352 VIEWS, &C. PHYSIOGNOMY OF PLANTS. 



AroidesG. In the Leguminosae this accordance between the 

 physiognomical character and the inflorescence can scarcely 

 be recognized, excepting where they are separated into 

 groups (as Papilionacese, Ca3salpininese, and Mimosaceae.) The 

 types which exhibit, when compared together, a very different 

 structure of inflorescence and fructification, notwithstanding 

 external accordance in physiognomy, are Palms and Cycadese, 

 the latter being most nearly allied to the Coniferse ; Cucusta, 

 belonging to the Convolvulacea?, and the leafless Cassytha, a 

 parasitical Laurinea ; Equisetum (from the division of the 

 Cryptogamia) and Ephedra (a coniferous tree). The Gros- 

 sulares3 (Ribes) are so nearly allied by their efflorescence to 

 Cactuses, i. e. the family of the OpuntiaceaB , that it is only 

 very lately that they have been separated from them ! One 

 common family (that of the Asphodelea3) comprises the 

 giganuc tree, Draccena Draco, the Common Asparagus, and 

 the coloured flowering Aletris. Simple and compound leaves 

 frequently belong not only to the same family, but even to the 

 same genus. We found in the elevated plateaux of Peru and 

 New Granada among twelve new species of Weinmannia, five 

 ,with simple, and the remainder with pinnate leaves. The 

 genus Aralia exhibits yet greater independence in the leaf- 

 form, which is either simple, entire, lobed, digitate, or pinnate.* 



Pinnate leaves appear to me to belong especially to those 

 families which occupy the highest grade of organic develop- 

 ment, as for instance, the Polypetalce ; among perigynic plants, 

 the Leguminosse, RosaceaB, Terebinthaceai, and Juglandese ; 

 among hypogynic plants the Aurantiaceae, Cedrelacecc, and 

 Sapindacea3. The elegant form of the doubly pinnate leaf, 

 which constitutes so great an adornment of the torrid zone, is 

 most frequently met with among the Leguminosa3 ; among the 

 MimosaceaB, and also among some Ca3salpinias, Coulterias and 

 Gleditschias ; but never, as Kunth has observed, among the 

 Papilionaceae. 



The form of pinnate, and more especially of compound 

 leaves, is unknown in Gentianeee, Rubiacese, and Myrtacese. 

 In the morphological development presented by the richness 

 and varied aspect of the appendicular organs of dicotyledons, 

 we are only able to recognize a very small number of general 

 laws. 



* See Kunth, Synopsis Plantarum quas in itinere collegerunt Al. 

 de Humboldt et Am. Bonpland, t. iii. pp. 87, 360. 



