12 MB. D. OLIVER ON AUBANTIACE.Y. 



so far as its relations are concerned. Viewed in the light of 

 Mr. Darwin's theory, the idea presents itself that the claim which 

 Casimaroa may possess to he grouped with the Aurctntiacece is due 

 less to inheritance by direct] descent with the other species than 

 to divergence in the direction of this order from some allied but 

 comparatively remote type (perhaps Xanthoxylacece) ; which in its 

 turn, however, may be admitted to have sprung, with the Auran- 

 tiacea, from one common parent stock ; and this view would seem 

 to be supported by the nature of the differences which separate 

 Casimaroa from truly Aurantiaceous genera, as well as by the fact 

 that none of the latter are native (so far as is shown) in the New 

 World. 



"With regard to Skimmia, I shall not al present enter upon the 

 discussion of its best position in the natural system ; Avhether it 

 ought to be appended to Aurantiacece or to JCanthoxylacea?. It . 

 differs from the former order in its albuminous seeds, uniseriate 

 stamens and abortion (or tendency to abortion) of one sex in, at 

 least, the Himalayan species. In other respects it is exceedingly 

 Aurantiaceous in structure, especially agreeing in the form of the 

 pistil and in the succulent fruit. One species, S.japonica, is not 

 infrequent in cultivation. 



Atalantia. 

 Founded by Correa de Serra, in the ' Ann. du Museum ' (torn, 

 vi. 1805), on Limonia monophylla, L. and Eoxb. (PI. Cor. ii. 83). 

 After an extended examination and comparison of the species 

 which have been referred by authors to this genus and to Sclero- 

 stylis (v. infra), I have been led so to modify the generic diagnosis 

 of Atalantia, as to embrace nearly the whole of these in one 

 natural group. Correa's original Atalantia was characterized by 

 tetramerous flowers and monadelphous stamens. But the im- 

 portance of the character derived from symmetry I find generally 

 too subordinate in the order to attribute any great value to it 

 per se ; and in one or two species referred to Sclerostylis by Dr. 

 Wight and others, the filaments are more or less irregularly united 

 or monadelphous. The species which I unite with Atalantia agree 

 with it in important features, and have all a similar habit, uni- 

 foliolate leaves, and axillary inflorescence, and taken together, they 

 constitute a natural generic assemblage. 



There are, however, one or two points in A. monophylla, besides 

 those which I have bridged over, which are peculiar, and consti- 

 tute it, with a very closely allied plant of Heifer's, as perhaps a 



