210 MR. G. BENTHAM ON EU.PHORBIACEJE. 



4 Prodromus ' or in the ' Flora Brasiliensis,' nearly 450 species, 

 almost all tropical, extending into more temperate regions only 

 in the southern hemisphere or in North America. Unlike the 

 other two great Euphorbiaceous genera {Euphorbia and Croton), 

 Phyllanthus abounds in differences, not only in habit but in sta- 

 minal, pistillous, and other characters, which have appeared to 

 various botanists essential enough to induce them to propose the 

 establishment of no less than thirty distinct genera. Unfortu- 

 nately the most striking of these characters often widely separate 

 species which most closely resemble each other in other respects ; 

 and the whole are now reunited by Mueller into a single genus. 

 Among them are a few for the maintenance of which fair grounds 

 might be adduced, especially Glochidion, and perhaps Synostemon 

 and Cicca ; but as Mueller has described the whole in detail as 



species of Phyllanthus, and as Baillon has adopted his views, it 

 would only produce confusion now to rename so large a number 

 of species, unless on reviewing them in detail for the ' Flora Indica' 

 their separation should prove to have preponderating advantages. 

 Mueller divides the genus thus consolidated into forty -six 

 sections, which, barring here and there a single exceptional species, 

 might be fairly grouped into eleven primary sections. Of these, 

 two (both well characterized and almost of generic value) are 

 distinguished from almost all other species by having no inter- 

 staminal glands or hypogynous disk, viz. : — 1. Glochidion, about 

 130 trees or shrubs with coriaceous leaves, from the tropical 

 regions of the Old World, many of the species very much in- 

 volved, and requiring a careful study by Indian botanists; and 

 2. Synostemon, containing 14 species, all limited to Australia. 

 Three more sections have the disk more or less developed, and 

 the capsule more or less fleshy or succulent, though ultimately 

 normally separating into cocci, viz. : — 3. Cicca, about half a dozen 

 arborescent or shrubby species, either American or from the Old 

 World, with the male flower usually 4-merous ; 4. Kirganelia, a 

 small number of Old- World shrubs, with the male flower usually 

 5-merous; and 5. Emblica, a single Asiatic species, with a pecu- 

 liar habit, and usually only three stamens. Mueller has added to 

 the latter section several species of various habit, with the styles 

 as iu the true Emblica, more or less united in a column, and 

 spreading only at the top — but which, on account of the dry cap- 

 sule and other characters, might be better classed under Para- 

 phyllanthus. The remaining six sections have the disk developed 



