The Geographical Distribution of the Frankeniaceae ete, 397 
other factors, namely, the plant habit and the geographical distribution, 
unite with floral characters in making it desirable to retain these genera, 
at least for the purpose of emphasizing certain pronounced lines of deve- 
lopement, notably in Niederleinia, and extremes of isolation, notably in 
Beatsonia. But in thus emphasizing certain types, it must not be forgotten 
that there are other types properly comprehended in Frankenia which are 
scarcely less significant, e. g., F. bracteata Turez., F. glomerata Turez. 
from Australia, F. triandra Remy, Puna Region. 
Morphological. 
In typical Frankenia the floral members may be represented by the 
formula K5— C5 — A6 (3 4-3?) —G3. The number of members in each 
whorl is however subject to variation even in the genus Frankenia, e. g., 
F. revoluta Forsk. varies to K5 — C5 — A8 — G3; F. Boissieri, generally 
typical, may have K5 — C5 — A5 (single whorl) — G3; F. glomerata 
KOAG 
Turez. | DENN F, triandra Remy, K5 — C5— 43 to 6 —G3; F. Pal- 
meri Wats. Kö — C5 —A& or G2; Hypericopsis K6 or 7 — C6 or 7— A20 
or more — G4; Beatsonia K5 — C5 — A5 (single whorl) — G3; Niederleinia 
— 46 sterile — G3. 
K5— C5 4 —46— G3 sterile. 
—" 46 — G3? 
From the above instances the number of stamens would seem too 
variable to be used as a generic character. "That there are normally two 
isomerous whorls seems questionable both because of the common variation, 
and because often four, five or six stamens are found united below into 
a cup in which no distinction of outer and inner members can be made. 
That there are three longer and three shorter, seems a device for econo- 
mising space for developement in the narrow calyx tube, for example in 
F. glomerata, which has almost filiform calyces. The four stamens are all of 
different lengths, the anthers, therefore, developing without crowding each 
other. À more exact method of determining the number of whorls should 
be employed, however, before the question is pronounced upon finally. 
The corolla possesses the ligulate appendage in almost every member 
of the family, generally well marked, — in F. triandra almost a double 
eorolla —, but very indistinet in Beatsonia, often very plainly evident in 
Niederleinia, and not at all to be delected in the narrow flowered F. glome- 
rata: The number of seeds produced in each capsule varies from one or 
two in some of the narrowly endemic forms to more than twenty in the 
widely distributed species. The characteristics whieh are of value in 
promoting a wide distribution are: 1. The seeds are very small oval or 
oblong grains. 2. They are richly furnished with mealy endosperm which 
