oval with a 
short claw, concave. Stamens very numerous, inserted on the tube of the calyx and the 
epigynous disk ; filaments somewhat incurved, rose-coloured, pollen yellow. Ovary inferior, 
three-celled ; seeds numerous, in two rows in the inner angles of the cells ; style simple, longer 
than the stamens, rose-coloured above; stigma globular capitate. 
History, &c. —A native of China, Cochin China, and the Neilgherry Mountains, long since 
introduced into gardens, but apparently not very generally known.—A. H. 
Culture. —Although this is an old plant it is a rare occurrence to see it properly cultivated, 
and producing its very pretty rose-coloured flow T ers in such profusion as it will do under 
proper management. It is a very handsome stove shrub, flowering early in the season, and 
continuing for some time in perfection. It is readily propagated by cuttings of the young wood, 
under a bell-glass on a gentle bottom heat, and it strikes the best when the young wood is 
about half ripe ; make choice of the short stubby pieces, and take them off with a heel, that is, 
with a portion of the parent branch adhering to the base of the cutting. When they are 
rooted, which will generally be in about six weeks or two months, pot off singly, and nurse in 
a warm frame until thoroughly established. Afterwards harden the plants off, and grow them 
in the stove. Of course, if good plants are desired, the young ones must be stopped to make 
them bushy, and they must be grown very vigorously. A mixture of loam, leaf-mould, and 
peat, with plenty of sand, will be found very suitable to pot them in. Water liberally and oc¬ 
casionally in the growing season with liquid manure, but recollect the blooming of this, as well 
as of all other hard-wooded plants, depends upon the wood being properly matured in the 
autumn ; therefore attend to it in time.—A. 
LARGE TREES : HOW AND WHEN TO REMOVE THEM. 
By. Mr. J. L. MIDpLEMISS, Gardener to A. Pott, Esq., Bentham Hill, Tonbridge Wells. 
17TIO be able to give immediate effect in a landscape, by transplanting large evergreens and forest trees 
A has now become a sine qua non in the qualifications of a gardener; and the present paper, which 
it is not intended should be considered as offering instruction to those who are more able to give than 
receive in such matters, may perhaps be found useful as containing a few suggestions to those who 
are seeking information. 
On the first part of this subject eminent authorities differ; some advocating winter and spring 
VOL. II. o 
