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ILLUSTRATIONS OF INDIAN BOTANY.
cases adduced among Primulaceae, where a somewhat similar structure occurs, that no great weight can be attached to that circumstance. Habit and geographical distribution must, I apprehend, be looked upon, in this case, as the really essential distinguishing feature. The section, or according to Alph. D. C. the order, Tkeophrastece has alternate sterile stamene and extrose anthers as in Sapotaceae, showing a transition from the one into the other and indicating a direct affinity between the two orders, which, however, are kept distinct by the difference of the ovary, which is several-celled in Sapotaceae, and also by the very different structure of the seed. Whether or not Theophrasteoe ought to be separated from Myriseneacece is a question which scarcely comes within the scope of this work, there being no Indian species of the former, but, were I called upon to give an opinion, I think it probable it would be adverse to their separation partly on the ground of analogy furnished by Sapotaceae, between the genera of which it appears to me there are as wide discrepancies as between Theophrastacece and Myriseneacece. But on the other hand many families, are less clearly defined and therefore it is my impression that the verdict of A. De C. will ultimataly be confirmed as it rests on some strong points.
Geographical Distribution. In 1833 when Alph. De Candolle's paper on this familv was read in the Linnean Society, he was only acquainted with ISO species excluding Theopkrasta, since then the number has been nearly doubled. In his three tabular statement of the geographical distribution of the order he assigns only 9 to "Ceylon and the Indian Peninsula,"' I cannot say how many I have, indigenous within these limits, but I am nearly certain the number is little under twenty.
I extract the following notice on this subject from my Spicilegium Neilgherriense — "This family is widely but unequally distributed, apparently preferring those countries enjoying a rather high but equable temperature. They most abound in the Islands of the Indian Archi- pelago, next to which ranks Bengal, Burmah, and the Tenasseram coast. The Indian Peninsula and Ceylon, are placed low in the scale, whether owing to their possessing few or to these floras being less known, I do not know, but I know that I have in my own collection nearly twice as many as De Candolle assigned to both countries in 1833 when his very excellent paper was read to the Linnean Society."
Dr. Hooker in his "Botany of the Antarctic voyage," gives an admirable account of the geography of this family, which, though rather long, I am tempted to quote in full as a model of perfection.
"Myrsineaceae are for the most part inhabitants of climates whose temperature is equable and they particularly abound in insular localities, as the Islands of the Indian Ocean, Mauritias. Bourbon and Madagascar. Their utmost Northern limit in the Old World seems to be the Azores, lat. 39° N., Madeh-a, lat. 32°, and Tenriffe ; but in no part of the adjacent continent of Africa do they cross the Northern tropic; in Europe they are entirely wanting, and in Asia extend only to Japan in North lat. 40°. The order is very rare in N. America, and especialiy to the northward of Mexico, only one species inhabiting the United States, the M. Jloriduna, A. De C, and that is confined to the southern state, whose name it bears, lat. 30° N. In the southern hemisphere they nowhere (except in New Zealand), are found to the southward of the 36th parallel, and there in S. Brazil only. In Africa they reach the 33d, and in Australia the 34th. Their extension into the 53d degree in the South Pacific Ocean, is hence a remark- able circumstance, and probably in some measure to be accounted for by the uniform tempera- ture which the New Zealand Islands possess ; further, they there bear a larger proportion to the other dicotyledonous vegetation than they do in any other part of the globe. I have alluded to the Suttonia divaricata having a considerable range in latitude, a circumstance not without parallel in the order to which it belongs. Of this, Myrsine africana is an extreme instance, that plant being found both at the Cape of Good Hope, in Abyssinia, and in the Azores. The species of the Natural Order are, however, as M. A. De Candolle well remarks ( Linn. Trans, vol. xvii. p. 99), very confined as regards their geographical limits, Melastomacece and Myrtacece, being two of the very few groups containing about the same or a greater number of species which are more so." — Jos. Hooker, Bot. of Antarctic Voyage, p. 52.
