Leguminosae] THE HIMALAYAN MOUNTAINS. isl 
first agreeing in a great measure in their geographical distribution. M. De Candolle 
considers them only as portions of the extensive order of Leguminos@, which he divides 
into two great divisions, one containing all the plants in which the radicle of the embryo 
is straight ; this includes the M/imosee and Cesalpinee ; and the second, those in which 
the radicle is bent back upon the cotyledons. These consist almost entirely of the 
Papilionacee, which have been further subdivided into two sections; the first called 
Phyllolobea, which in germination push their cotyledons above ground, and contain the 
tribes of Sophoree, Lotee, and Hedysaree ; the second, M. De Candolle calls Sarcolobee, 
which retain their cotyledons under ground, and consist of the tribes of Viciee, Pha- 
seolee, and Dalbergiee ; of these the Viciee and Phaseolee contain almost all the pulses 
which are cultivated as food for man or animals; while the Phyllolobee include but 
few of which the seed is fitted for food, though the subtribe of Zrifoliee contains the 
clovers and other plants cultivated as green fodder. - 
The Mimosea, instead-of the irregularity which distinguishes the greater portion of 
the Leguminose, have their parts of fructification disposed with the utmost symmetry, 
their sepals and petals, except in Parkia, are valvate in estivation, and their stamens 
hypogynous. The plants belonging to this order are chiefly confined to the warm parts 
of the world, but spread southwards to the Cape of Good Hope and New Holland, and 
northwards to Japan and the neighbourhood of the Caspian Sea. 
The genera common in every part of India, are nearly the same as those of which 
species are found in America; as Entada, Mimosa, Inga, Desmanthus, Acacia, Ade- 
nanthera, and Prosopis, and with the exception of the two last, also in Africa. As a 
species of Mimosa ascends the sides of the Andes, so an Acacia, A. mollis, Wall. t. 177, 
of which there are two highly ornamental varieties, is found as high as 6,000 feet on 
the Himalayas, in 30° of N. latitude. There is also a species in Nepal, which, according 
to M. De Candolle, is closely allied, if it be at all different from A. Nemu of Japan. Of 
these genera the species are most prevalent in the Malayan and Indian Peninsulas, in 
the forests of Silhet, and in those of the Rajmahl hills ; and to such places the genera 
_Entada, seaman hist, and Adenanthera, are principally confined, though the first has — 
own species, E. Pursetha, extending even to Nepal. But species of these, as 
well as of several American genera, succeed in the most northern parts of India. The 
genus Mimosa, of which J. pudica is perfectly naturalized in India, has a species, 
M. rubicaulis, extending as far north as the Deyra Doon and lower range of hills, where 
are also found Acacia Catechu, farnesiana, stipulata (which appears to be the same as 
Smithiana), and. speciosa (Serissa, Roxb.) The last is so like the Egyptian A. Lebbek, 
that on seeing the latter at St. Helena, I took it at first for the Seriss, a tree I had been 
daily in the habit of seeing for a number of years. The most remarkable instance of 
a southern plant spreading to these northern latitudes along the tract of forest, is 
Acacia elata, which was found by Dr.Wallich at the mouth of the Irrawady, and which, 
on examining, in company with Dr. Graham, was found to be identical with specimens 
collected by myself in the Deyra Doon, where it forms a lofty tree. In the more 
open 
