IN CEYLON. 105 



stamens. In D. crumenata the staminodes of each female 

 flower are in number an exact multiple of the corolla seg- 

 ments and are disposed opposite to and alternating with them, 

 whereas the male flower resembles D. quaesita and D. pruriens 

 in the indefinite hypogynous character of the stamens. 



There is one species D. Toposia in this group which 

 shows an unstable staminal whorl in the female flowers, the 

 number usually being greatly in excess of the members of 

 other whorls, and presents no fixed orientation to them. 

 Each female flower of D. Toposia may possess from twelve 

 to sixteen staminodes, which form an epipetalous or partly 

 hypogynous ring ; the stamens of each male flower may be -. ,~ 

 from ten to over thirty in number, of unequal length, form- 

 ing a hypogynous group terminating the receptacle. 



VII. AFFINITY. M 



The phylogeny of the Ebenales has formed the subject of 

 much discussion. 



Hiern (p. 62) states that the Ebenaceae shows the closest 

 affinity to the Olacineae, Styraceae, Anonaceae, Ternstros- 

 miacese, Sapotaceae, and Ilicineae, but also draws attention to 

 the points of difference between these natural orders and the 

 Ebenaceae. He also states (p. 63) that other orders including 

 Tiliaceae, Magnoliacese, and the Euphorbiaceae show affinity 

 in a less degree to the Ebenaceae. 



Miers compares them with the Anonaceae and suggests 

 their grouping among the polypetalous section ; Choisy 

 points out their proximity to the Ternstrcemiaceae. 



Parmentier, in his monograph on the histology and 

 morphology of the Ebenaceae, does not commit himself to 

 statements as to the phylogeny of the natural order. 



Hallier, on the other hand, points out that there are many 

 features in which the Ebenales resemble many other natural 

 orders, and in this respect goes into much more detail than 

 Hiern. 



Under the circumstances I cannot do better than point out 

 the main facts as supplemented in the present paper, and 



8(1)4 (U) 



