152 



Naturgem-iS gelioren an den Anfang der Sympetalen die beiden Reiken der 

 cales "nd Primulales, 1)( -'i welchtn noch getrennte Blumenblatter vorkommen, tind 

 noch 2 Staubblattkreise typisch sin-.l, wahrend bei den ubrigcn Eeihen mit Atisnakme 

 der Elennles stets nur noch ein Staribblatlkreis entwickelt wird. 



Tills is, indeed, true in that respect, but only in that respect ; in other respects, 

 it is not true. This we shall see presently. The relation of the Ericales to the 

 Verticillatfe, Fagales, Parietales, and to the Sapindales is incontestable, as has 

 been shown above. Besides, the Ericales are allied to the Canipauulatse, as can 

 be seen in the agreement of the Ericaceae and the CainpauulaceBe in the inser- 

 tion of the stamens. Further, its relation to the Primulales 25 is manifest in the 

 similarity of the Schizocoden (Diapens.) and Soldanella (Primulaceee). Thus, 

 the Ericales stand in different relations to the Parietales, the Sapiudales, the 

 Primulales and even to the Campanulatae respectively. Their natural position 

 cannot to be fixed at the beginning of the Metaclilamydese ; they may be 

 placed among the ArcMchlamydeae in one respect, but according to another 

 view may be among the Metachlamydese close to the Campanulatse. 



The relations of the next series, the Primulales, to the Sapindales and to 

 the Ericales have been discussed. The connection of the series with the 

 Plumbaginales" is manifest in the agreement of the three foil owing families, 

 the Primulacege, the Myrsinac-Jtp and the PlumbagLnacese in the floral diagram, 

 in the five-carpelled, one-celled ovary with a basal placenta and in the double- 

 coated ovules. That the Primulales are related to the Tubiflorse will be seen 

 in the agreement of the Prirnulacens and Lentibulariacea^ in the central 

 placenta. Further, some connection with the Primulales may be found in the 

 Ebenales, as the Myrsinaceee^ agree with the Sapotace8e in the floral diagram. 

 That the Primulales are, therefore, in one respect or another related to the 

 Sapindales and thence ah 1 the way up to the Plumbagiuales is evident, even 

 so far as our present limited knowledge is available. Its natural position should, 

 at any rate, be dynamic. 



Next, in his syllabus ENGLER places the Plutnbaginales^ and then the 

 Ebenales . The real natural relations of the latter series are with the Primulales. 



1) Nat. Pfl.-fam. IV. 1, p. 30. 2) 1. c. IV. 1, p. 81. 



3) Nat. Pfl.-fam. IV. 1, pp. 104 and 121. 



4) 1. c. IV. 3, b, p. 117. 5) 1. c. IV. 1, p. 87. 



6) ENGLEB, A. Syllabus 1. c. p. 236. 7) ENGLEB, A. Erliiuterungen, 1. c. p. 370. 



