EXTE.MT OF THE INDIAN FLORA. 121 



(confined toMadagascar), Hydroceres (confined to the island 

 of Java,) XcpenthesB (India and China). 



The following families either abound in species or have 

 their maximum in India : — 



Araliaceae, Nelumbones, Capparideae, FlacouTtiaceE, 

 Anonaceas, .Alyristiceffi, Dilleneaceag, Laurine^, Menisper- 

 meae, the true Sterculiacecs and the section Dombeyacese of 

 the same family, Moringes, ElaeocarpetB, Salicarise, Myrta- 

 ce£8, Combretaceffi, Santalaces, Olacinese, Leguminosae, 

 Urticeae, Artocarpeae, Euphorbiacese, Celastrinele, Rham- 

 neae, Sapindaceae, Vites, Meliaceae, Cedreleae, Aurantiacese^ 

 Connaraceae, Amyrideae, Burserace©, Anacardiacese, Och- 

 nacess, Balsamineae, Begoniacea;, Piperaces, Cucurbitaces, 

 Cinchonacea;, Lorantheae, Loganiaceae, Asclepiadese, Apo- 

 cineffi, Convoh-ulaceas, Ebenaceae, Jasmines, Mvrsinese, 

 Cyrtandracese, Bignoniaces, Cycadea;, Commelineae, Scita- 

 niineae, Smilaces, Pandanes, Aroidese. 



We are precluded by the limits of this article from enter- 

 ing into any details relative to the proportion which the 

 number of species in the different famihes bears to that 

 found m other parts of the world. Such calculations, be- 

 sides, could we even introduce them, would be far from 

 satisfactory, if drawn from such partial data. The number 

 of species in some families is, however, already known to 

 be very large. In the herbarium brought toaether by Dr. 

 Wallich, there are about 750 Legumutosa:, 5Q0 Cinchonacca^ 

 nearly the same number of Fdxcps, about 300 Euphorbiacea, 

 300 OrchtdecE, and 300 Gramincce; while, if we select a few 

 ©f the genera, we shall find him to possess 114 species of 

 Conyza, 105 kinds of Ficus (fig), 86 of Convolmilns, 88 of 

 Ruelha, 78 oi Justkia, 72 of Cypems, 46 of Vriica (nettle), 

 43 of Loranthis, 40 of Laurus, 39 of Tctranthera, 27 of 

 Ruhcs (bramble), 26 of Qucrcus {osk), 11 of Visaim (mis- 

 tletoe), &c. 



The vegetation which characterizes an Indian landscape 

 depends upon so many circumstances, and varies so much 

 according to situation and elevation, that it is not easy to 

 convey more than a general impression by means of words. 

 The warmer parts partake more or less of the features of a 

 tropical,— the colder ones of those of an alpine flora. In 

 the low grounds bordering the seashore, especially of the 

 peninsula and islands, the cocoa-palm, with its lofty, straight 



Vol. III. — L 



