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XIV. On the Geographical Distribution of the МеНасез. Ву M. CASIMIR DE КО 
of Geneva. (Communicated by G. Вехтнам, Esq., F.R.S., V.P.L.S.) 
(Tab. & Map=Plates XXX. & XXXI.) 
| Read April 19th, 1877 
Havine just completed a revision of the whole order of Meliacez, it has occurred to 
me that a general survey of their geographical distribution would not be devoid of 
interest. It would certainly be premature to aim at any thing like precise lines of de- 
marcation of the areas of the species themselves in the case of plants so thoroughly 
exotic, considering that, most likely, a great many new species or new stations of 
known specific forms remain yet to be discovered. But, on the other hand, we have good 
reason to suppose that very few genera will have to be added to those already admitted. 
When A. de Jussieu, in the year 1830, published his classical monograph of Meliaceæ 
and Cedrelacez, he had to deal with 135 species, which he distributed into 34 genera. 
At the present time our herbaria contain more than 560 species, forming only 35 
genera. It is true that 10 of the generic names originated by Jussieu have been given 
up since, as founded on insufficient grounds, whilst more modern authors have created 
as many as 12 new genera. But it is to be remarked that those 12 new genera, taken 
together, do not include more than 38 distinct species ; consequently more than 380 new 
forms belong to genera already admitted by A. de Jussieu. It is, in particular, worthy 
of notice that South America, which has been so much explored by modern bota- 
nists, has yielded only one new genus of Meliacez since A. de Jussieu's time, that 
genus (.Elhuteria) being hitherto represented by a single species. 
This being the case, it seems that a study of the geographical distribution of the genera 
of that family is not uncalled for; and I will now proceed to state at once the principal 
results to which such an investigation has led me. 
Nearly all МеШНасеге actually known inhabit the countries situated between the 
tropics, beyond which their number is found to decrease very rapidly. South of the 
equator their area seems to be limited to the 30th degree of latitude, the only exceptions 
that I know of being Trichilia peruviana, which has spread as far south as Chile, and 
Sirtocqium spectabile, the single representative of the order in New Zealand on the 40th 
degree. 
In our hemisphere spontaneous Meliaceze have not hitherto been observed north of 
the tropics, with the exception, however, of Cedrela sinensis and Aglaia odorata, which 
have been collected in the neighbourhood of Pekin, on the 40th degree, and two species 
of Melia, indigenous in the southern part of Japan. Moreover it is well known that 
Melia Azedarach, a plant most likely derived originally from India or Tropical Africa, 
has from time immemorial been introduced into all countries bordering on the shores of 
SECOND SERIES.—BOTANY, VOL. I. 2L 
