ILLUSTRATIONS OF IXDLVN BOTANY. 21 



Affinitfes. Wh 



ither an order orsub-order this tribe certainly forms, through Ilydran- 

 gme, the connecting link between Saxifrageae and Mijrfnceae, and seems even to render it 

 probable that a more natural distribution would be, to unite Uijdravoene with Philadelphene 

 and thus form an order intermediate but distinct from both. This, in fact, has already 

 bpen partly accomplished by DeCandolle, who has placed Z>e«ii?a among his Hydrangeafi while 

 all others, with one exception, place it in Philadelplieae. Bartling places it among his 'trenera 

 incertne sedis. 'J'his is merely thrown out as a suggestion not being myself in possession of 

 materials to follow out the enquiry. 



Geographical Distribution. Deutzia is found in Japan and India, Decumnrin is an 

 American genus, and Phlladelphus is indigenous in Europe, America, 

 Nothing seems to be known of their properties. 



and 



LXVI.— ONAGRARIiE. 



_ This, like the preceding, is an order on the limits of which Botanists seem greatly to differ in 

 opinion,- some. Brown, DeCandolle, &c., considering Onagrariae ^n^ Halorageae duimci orders, 

 while others, Lindley and Meisner, view them as parts of one more extensive group, which they 

 call Onag*raci^ including, according to the former, (Lindley) as sub-orders- Ci^ceae, Uudro- 

 caryes, Hud Hahrageae ; to which Meisner adds, CaUitnchineae and Ceratophy.leae. But of 

 these Lmdley disposes very differently, by sending Ca//i>/cA/«ear as a distinct order to the 

 imperfect fl^)wered division of the system, while he views Ceratophylleae as a sub-order of 

 Urttceae. Endhcher (genera plantarura) on the other hand retains both as distinct orders, placing 

 them along with Podostemmeae near Piperaceae. 



In the midst of these conflicting opinions I confess myself altogether incompetent to decide 

 which i3rii,rht, but will adopt a middle course. With this view I retain Onagrariae and Halo^ 

 ragp.ae. as distinct orders, but exclude C all Uric hi n me from the latter, as I formerly did Qerato- 

 phylleaeUom Salicareap, both to be afterwards considered along with P odoHemmeae , specimens 

 of a species of which I have received from both Ceylon and the Neilgherries, further, viewing 

 the genera Ctrca:a and Tmpa as sufficiently distinct from all those of the true Onagrariae 

 to warrant their partial separation, I shall follow Lindley in considering these as sub-orders. 



^ Thus hmite.l, this order includes only two genera from the south of India, Jussicea and Lud. 

 wigm, though it IS probable Ejdlobiwn will yet be added, as some species of it are found on the 

 Himalayas, and I think 1 have seen one from Ceylon and another from the Neilsherries, but 

 probably introduced. 



Of Circaa I have one species from the Neilgherries and Pulney mountains. Trapa has 

 been long known in India. 



Most of the true Onagrariae are herbaceous plants or tender shrubs, with angular or round 

 stems and opposite or alternate simple leaves, either sessile, or attenuated at the base into a 

 short petiol, often dentate or serrated, but rarely pinnatifid, dotless and exstipulate. In the 

 few met with m India they are quite entire. The flowers are hi sexual, regular, axillary and 

 solitary, or racemose and, with scarcely an exception, all the parts regular multipl 

 being the prevalent number. 



The following is Dr. Lindley's character of the order. 



" Calyx superior, tubular, with the limb 4-lo)ed; the lobes cohering in various degrees. 



o 



four 



(( 



with a valvate aestivation. Petals generally equai in number to the lobes of the calyx, into the 

 throat of which they are inserted, regular, with a twisted aestivation. Stamens four or eight 

 inserted into the calyx: filaments distinct; pollen triangular, usually cohering by threads. 

 Ovary of several cells, generally crowned by a disk ; style filiform ; stigma eittier capitate or 

 4-lobed. Fruit baccate or capsular, many-seeded, with 4 cells. Seeds numprous, without albu- 

 men , embryo straight ; radicle long and taper; cotyledons very short. Herbaceous plants or 

 shrubs. Leaves alternate or opposite, simple, entire or toathed. Flowers red, purple, white, 

 blue, or yellow, axillary or terminal." 



Apfinitirs. In habit they are allied to Salicareap, from which they are distinguished by 

 their ovary cohering with the tube of the calyx, not free as in them. 



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