ILLUSTRi^TIoNS OF INDIAN BOTANV. 43 



in the usual acceptation of the trrm, but perlfirynous and the ovary free, as in all the other 

 genera Mhich 1 propose combining into this CurvemLryose class, thus establishing the iustice of 

 my objection fo i(s introaucfiou iutoLindley's epi^ynrus group, while it shows that it mi^ht have 

 been correctly admitted as a 5th alliance, into the gynobaseose group between LWS/m and 



S^^r^ay/eae placed by Lindley, in this group, next Corlarlcae apparenlly 



gs 



to my proposed class, though the albumen is sparing and less distinctly mealy than in the other 



orders of the class. 



* 



Affinities. After the preceding extended discussion of tbe various relationships of the 

 orders under examination, it seems unnecessary to dilate further on this head than merely to 

 enumerafe the orders which I propose combining to form this class ; these I shall quote from the 

 Jistoforders above alluded to in Lindley's first edition, preserving the succession he has 

 adopted(not being as yet prepared to offer an improved distribution), merely observing, that 

 there may be some other orders to be added with which I am unacquainted. They are, Cnn/o- 

 P^yijeae-Fortulaceae-Ficoidene-^^^^^ 



— ^/il/lolaceae~ Peiiveraceae-Pohjgoveae-jYyctageneae -and ? Surianeae. This list of 

 orders, in all of which mealy albumen with an exterior embryo is found, sufficiently attest the 

 value of this structural peculiarity as an ordinal character and it seems not improbable that, 

 when the Idea is extensively followed out, other groups of equal value may be thus formed: 

 l^-uci/erae and Capandeae for example may form the basis of such ^noi\^er—Legu7ninosae and 

 fo^o^ceae of a third Evphorbiace.ae, Urficeae, &c. of a fourth Rubiaceae and Mursineae of a 

 I- t P^^^^P^ "'^"y "^^^^- 1'^ese suggestions are thrown out, nearly at random, as hints, to 

 -Rhich, at the present moment, I attach litHe importance, though others, having a more exten- 

 sive knowledge of plants, may be able to turn them to good account. 



Geographical Distribution. On this head I have but little to say, every part of the 

 world seems to possess plants referable to this group, usually frequenting arid, sandy, exposed 

 sous, in Jndia, neither the genera nor species are numerous, but several of those that are met 

 with are very common. Portulaca qimdrijida is met with every where ; the species of Tr'mn^ 

 thema are about equally abundant, especially T. obcordata which is a trouT)le8ome weed in 

 almost every garden. The other species are also common, especially T. decandra.vihxch is nearly 

 as common as T. obcordata, Talinwn is more rare, seeking a rich rather moist soil in subalpine 

 jungles. / oLycarpeae are common on hard red soils ; Bapolosea like Mollvgo and Glinus 

 prefer cultivated ground, Dnmaria is usually met with climbing among bushes in alpine iungles 

 and much resembles Holostinm and some others of the chick weed family : ^esuvlum is con- 

 fined to saline soils near the coast, Orygia, onv Glinus trianthimoides, is of more rare occur- 

 rence, usually met with in black soils, it is common in the ceded districts. At the Cape of Good 

 Hope they abound, to that country Mesembryanthemum one of the largest known genera, is 

 aln.ost entirely confined, and species of nearly every genus of all the orders named are also met 

 with m that promontory, m common with all other kinds of succulent plants. As representatives 

 of these orders are found every where it is unnecessary to be more particular. 



Properties and Uses. On this head I have nothing to offer, Portulaca oleracea, as its 

 name implies, is occasionally cultivated as a pot herb. The young leaves of Trianthema obcor- 

 data ^vq sometimes similarly employed and, being mostly mild succulent plants, nearly all might 

 be, they possess no medicinal properties. 



Kemarks on Genera and Spkciks. While examining recent specimens of Trianthema 

 obcordata and decandra, I detected two grave errors into which we fell in preparing our generic 

 character of that genus. It is there said " capsule one-celled for with a spurious longiiudinal 

 dii^^epnnent projected from the placenta irhen the style is 2.partedJ splitting transversely, 



a htlle above the base." The words printed in italics is an error, for when the stvle is 2 partite 

 there "* ' i.. .. . ... . - r 



sbo 



re Hie really two carpels and 2 cells (he partition between which can be spli 

 wing rhe cells perfect each of which is furnished with its own placenta. 



it from the summit 



placenta. Again it is said 



*• lid coriacious containing one or two seeds attached loan unilateral placenta, bottom 



seeds attached to a unilateral placenta on the opposite side / 



mem- 



