208 MB. G. BEHTHAM ON EUPHORBIACEiE. 



tenance as distinct genera, though we would place them in close 

 proximity. Bridelia is, morever, distinguished by the succulent 

 indehiscent fruit, which in the other two is the ordinary tricoc- 

 cous capsule. This genus shows also that the general character 

 of the group is not to be absolutely relied upon ; for in a few 

 species the seed is albuminous with thin flat cotyledons, whilst 

 in others it is precisely that of Cleistanthus, exalbuminous, with 

 fleshy cotyledons. A third genus with valvate calyx, Stenonia, 

 consists of a single Madagascar species which I have not seen, 

 and of which the fruit is unknown, and therefore somewhat 

 doubtful as to its position. The four remaining genera of the 

 group, with imbricate sepals, are well characterized and generally 

 adopted, and call for no special remark. They are : — Amanoa, 

 with 6 tropical species from Eastern America and Western 

 Africa ; Discocarpus, 3 species from east tropical America ; Lach- 

 nostylis, a single South-African species with the characters 

 almost of Discocarpus, including the curious broad contortupli- 

 cate cotyledons, but yet with sufficient to keep it distinct, especi- 

 ally considering its geographical position ; and ActepMla, with 

 10 species from tropical Asia and Australia. One of these, 

 included by Mueller in LitJioxylon, is correctly referred by Bail- 

 Ion to ActepJiila; the typical Lithoxylon, once raised in our 

 gardens from Taitian seeds, remains very doubtful as to its 

 affinities. It is only known from Lindley's figure and descrip- 

 tion, and from a very imperfect specimen ; the fruit has never 

 been observed. 



There remain three petaliferous genera, Wielandia, Savia, and 

 Andrachne, which, notwithstanding that character, appear to be 

 best classed with the typical apetalous Phyllanthe^e, of which they 

 have the inflorescence, the fruit, and other characters. All three 

 have the rudimentary pistil well developed in the male flowers, 

 as in the other petaliferous genera ; but that occurs also in the 

 apetalous genera Securinega and Fluggea. In Andrachne and the 

 West-Indian Savia the petals are very small and scale-like, as 

 in our first group of Phyllantheae. In the Madagascar species 

 of Savia, and in Wielandia from the Seychelles, they are as well 

 developed as in the petaliferous Crotoneze ; these Mascarene 

 plants are but imperfectly known to me from defective specimens ; 

 but they do not appear to be otherwise distinguishable from the 

 group. Wielandia is reduced by Mueller to a section of Savia ; 

 but the characters given by Baillon, as well as the habit of the 



