238 BOTANY 
MyrtTACE. 
Tea-tree (Fig. 184) or Manuka (Leptospermunm 
scoparium) is a typical plant of this order. 
Habit—rigid, erect shrub, sometimes becoming @ 
small tree; bark in strips. 
Leaves—sessile, simple; margin entire; veining 
pinnate with a marginal vein; apex mucronate (needle- 
like); pelluecid dots showing presence of oil may be 
seen on holding leaf up to the light and looking at it. 
with a lens. 
Inflorescence—solitary at ends of short branches. 
Flower—Epigynous (ie. on top of the ovary), 
sessile, complete, actinomorphie. 
Calyx.—Sepals five, epigynous (7.e., situated on top 
of the ovary), the five small lobes being deciduous. 
Corolla—five, orbicular (%.e., circular) apopetalous, 
epigynous. 
Andreecium—stamens numerous, free, epigynous: 
arranged just within the petals, ineurved in the bud; 
filaments white; anther two-lobed. 
Gynecium—cearpels five; synearpous; style short 
and thick with five-lobed capitate (button-shaped) ; 
stigma at top. Ovary inferior, five-celled with ovules: 
numerous and very slender; axile placentation. 
Fruit—aA woody capsule dehiscing by five slits. 
Pollination—The style usually lifts the stigma 
above the stamens so that self-pollination is prevented. 
Insects visiting the flowers bring about  cross- 
pollination. 
General Characteristics of the order. Leaves 
usually opposite, without stipules, entire, leathery, 
evergreen, aromatic, finely dotted with pellucid glands 
containing essential oils. 
Flowers—Regular, epigynous; stamens numerous; 
pistil, carpels joined; fruit usually a berry but in 
