STATISTICS OF METASPERMAE. 757 



The statistics of the species in dominant families may be 

 compared with the similar statistics for the total range ele- 

 ments. The northernness of the dominant family-element, ex- 

 pressed by the figures 54 8 is somewhat less than, the northern- 

 ness of the total species, expressed by the figures 55.6. Oq the 

 other hand the southernness of the same element, expressed by 

 the figures 76.6 is slightly in excess of the southernness of the 

 total specific group. The dominant family-element is in like 

 manner characterised by easternness less than is the total ele- 

 ment (85.1 — 87.2) and by westernness more than is the total 

 element (54.0— 51.4). These differences are due in great part 

 to the influence of the Compositae, Leguminosae and Gramineae. 



In extra-continental range the dominant families fall behind 

 the total specific element, expressed by the figures 24.3 — 27.0, 

 while in NSEW range they are approximately identical with 

 the total element. In physiognomic characters it may be noted 

 that the dominant families fall behind in arboreal percentage 

 (1.9 — 4.7) and in shrubby p-^rcentage (3.3 — 8.8), but lead in 

 herbaceous percentage (94.8 — 86.6). Again in the habitat ele- 

 ments a similar variation is to be discovered, for the dominant 

 families lurni&h, in comparison with the total element a smaller 

 per centage of aquatics (1.9—4.0), a slightly larger percentage 

 of marsh and swamp species (23.9 — 22.5) and an approximately 

 equal percentage of drier-soil species. These variations from 

 the general averages for the entire floral element are explica- 

 ble through the more marked endemic quality of the dominant 

 family species. The highly endemic character of the Legum- 

 inosae and Compositae, contributing more than two hundred 

 species to the dominant family element, is thus reflected in the 

 general result of the dominant family tabulations. It is pre- 

 cisely the two dominant families most distinctly of southern 

 range that thus become emphasised as peculiarly endemic. 

 The connection of this fact with earlier statements regarding 

 the preponderantly northern intra-continental range of extra- 

 continental species will be apparent. 



Of the dominant family element, 272 species are monocoty- 

 ledonous, 226, archichlamydeous and 229, metachlamydeous. Of 

 this element, the::, the Monocotyledones furnish 37.4 per cent., 

 the Archichlamydeae 30.8 per cent, and the Metachlamydeae 

 31.8 percent. Compared with the total floral element, this shows 

 a falling off in Archichlamydeae (39.1 — 30.8), a slight reduction 

 in Metachlamydeae (32.3 — 31.8) and a proportional gain in 

 Monocotyledones (28.4 — 37.4). The strong development of the 



