90 ILLUSTRATIONS OF INDIAN BOTANY- 



a, m- 



which at their origin are generally equal in number to the divisions of the corolla, m- 

 stead of being placed opposite to these divisions, and passing through their axes as in other 

 plants, alternate with them; each of the vessels at the top of the tube dividing into 

 two equal branches, running parallel to and near the margins of the corresponding lacinese 

 within whose apices they unite. These, as they exist in the whole class, and are in a 

 great part of it the only vessels observable, may be called primary. lu several genera 

 however, other vessels occur, alternating with the primary, and occupying the axes of the 

 Jacineae; m some cases these secondary vessels being most distinctly visible in the lacines 

 and becommg gradually fainter as they descend the tube, might be regarded as recur- 

 rent; origmatmg from the united apices of the primary branches; but in other cases, 

 where they are equally distinct at the base of the tube, this supposition cannot be ad- 

 mitted. A monopetalous corolla, not splitting at the base, is necessarily connected with 

 this structure, which seems also peculiarly well adapted to the dense inflorescence of 

 Lomposit^; the vessels of the corolla and stamina being united and so disposed as to 

 be least liable to suffer by pressure." 



Geographical Distribution. Representatives of this family are found in all parts 

 ot the world from the polar circles to the equator, and, according to DeCandolle, its 

 species amount to nearly one-tenth of the Vegetable Kingdom. But, though thus gen- 



ZZi T ^'^'i ^"•^' ^' \ ^^h«t«. form so large a proportion of the vegetation which 

 ?nTJl ^^o^^««^ surface, they are far from being equally prevalent, in proportion to the 

 indigenous vegetation in different countries. According to Humboldt, e%^iv 7th flowering 



t^}."{lT'\ll "tP^f^^^ '^' 9'^^^-y^ ^^^^y ^th; in Lapland, every 15th; in 



North 

 land 



in tropical America, every 3d; of the North of Ne 



Z rnn -"^aV*- ''''^°' ^^^'^ ^^^^' ^""^ «f ^ «^'^" collection formed on the banks of 



while in^Mil-lfi't r/J ^^^- ^." ^3"^^^' ^'^^'y 3^' t^^ s^^e in the Balearic Islands, 

 Ho L 7 nl I \ Is^a^d the proportion is nearly the same as in the tropical parts of New 

 JloJiand, or about ^. In India. fnUino. "WoiK^i,'^ t;.* „„ i.!,. ..__j -.^ .^ *■ • xi,„ 



Wallich 



nrnnnWiriTi ^ I nil. 1 ° t r w^ix^ia o xji^ju do iu\^ bicumaru. iney occur 1" »^uc 



ierve to VL%f^ ffi •^''^'''P^'''.'''^^'^ "^^^ ^^ ^^^^^^^ ^^ approximations to the truth, 

 wan? of nnv fi ? "'f'^'T ■ P'''^'^^"' ^^^ inequality of their distribution as well as the 

 subiLt wLo V- ^f increase and decrease corresponding with latitude. On this 

 Ts laJr^Z/ /' ^^11 .^!«^f ked, \ Lindley, much still remains to be learned, and 

 Se Indln Ppil 'i^T^'^'''''''*!^.'''^^ the small fragment of the order appertaining to 



however rem^r^ff; !t ^"^ ""1 '° % P?' '^"" *^'^^°" ^'^^^ «° it« obsculities. I may 

 to the restof 'il i ^^^^.^^^J^^^ of alpme species of our flora is greater in proportion 



elevation «L r ^'^'^^ kTi *^^f ^"^ ^^^ P^^^^^' ^^^ ^^^n^^^^ f«^"^d above SOOO feet of 

 oflnlS^r Ifi^ LT^'^-^ about 150 species, which I imagine is nearly in the ratio 

 "i 1 in 10 or lb of the flowering plants of these regions. 



natural' ^b?h'!f nf ?^'''' *^-! ^""^^ZK^ |nmmary as the result of his examination of the 

 annuali ^04-^ lln^llTri'l?! ^^' -1 ^lf.\ '^ ^^"^^ ^' ^ad any knowledge, 1229 were 

 Ssfrom 4 nTf^^ P^^ V^'' ^^^"^« ^'^^ ^ to 3 fee high, S66 



in this division, fully 40 or 50 feet high? R W 1 ' 6 fw;.!^ f^ "T- T'""'"'' f "i9o1 

 about which nothing certain could be aicertainpd "''tI ^''''''^^%^/ .^^^nuhers, and 1201 



347 in the South Sea Islands, 2224 in Tfr ^1^27 ^n A '• ''^ ±^"''"1'^ ^' ^'"T.'.'^ 

 n America Of these th<> C,»u^ 2f r ^ t t ' ^' ^^ ^^^^' ^^^^ in Europe, and 3590 



Middle Europe «7, Europe ^l\h. uJa^llVt.^T^ll'I'l ''LJl^'t «S'' North am 



The following note, from M 



Mediterranean 

 No. X 



294." LiNDLEY 



proportion tMsfalillbC^to the r^^^ ^^ ' ^^'^"'^^^ ^^ ^'^^^^^^-'^ ^^g-^ing the 



Lt^ng that the oZ a the present day inch/e/''^'''^' ^"*"' ^^ '''''''''^'' ^'1" 

 to Linnaeus, he adds in a notP "if f/ '''''^}'^^l ^«^,^ ^P^cies than was known altogetbei 

 K««. 4^ .U-' _i ., ^„ .,* .^®te. It IS a sincrular fart. tlmt. th^ „.+:,.„ n...,f.^=;f». 



bear to the 



hole of the know^ LZ kt ''??''^^^' ^^"^ ^^^^ ^he proportion Composita- 



the known vegetable kingdom, has always been about the same 



