I give below in his own language, as presenting in few words perhaps the best and clearest view yet published of the distinctive marks of these very nearly allied orders.
MALPIGHINAE. (Classis).
Conspectus ordinum.
A. Germen conflatum ex ovariis 3 v. 2, plus minus inter se connatis.
- I. Stamina calycis laciniis aequalia v. plura, plerumque dupla (rarissime in Malpighiaceis pauciora). Germinis loculi 1-2- (raro pluri-) ovulati.
- † Semina exalbuminosa.
- a. Semina hilo lato aut arillo praedita. Folia plerumque composita.
- 1. Folia opposita exstipulata palmatim 5-00-foliolata. Thyrsi terminales. Cirrhi 0. Flor. irregulares. Stam. 7, rarius 6 v. 8. Germ. 3-loc, loc. 2-ovulat., ovulo superiore pendulo inferiore adscendente. Caps, aptera, loculicide 3-2-valv., 3-1 -sp. Sem. exarill., hilo maximo.—Hippocastaneae.
- 2. alter na, pinnata aut pinnatisecta, rarius simplicia integra, rarissime stipulata. Pedunculi axillares, saepe cirrhigeri. Flores regular, v. irregul. Stam. petalor. numero dupla, duobus saepe deiicientib. Germ. 3-2-loc., local. 1-3-ovul., ov. adscendent. Drupa v. caps., carpellis saepe samaroideis.—Sapindaceae.
- b. Semina nec ariilata nec hilo lato insignia, pendula aut adscendentia. Fol. plerumque simplicia.
- 1. Semina ope funiculi pendula, solitaria. Ovaria 3, interdum distincta. Carpella saepissime alata, rarius carnosa. Calyx persist., basi extus saepe glandulosus. Stam. 10, rarissime pauciora. (Fol. opposita, rarissime alterna, simplicia, interdum lobata, saepe stipulata.)—Malpighiaceae.
- 2. — adscendentia, sessilia. Ovaria 2, connata. Carpella extrorsum alata, saraaroidea. Calyx decid., eglandulos. Stam. 5-12, saepius 8. (Fol. opposita, simplicia, plerumque lobata, rarius impari-pinnata. Stipulae 0.)—Acerineae.
- †† Semina albuminosa, solitaria. Fruct. drupaceus, abortu 1-loc. Germ. 3-loc, loc. 1-ovulatis, duobus subevanidis. Ovulum pendulum. Cal. persist. Pet. 5. Stam. 10, basi monadelpha. (Fol. alterna, rarissime opposita, simplicia, integra, saepe triplinervia. Stipulae 2 persist, intra axillam connatae in unicam saepe 2-ridam.)— Erythroxyleae.
- II. Stamina 3 (an theris saepe 1-iocular.). Cal. 5-divisus, persist. Pet. 5. Germ. 3-loc, loeuL biseriatim pluriovulatis. Styli 3 connati. Carpella 3, v. abortu 2-1, samaroidea, 2-valvia, aut baccata, oligosperma. Sem. adscendent., exalbum. (Fol. oppos., simpl., indivisa. Stipulae parvae, deciduae.)—Hippocrateaceae.
B. Germen conrlatum ex ovariis 5 connatis, 1-ovulatis, ov. pendulis. Stigm. 5, sessilia. Carpella demum subdistincta, indehiscentia. Sem. exalbum. Cal. persist. 10-fid., lobis 5 interioribus callosis minoribus. Petala 0. Stamina 10, libera. (Fol. oppos., simpl., integra, 3-5-nervia, exstipulata.)—? Coriarieae.
Geographical Distribution. I have remarked above that this is a strictly tropical order, but principally confined to America, so much so indeed, that of 180 species described by DeCandolle in his Prodromus, only 5 are East Indian, 5 from Equinoctial Africa, 1 from the Cape and 1 from Arabia. Since that time considerable additions have been made to the Indian list, as there are about 20 enumerated in Wallich's list, and Blume has 6 from Java. To the Peninsular list nothing has been added since the publication of our Prodromus, except that the genus Ancistrocladus is ascertained to be unquestionably a native, as I have found it abundantly in the woods of Courtallum, and have also received specimens from Bombay : also from Maulmain and Ceylon. This therefore seems a widely diffused genus, but I have great doubts of the propriety of referring it to this order. The species of Malpighia here figured flowered in the garden of the Madras Horticultural Society, and is I believe of Chinese origin, if so, it is the first of the genus which has been found in the old world, but 1 doubt whether it can be admitted as a legitimate member of the genus.
Properties and Uses. Under this head little is known, and respecting the Asiatic members of the order nothing, except that they are highly ornamental twining shrubs, and merit a place in every shrubbery having ornament for its object, though so far as I have seen, they are nearly unknown in Madras.
Remarks on Geneva and Species. The genera of this order amounting, according to Meisner, to 26 in number, are distributed into three tribes, Malpighieae, Hiptageae, and Banisterieae, of the two last of these only, the Indian flora can with certainly be said to possess representatives. The native country of the Malpighia I have represented is uncertain. We no doubt received it from China, but have no means of ascertaining whether it is really a Chinese plant. Ancistrocladus is also referred to this tribe, but there is much reason to doubt whether
