INTRODUCTORY ESSAY. 91 



.guuuuimg 



igetation of India, and of the relation which 

 ts different great divisions bears to that of 

 distant conntries. These remarks, from the 

 >f the data at our disposal, must necessarily 



be vague, and may be viewed rather as indications of re 

 likely to be obtained than as absolutely ascertained facts. 



We have 



mam 



in surrounding 

 rf the most rei 



of so extensive an area, namely, the very limited number of 

 peculiar families that are largely represented in it. Thus, 

 Aurantiacea, Dipteracece, Balsaminea, Ebenacea, Jasminea, 

 and Cyrtandracece are the only Orders which are largely de- 

 veloped in India, and sparingly elsewhere ; and of these, few 

 contain one hundred Indian species. In tliis respect the 

 Indian Flora contrasts remarkably with that of Australia, 

 South Africa, or South America, or even with Europe, North 

 Asia, and North America. On the other hand, India contains 



small 



Imost every natural 



Orders being the chief exceptions ; and it contains a more 

 general and complete illustration of the genera of other parts 



coun 



even of considerably larger extent. It is hence not surpris 



some 



m 



less universally preponderant in India than 

 continents, Composite especially being deficient, as are Gra- 

 mine<e and Cyperacete in some regions, Leguminosce, Labiata, 

 and Ferns in others, whilst Euphorbiacece and Scrophularia- 

 cece are universallv present, and Orchidete appear to form a 



Flora 



tensive country. 



We assume 



our 



12-15,000 



this estimate is to be regarded as large or small, compara- 

 tively with other parte of the globe, we are not prepared to 



