150 ILLUSTRATIONS OF INDIAN BOTANY. 
Arrinitinrs. These appear to be very imperfectly understood at least if we may judge from 
the different positions in which different authors place the order, which however is not a good 
criterion. Jussieu placed it between Meliacee and Geraniaceae—DeCandolle retains it in the 
same situation, Bartling (Ord. Naturalis) forms a class of this and Meliaceae, but still retains 
it beside Geraniaceae, Lindley in the first edition of his Introduction places it between Mal- 
pighiaceae and Meliaceae, but far removed from Geraniaceae and Pittosporeae, and still fur- 
ther from Berberideae, while in the second edition it is placed between Berberideae on the one 
side and Pittosporeae on the othey, but still far from Geraniaceae. Meisner retains it nearly 
in the old place between Meliaceae and his class Malpighinae, (see page 137) which last is fol- 
lowed by his class Geraniodeae. To decide between such authorities is more than I dare at- 
tempt, but upon the whole feel disposed to adopt in preference the Jussieuian arrangement, 
though it places the order in a situation where, so far as I can see, it has no very close relation- 
ship with those on either side, nor indeed do I think its affinities well made out any where. 
been discovered, but which m 
way as the discovery of Exo, 
ture of the seed, has given 
mo Distaisution. Principally confined to the tropics and warmer countries 
honk . pies. su ate zones, very numerous in India, less so in America and Africa, but found in 
oth. According to Wallich’s list there are 53 species of Vitis including Cissus, in India, while 
m the Peninsula we enumerate 26. He again has 13 species of Leea, while we have only three: 
a 
