98 M. ALpnonsE De CaNpoLLE's Review of 
pose the styptic taste of the fruit of Embelia Ribes to depend very much ae 
the quantity, and some peculiar quality, of this resinous substance. 
Of 180 species of Myrsinew (besides some that are doubtful), 58 are de- 
scribed for the first time in this paper. They grow commonly on the hilly and 
mountainous regions of the hottest parts of the globe. None have yet been 
found beyond the 39th or 40th degree of latitude, viz. in Japan, whilst they 
abound in Java, and in some parts of India and South America. Mr. Brown 
(Botany of Congo) remarks, that no species is known in Africa, except at the 
Cape, and on both sides of that continent, at the Canary Islands and Mauri- 
tius, Bourbon and Madagascar. This fact is still true; but as the Myrsinec of 
hot countries grow chiefly in the mountains, it may happen that many may exist 
in the higher regions of Congo, Guinea, and Central Africa. The 180 species 
are distributed as follows: 112 in Asia and New Holland, 48 in America, and 
20 in Africa. No species has been observed in two of these extensive divisions 
of the globe. But if we descend to regions so far limited, as that about 50 
may be reckoned for the whole surface of the earth, of which only 43 or 44 
have been more or less visited by travellers, we shall find that the genera and 
species of Myrsinee are distributed as in the following Table. 
In the Table, some species have been omitted on account of the difficulty of 
ascertaining their origin, and 14 are repeated twice or more, because they 
grow in more than one region. The most sporadic or cosmopolite species, 
Ardisia humilis of Vahl, is known already in six different regions, viz. Ceylon, 
Bengal, Nipal, the Birmese kingdom, Cochinchina and the Indian Archipe- 
lago. Ægiceras fragrans and Mesa indica extend also over four or five re- 
gions, which are nearly the same. Myrsine Rapanea is found in three regions 
of America, and ten other species in two regions, not far removed from each 
other, except in the case of Myrsine africana, which appears to grow both at 
the Cape and in the Azores. 
Of 100 species of Myrsinew, nearly 92 are limited to one region. This is 
a large proportion, as, looking to similar calculations which I have made upon 
more than 4000 species, founded upon the same distinction of regions, I find 
only in Melastomacee and Myrtacee a greater proportion of endemic species 
(98 per cent.). In Anonacee it is 90; in Campanulacee, 84; in the genus 
Polygonum, 76 ; in Crucifere, 75; in Papaveracec, 60, &c. | 
