AFFINITIES OF BALANOPHOREÆ. 27 
Trans. xx. p. 103); who however erroneously refers Rhopalocnemis (Phæocordylis, Griff.), 
of which his specimens appear to have been imperfect, to the Monostyli. The genera of 
each group are all more nearly related to one another than to any of those of the other 
group; and such a division is therefore perfectly natural: but there are, notwithstanding, 
such very great differences between the members of each group, that the genera of Mono- 
styli especially have all characters of far more than generie value, and may well be 
conceived to be types of very distinct assemblages of genera. This is not so much the 
case among the Distyli, for the two genera of Lophophyteæ are very nearly related, and 
- those of the Helosideæ so much so, that it may be doubted how far Corynæa, Scybalium, 
and Sphærorhizon are distinct from Helosis. j 
Sarcophyte must at present be considered as in many points a doubtful member of the 
Monostyli, from my inability to discover whether the ovarium is simple or compound, at 
any period of growth. The absolutely sessile, discoid stigma is found neither in Mono- 
- styli nor Distyli, and in some other characters it partakes as much of one group as of 
the other; thus in its three stamens it agrees with Balanophora and all the Helosideæ, 
but it differs from them in its stamens being free, and in its anomalous anthers (which 
however suggest an affinity with B. polyandra). In its branched inflorescence it resembles 
Lophophytee, but differs totally in the structure of the male flowers. 
- For characters of secondary importance, I have availed myself of the male flowers, and - 
especially of the number and form of the stamens and their cohesion. A remarkable 
analogy between two of the sections into which each primary group. is divided, is esta- 
blished by these organs ; the Lophophytee (of Distyli) having free stamens of the ordinary 
type of Phænogamic plants, and being hence analogous to Cynomorium and Mystrope- 
talon (among Monostyli), while all the other genera have anomalous anthers. 
In framing the genera, characters of the third degree of importance have been employed ; 
such as the presence or absence of the perianth, and its structure; aided occasionally by 
the stamina, the cohesion of the flowers, the nature of the inflorescence, and lastly, the 
habit; this term implying in these plants not merely differences in the outline of organs, 
but also in their development and mode of evolution. * : 
Besides Griffith's arrangement of Balanophoreæ, that of Endlicher (Meletemata, p. 4) is 
the only one of any importance hitherto proposed. His division is founded on the stamens 
being free or combined : this however not only assumes the position and arrangement of 
the stamina to be of more importance than those of the ovaria, but brings together genera 
which have otherwise little in common. * 
Geographical Distribution, and Variation. 
The greater number of Balanophorec belong to the tropical and subtropical mountains 
of Asia and South America, where they probably occur in nearly equal proportions. In 
both hemispheres certain species ascend to 10,000 feet ; comparatively few being found in 
low tropical forests, almost the only ones being Balanophora fungosa in the eastern, 
Helosis guyanensis in the western hemisphere, and Thonningia in Africa. A considerable 
E 2 
