Flora Medica

of the cotyledons.Shrubs. Leaves opposite, quite entire,pellucid-dotted. Peduncles axillary,1 or rarely 3-flowered.W. and A.153. M. communis Lin. sp. pi. 673. DC. prodr.iii. 239.Rocks and heaths of the South of Europe.Leaves ovate or ovate-lanceolate, acute, shining, evergreen. Pedicelssolitary 1-flowered, about as long as the leaf. Bractlets 2, linear,deciduous, under the flower. Calyx 5-cleft. Flowers white. Fruitoval, deep purple. Aromatic and astringent. In many parts ofGreece, Italy and Provence the bark is used for tanning. Myrtlebuds and berries were eaten as spices by the ancients, and are still usedin Tuscany instead of pepper. The Tuscans also prepare a sort ofMyrtle wine which they call Myrtidanum. The distilled water ofMyrtle flowers that i/s very agreeable perfume known in France underthe name of ' Eau d'Ange.' Burnett.CARYOPHYLLUS.Tube of the calyx cylindrical; limb 4-parted. Petals 4,adhering by their ends in a sort of calyptra. Stamens distinct,arranged in 4 parcels in a quadrangular fleshy hollow, near theteeth of the calyx. Ovary 2-celled ;ovules about 20 in eachcell. Berry 1-2-celled, 1-2-seeded. Seeds cylindrical, or halfovate.Cotyledons thick, fleshy, convex externally, sinuous invarious ways internally.154. C. aromaticus Linn. sp. 735. DC. prodr.iii. 262. Bot.mag t. 2749. S. and C. ii. t. 95. Woodv. t. 135 CaryophyllusRumph. ii. t. 1. 2. 3 Molucca Islands. (Clove.)A moderately-sized tree, whose outline or circumscription is somewhatconical or pyramidal, bearing numerous opposite branches whichare more or less virgate. Whole plant everywhere glabrous. Leavesopposite and decussate, persistent, somewhat coriaceous and shining,minutely punctated, about four inches' long, ovate-lanceolate, more orless acute, quite entire, pale beneath, tapering gradually at the baseinto a slender footstalk, which is almost 2 inches long. Panicles short,terminal, of many flowers, and always trichotomously divided, jointedat every division. Peduncles terete, green. Calyx of 4, ovate, concavesegments, erecto-patent, placed upon the top of the ovary, andtogether with it, is first green and then red, coriaceous. Petals 4,larger than the calyx, imbricated into a globe in bud, at length spreading,roundish, concave, yellowish-red, very soon caducous. In thecentre of the calyx, and occupying the top of the ovary, is a quadrangularelevated line or gland, surrounding, but not embracing the base ofthe shortish, obtusely subulate style. Around this gland, immediatelywithin the petals, the stamens are inserted ;but as their insertion doesnot extend to the angles of the gland, they appear to be collected intofour bundles, numerous. Filaments much longer than the petals,yellow. Anthers ovate-cordate, yellow, 2-celled. Ovary oblong, oralmost cylindrical, 2-celled, with many small ovules in each cell,attached to the sides of the dissepiment. All these become abortive ;or one proves fertile, and by its great enlargement destroys the75