PLANTS JAVANICiE RARIORES. 621 



of Roxburgh), being considered as only subgenera of Ster- 

 culia, of which the principal characters distinguishing it 

 from Pteryyota are, as he states, orthotropous ovula and 

 embryo either antitropous or parallel to the umbilicus. It 

 would seem that these distinctions were adopted chiefly 

 from the facts stated in the 'Flora Indica' of Dr. Rox- 

 burgh, and in part also perhaps from the generic character 

 of Stercidia given in the ' Flora Brasiliae.' 



In 1841 the same arrangement and characters are given 

 in his ' Enchiridion. ' 



Before proceeding to the description and characters of 

 Stercidiece, I have to make a few preliminary observations, 

 chiefly on the relative importance of the different organs in 

 the formation of genera. 



In the general description of the tribe, I have enclosed 

 in brackets such exceptions to the more usual structure as 

 I believe to be in most cases of generic value. 



The ordinary structure follows separately ; no notice 

 being taken of the exceptions, which are numerous, and 

 such parts of the general description being excluded as are 

 of least importance, and it may be remarked that this cha- 

 racter is but little different from that of the genus Stercidia. 



I then give the few characters to which hitherto no 

 exception has been found. 



The direction of Embryo with relation to the insertion 

 or umbilicus of the seed appears to be by far the most 

 important character, or that which is best supported by 

 other modifications of structure; and it is worthy of re- 

 mark, that in this point the ordinary direction of the embryo 

 in the tribe, namely the radicle seated at the opposite 

 extremity or apex of the seed, is itself a deviation from the 

 more usual structure of Phamogamous plants, and an 

 exception not only to the other tribes of Stercidiacece, but 

 to the whole of the Natural Class Malvaceae, to which that 

 order belongs ; and it becomes still more remarkable in 



