140 ILLUSTRATIONS OF INDIAN BOTANY. 
«“ From .4eeracee@ these scarcely differ, except in their alternate leaves and petals, which 
have almost always an appendage on their surface. In some respects near Welsacez, which 
agree in habit and in their pinnated leaves, but which are known by their monadelphous sta- 
mens and symmetrical flowers. ‘To Polygalacee they are no doubt akin in the singular combi- 
nation of 8 stamens with 5 unequal sepals, and an uncertain number of petals; and also in their 
aril, which may be compared to the caruncula of Po/ygalacee, although somewhat different in 
its origin. The dried leaves resemble, as DeCandolle remarks, those of Cownaraceew. Their 
climbing habit and tendency to produce tendrils indicate a relation to Vitace@, which, however, 
is not very near. Brown remarks, that although in the far greater part of this family the ovule 
,is erect, and the radicle of the embryo inferior, yet it includes more than one genus, in which 
both the seeds and embryo are inverted.” 
o me it is matter of surprise that there is no allusion in any work I have had an oppor- 
tunity of consulting to any affinity existing between this order and Euphorbiaceae, though 
some of the genera of each order seem so closely allied that it is difficult to say to which order 
they ought to be referred. 
_ _Geocraruicat Disrrisution. This large order is nearly confined to the tropics, or ex- 
tends but a short way beyond, being still limited to the warmer latitudes on either side. The 
greater number of species are natives of Equinoctial America, and India; Atrica also has many 
of them, but they are unknown as natives in Europe and the United States of America, while 
the genus Dodonea alone represents them in New Holland. We have not the same data for 
estimating the number of Indian species as in most of the other orders yet gone through, as 
they are not included in Wallich’s list of Indian plants. The number of Peninsular ones 
known to us amounted however to only 14, and these have not since been augmented. 
‘This I should suppose falls greatly short of the actual number as Blume in his Bijdr: Flore 
Jave, has no fewer than 23 species, and in Ceylon there are several that have not yet been met 
the greater part of t e year, is really a pretty plant. The Sapindus emarginatus is generally 
met with as a cultivated plant 18 not rare in subalpine jungles in a wild state. The same 
| e hi 
~The root Schmidelia sere (Ornithrophe Roxb.) is ac- 
ingent, and prescribed by the natives in cases of diarrhea, 
es are eaten by the natives. So also is the subacid aril of the 
e and handsome bani uncommon in our jungles ; and 
IN Genera AND Spectres. The discrimination of the genera of this order is 
ult, unless the specimens under eXamination are very complete. When fur- 
haven: iz palates very complet 
ee 
xample, bi 
SE 
