134 ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE BOTANY OF [Acerinee. 
globe, as out of about 200 species only fifteen are found in India and the Burmese 
territories, about half as many in Java, only one in China, Arabia, and the Cape of 
Good Hope ; a few in the equinoctial parts of Africa and the island of Madagascar. 
Niotais referred by M. Ad. de Jussieu to Simaroubee ;* but Dr. Wallich has added a new 
genus, Ancistrocladus, of which four species have been discovered, distributed from Penang 
up to Pundua. Of A. ertensus there is a figure, No. 1,264, among Dr. Wallich’s collee- 
tion of the East-India Company's unpublished drawings. A new genus, Platynema, 
has been formed by Messrs.Wight and Arnott, of Gertuera Jaurifolia, found in the 
Indian Peninsula. The only genera found in every part of India, and these both 
climbers, are Hiptage and Hirga. The former, common to India and China, and the 
latter chiefly found in the warm parts of America; with a few species in Java, and one 
at the Cape of Good Hope. liptage Madabiota extends from the Peninsula up the foot 
of the Himalaya to the warm valley of Noakote, in Nepal, and as far north as the Deyra 
Doon, and other valleys within the Himalaya,where it.climbs to the tops of lofty trees, 
and may frequently be seen, with its racemes of elegantly-fringed white flowers, delicately 
tinged with pink and yellow, covering the saul-tree, or Shorea robusta, the winged- 
seed vessels of which, those of this plant much resemble in external appearance 
The Chinese species, H. obtusifola, is perfectly naturalized in the gardens of Northern 
India. Hirea nutans, from which H. lanuginosa (Wall. No. 1,058) does not appear to 
me to differ, is similar in its distribution and habit, though a more humble climber. 
H. indica is confined to the Peninsula and the province of Silhet; while other species 
extend along the Burmese territories to more southern latitudes. T have not learnt 
that any of the Indian species are applied to any use, nor are the properties of the 
plants of this tribe well known ; but the fruit of some species of MJalpighia is eaten in 
the West Indies, and called Barbadoes cherry. 
37. ACERINEE. 
This order, named from so common and well-known a genus as that which contains 
the maple and sycamore, indicates that some at least of its species require a temperate 
climate. But all are found in such, in Europe, North America, Taurus, Tatary, and 
Japan. And as none in other countries extend to southern latitudes, so we are without 
them in the plains of India, and also on the Neelgherries. But immediately we commence 
ascending the Himalayas, either in Nepal or Sirmore, we meet with species of this 
family, especially of the genus Acer. Of this seven new species have been discovered 
in these mountains, of which A. oblongum is that which descends to the lowest level, 
being found in Nepal and further north in the Deyra Doon, between 2,000 and 3,000 
feet of elevation. Acer cultratum is found at 6,500 feet on the Mussooree range, and’ 
at similar heights in Sirmore and Gurhwal, while A. caudatum (Wall. Pl. As. Rar. t. 132, 
and A. acuminatum? Don) sterculiaceum and villosum, are only seen with pines and birches 
on 
a ee 
* Vol. ii. p. 4. 
