NATURAL ORDERS. 107 



is aware of the constancy in the direction of the embryo in 

 this order.^ 



niPPOCRATICE/E. M. de JnssicMi lias lately pro- 

 posed this as a distinct family,^ of which there are two plants 

 in the collection. The first is a species of Ilippocratea ; 

 the second is referable to Sahicia. 



In Ilippocraticese, the insertion of the ovnla is either :i:7 

 towards the base, or is central ; the direction of the radicle 

 is always inferior. In these points of strnctnre, which are 

 left undetermined by j\I. de Jussieu, they differ from Mal- 

 pighiacese, bnt agree with Celastrinae, to which, notwith- 

 standing the diflerence in insertion and nnmber of stamina, 

 and in the want of albnnien, they appear to me to have a 

 considerable degree of affinity ; especially to Eloeodendrum, 

 where the albnnien is hardly visible, and to Ptelidium, as 

 suggested by M. du Petit Thonars,^ in which it is rednced 

 to a thin membrane. 



SAPINDACEJE. Only four plants of this natural 

 family, which is almost entirely equinoctial, occur in the 

 herbarium. Two of these are new^ species of Sapindus. 

 The third is probably not specifically different from Car- 

 diospermum grandijloram of the AVest India Islands. And 

 the fourth is so nearly related to Fafdliuia pinuaia, of the 

 opposite coast of America, as to be with difficulty distin- 

 guished from it. jM. de Jussieu,* who probably intends 

 the same plant, when he states P. ^innata to be a native of 

 equinoctial Africa, has also described a second species from 

 Senegal.^ No other species of this genus has hitherto 

 been found, except in equinoctial America ; for Pa/d/inia 

 Jaj)omca of Thunl3erg, probably belongs even to a different 

 natural order. The species from Congo, however, seems 

 to be a very general plant on this line of coast ; having 

 been found by Brass near Cape Coast, and by Park on the 

 banks of the Gambia. 



1 mm. du Mns. d' Hist. Nat. 2, p. 400. 



2 Anval. du Mus. d'lIisL Nat. 18, /). 183. 



^ Hist, des Vcget. dcs Isles de rjfn'r/uc, p. Si. 



* In A)i:',tl. du Mu.s. d'llid. Sat. 1, p. :W7. ■" l'^'- ril.. p. M^. 



