730 BELVISIACE.E. [Epigynous Exogexs. 



corolla of Napoleona, is repeated in the calyx of Bruguiera gymnorhiza. It is true 

 that the one genus is monopetalous and the other polypetalous, but I cannot attribute 

 importance to that character in a case where the stamens adhere so slightly to the 

 corolla. While, however, there is this reason to believe that Mangroves are most 

 nearly related to Napoleonworts, the affinity of the Order to some Myrtal plants is uot 

 to be overlooked ; as, for example, to Careya, whose fruit has a very similar structure, 

 and to Barringtonia, to which Napoleona is even similar in foliage ; but these affinities 

 are less striking than that of the Mangrove tribe. They show, however, pretty clearly 

 that Belvisiaceae — for so it is most convenient to call the Order of which Napoleona is 

 the most conspicuous member — belongs to the great Myrtal Alliance. At the very 

 moment when these remarks were published in England, M. Adrien de Jussieu de- 

 scribed another species of Napoleona (in the Annates des Sciences, vol. ii. p. 222, third 

 series), and adopted the views which Desfontaines had taken as to its affinities. I do 

 not, however, see any cause to alter the opinion I had myself formed on the subject. 



The Order is wholly African and tropical . It is in the wilds of that little-examined 

 part of the world that additions must be expected to it. The statement made by 

 Desfontaines that the genus Asteranthus is Brazilian, has been doubted by Endlicher 

 and negatived by Adrien de Jussieu. 



Nothing is known of the uses of the plants, except what is above mentioned. 



GENERA. 



Asteranthos, Des/. 

 Napoleona, Palis. 

 Belvisia, Desv. 



Numbers. Gen. 2. Sp. 4. 



StyracacecB. 

 Position. — Myrtacese. — Belvisiaceae. — Rhizophoraeeae. 



Passijioracea. 



Mr. Bentham, in the Niger Flora, p. 360, considers this a mere section of Myrtnconr 





