Page:Illustrations of Indian Botany, Vol. 2.djvu/29

Rh consolidated into one mass with the radicle.—Trees or shrubs. Leaves usually opposite, entire, and with transparent dots, sometimes alternate, rarely serrated, and rarely without dots."

̼AFFINITIES. These are not easily defined, for, though the order is upon the whole a very natural one and easily recognized, yet, owing to the great variety of structure which its different sections present it is not easy, in many cases, to mark their true limits. With Pomaceae it is allied through Nelitris, a genus having a 5-10-celled ovary with a single ovule in each cell. With Lythrareae, Onagrariae, Combretaceae, Memecyleae, and Melastomaceae, affinities have also been traced, but these do not seem so liable to be mistaken. DeCandolle remarks that it is an order easily divided, but he prefers keeping it united. It differs from Rosaceae in the adherent calyx, the united carpels and solitary style; and from all by its exstipulate leaves : from Lythrarieae by the calyx cohering with the ovary. From Combretaceae by its many-celled ovary and erect or horizontal not pendulous ovules and the cotyledons of the embryo not convolute, but approaches through Myrtus spectabilis which has a one-celled ovary, and Eugenea arc is and Pimenta which have pendulous ovules : from Melastomaceae by its filaments neither acutely bent nor the anthers received into cavities under the divisions of the calyx and the form of the anthers : from Memcyleae by its many-celled ovary with superpased ovules, not one-celled with a single row of ovules surrounding the base of the style : from Onagrarieae by its indefinite stamens. Lastly Myrtaceae differ from all their allies in the pellucid dots of their leaves, in habit, and in their properties. From this enumeration I agree with DeCandolle in excluding Granateae, though considered so nearly related that many Botanists reunite it with this order : Philadelpheae originally referred here by Jussieu and retained by Meisner, is also separated as a distinct order by DeCandolle, although, under the circumstances mentioned, it must be very nearly allied. The former, as already shown, is justly excluded from the family, and the latter differs in its leaves not having transparent dots, in having twisted æstivation, several styles and albuminous seed : the first of these, absence of pellucid dots is certainly not a good distinction, since many species of genuine Myrtaceae want them, but the others are generally believed to supply valuable ordinal distinctions.

The order is divided into 5 sections, three of which are found in India : namely, Leptospermeae with a many-celled capsule and opposite or alternate leaves, which are usually dotted—Myrteae having a berry, distinct stamens, and opposite leaves which are usually, not always dotted : and Barringtoneae separated if not as an order certainly as a good suborder by having a fleshy one-celled fruit, albuminous seed, monadelphous stamens, and alternate not dotted leaves.

The order still requires investigation as it certainly includes some anomalous forms, which may perhaps find more suitable stations in other orders.

GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION. The geographical range of this order is very extended, but principally confined to the warmer latitudes. In India species extend from the most southern part of Ceylon northward to the Himalayas and from Malabar eastward through all the intermediate countries to China. The genera best known in Coromandel, as being most generally met with are Syzygium, and Eugenia, but besides these we have the Guava (Psidium) generally cultivated ; the Myrtle ( Myrtus) partly cultivated and partly a native of the higher hills; the Rose apple (Jambosa) usually cultivated but also a native, and in Malabar Sonneratia. This last and some others which I have not yet seen on the Eastern coast, render it probable many more will be found when the western jungles have been better explored. To the Eastward, several other genera are found, among which may be mentioned Melaleuca, Caryophyllus (the clove tree) Nelitris and a new genus Monoxera, R. W. In new Holland they are numerous. In Africa a good many are found especially in Madagascar, and some even extend as far south as the Cape of Good Hope where three species are described. Tropical America may however be considered their principal station, as there, they are very numerous both as regards genera and species : one only is found in Europe, the Myrtus communis, or common Myrtle, now to be met with in almost every garden in Madras, a fact worthy of attention, as going far to prove that arboreous plants of the south of Europe may become aclimated in even the South of India. The Clove and Pimenta or Allspice trees, have also been introduced into the Courtallum gardens,