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Affinities. Very near Portulaceae, Amarantaceae, and Caryophylleae, 

 from which they are distinguished with difficulty. By excluding Sclerantheae, 

 which I consider, with Mr. Brown, a distinct order, their scarious stipulae will 

 distinguish them from the two last ; and there is scarcely any other character 

 that will ; for there are Caryophyllese that have perigynous stamens, as Lar- 

 brea and Adenarium, and Illecebreae which have hypogynous ones, as Poly- 

 carpaea, Stipulicida, and Ortegia. From Portulaceae they are scarcely to be 

 known with absolute certainty, except by the position of the stamens before 

 the sepals instead of the petals. With Crassulaceae, particularly Tillaea, they 

 agree very much in habit, but their concrete carpella will always distinguish 

 them. Decandolle comprehends in the order various plants which have not 

 stipulae ; but as the latter organs seem to be an essential part of the character, 

 I should exclude his dueriaceee, and Minuartieae, which will be found else- 

 where. The remaining tribes will be : 



1. TeLEPHIEjE. 



Calyx 5-parted. Petals and stamens 5, arising from the bottom of the ca- 

 lyx. Styles 3, distinct, or slightly cohering at the base. — Leaves alternate. 

 Examples. Telephium, Corrigiola. 



2. IlLECEBRE.E VERjE. 



Calyx 5-parted. Petals 5, or none. Stamens from 2 to 5, arising from the 

 calyx. Styles distinct, or partially cohering. Capsule indehiscent, 1 -seeded ; 

 an umbilical cord arising from the bottom, and bearing a somewhat pendulous 

 seed upon the apex. — Herbs, rarely under-shrubs. Leaves acute, opposite. 



Examples. Illecebrum, Herniaria, Gymnocarpum. 



3. Polycarp.e.e. 



Calyx 5-parted. Petals 5, or none. Stamens from 1 to 5, arising from the 

 bottom of the calyx. Styles 2 or 3, either distinct down to the base, or com- 

 bined. Capsule 1-celled, many-seeded. Seeds attached to a central placenta. 

 — Herbs or under-shrubs. Leaves opposite. 



Examples. Polycarpaea, Stipulicida. 



4. Pollichie.2E. 



Calyx 5-toothed, with an urceolate tube. Stamens 1 or 2, arising from the 

 throat. Petals none. Stigma bifid. Utriculus valveless, 1-seeded. Brac- 

 teae (and perhaps also the calyx) enlarged after flowering, fleshy, and resem- 

 bling a berry. — A suffruticose herb. Leaves opposite, somewhat whorled. 



Example. Pollichia. 



Geography. The south of Europe and the north of Africa are the great 

 stations of the order, where the species grow in the most barren places, cover- 

 ing with a thick vegetation soil which is incapable of bearing any thing else. 

 A few are found at the Cape of Good Hope ; and North America, including 

 Mexico, comprehends several. 



Properties. A trace of astringency pervades the order, and is the only 

 sensible property that it is known to possess. 







