CALLISTEMON lophanthum.
Crested Callistemon.
Linnean Class and Order. ICOSANDRIA MONOGYNIA.
Natural Order. MYRTACE/E. Kill, synops. 3. p. 410.
Subordo I. MYRTEJE. Flores in foliorum axillis aut in pedunculis multifloris
oppositi. Folia plerumque opposita et punctata. Kth. 1. c. p. 410.
CALLISTEMON. Stamina numerosa; filamentis distinctis, elongatis: antheris
incnmbentibus. Capsula trilocularis, polysperma, connata et inclusa calycis tubo in-
crassata basi adnato (ramo). Brown Bot. reg. 393.
C. lophanthum, foliis lanceolatis utrinque attenuatis mucronatis uninerviis pennivcniis
adultis glabris ; junioribus ramisqne villosis, floribus distinctis spicatis snbtermi-
nalibns, calycibus pilosis, petalis subpubescentibus ciliatis, ovariis dense pubes-
centibus, capsulis distinctis.
Metrosideros lophan tha. Vent, plant, nouv. cult. jard. de Cels. p. et. t. G9. Spreng, syst. 2.
p. 490.
Metrosideros saiigna. Sims Bot. mag. 1821? nec aliorum.
An upright bushy evergreen Shrub: branches upright, rather
slender, villosely hairy when young, which wears off by
age, they then become smooth, and are clothed with a white
deciduous bark, which scales off irregularly. Leaves shortish,
rigid, lanceolate, tapering to both ends, thinly punctate, terminated
by a sharp rigid mucro, 1-nerved, pinnately veined, clothed
with spreading villous hairs, and fringed when young;
afterwards becoming smooth, but slightly glaucous, or of a pale
green colour. Petioles short, villous when young, but becoming
smooth by age. Flowers straw-coloured, not crowded, in a terminal
spike at first, but the branch lengthens out beyond them,
they then become lateral. Calyx tubular, bell-shaped, with 5
membranaceous spreading segments: the tube villosely hairy,
affixed into the branch, persistent, and increasing in size after
the flowers have dropt, and enclosing the capsule: laciniaa
spreading, membranaceous, ovate, rounded, villous, the margins
densely bearded. Petals 5, inserted in the calyx, on the upper
part of the tube, ovate, concave, greenish, slightly pubescent, the
margins fringed with long white woolly hairs. Stamens numerous,
inserted in the upper part of the tube of the calyx: filaments
smooth, spreading round, inserted in the back of the anthers.
Ovarium densely clothed with a white pubescence. Style
smooth, about the length of the stamens. Stigma a small flat
head. Capsule tomentose, distinctly 3-celled, and many seeded.
Seeds small, chaff-like, spatulate.
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