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36 
LEPTOSPERMUM obovyatum. 
Obovate-leaved South-sea Myrtle, 
_—— 
Linnean Class and Order, ICOSANDRIA MONOGYNIA. 
Natural Order. MYRTACE. Kth. synops.3. p.410. 
Subordo I. MYRTE#, Flores in foliorum axillis aut in pedunculis multifloris 
oppositi. Folia plerumque opposita et punctata, Ath. 1. c. p.410. 
LEPTOSPERMUM. Calyx basi persistens, 5-fidus, semisuperus. Petala 5, un- 
guiculata, orbiculata, staminibus (utplurimum) longiora, Stigma capitatum. Capsula 
globoso-depressiuscula, 4-5-locularis. Semina angulosa, tenuia. Pers, syn. 2. p. 24. 
——————_— 
L, obovatum, foliis obovatis emarginatis obscure 3-5-nerviis glabris, ramis alato-angu- 
latis, calycibus glabris; dentibus membranaceis coloratis, 


An upright bushy evergreen Shrub, clothed with a thin 
brown bark, which scales off occasionally: branches erect or 
spreading, rather slender, acutely angular or slightly winged, 
tinged with red. Leaves short, sessile, broadly obovate, with a 
slight notch at the point, attenuated towards the base, smooth 
and glossy, punctate with numerous small dots, of a bright dark- 
ish green on the upper side, underneath faintly 3 or 5-nerved, 
the nerves branched, margins a little roughish. Flowers white, 
axillary, solitary, on short footstalks, altogether forming a sort 
of raceme. Calya smooth and glossy, punctated with numerous 
small dots, flattish, hollowed inside, with 5 short spreading mem- 
branaceous white roundly ovate lacinize, tube or lower part per- 
sistent, the laciniz deciduous. Petals 5, roundly ovate, with a 
short unguis, inserted in the calyx between the laciniz, spread- 
ing. Stamens between 30 and 40, inserted in the calyx, shorter 
than the petals: filaments smooth, white, the points curved in- 
wards, inserted in the back of the anthers. Ovarium smooth, 5- 
locular. Style smooth, about the length of the Stamens. Stigma 
capitate, flattened. 
Many of the flowers on the plant from which our drawing 
was made were sterile, not producing even the rudiments of a 
