only by the seedling plant. We shall subjoin some ex- 

 tracts from Mr. Brown's highly interesting observations on 

 the natural tribe to which our plant belongs. 



" LEGUMIN08/E. This extensive tribe mav be con- 



-ft 



cc sidered as a class divisible into at least three orders, to 

 g * which proper names should be given. Of the whole class 

 f about 2000 species are at present published; and in Terra 

 *f Australia, where this is the most numerous family, consi- 

 " derably more than 400 species have already been observed* 



" One of the three orders of Legumfaosfv, which is here 

 u for the first time proposed, may be named Mimosem. It 

 ** consists of the Linnean Mimosa, recently subdivided by 

 " Willdenow into five genera, along with Adenanthera and 

 ** Prosopis. This order is sufficiently distinguished from 

 Cf both the others by the hypogynons insertion and valvular 

 i€ aestivation of its corolla, which being perfectly regular 



differs in this respect also from the greater part of Lomen- 



tacece and from ad the PapUionacece. 



4€ 



•« 



Nearly the whole of the Australian species of the Lin- 

 nean genus, Mimosa, belong to the Acacia of Willdenow, 

 as it is at present constituted; and about nine tenths of 

 " the Acacias to his first division of that genus, described by 

 " him as having simple leaves, but which is in reality aphyl- 

 " lous; the dilated foliaceous footstalk performing the fune- 

 tc tions of the true compound leaf, which is produced only in 

 ." the seedling plant, or occasionally in the more advanced 

 " state in particular circumstances, or where plants have 

 " been injured. 



" The great number of species of Acacia having this 

 "'remarkable economy in Terra Australis, forms one of the 

 "most striking peculiarities of its vegetation. 



" The second order, Lomentacece or Cwsalpinece, com- 

 '*' prebends all the genera having perigynous stamina, a 

 te corolla whose aestivation is not valvular, and which though 

 " generally irregular is never papilionaceous. To these cha- 

 " racters may be added the straight embryo, in which they 

 " agree with the Mimosece, but differ from all the Papilio~ 

 nacecCf except Aracfhs and Cercis. 



" The third order, PapUionacece > which comprehends 

 cc about three fourths of the whole class at present known, 



(C 



