QEBANIACEM. 27 



They form in this case a section characterised by leaves reduced to 

 thi-ee or to one single foliole.^ 



Geranium and the neighbouring genera, after having been generally 

 connected with the Mallows, became before the middle of the 

 eighteenth century' the type of a separate grouiD. B. de Jussieu,^ in 

 1759, and Adanson, in 1763, each established an order Gerania; but the 

 former very improperly by placing beside Geranium and O.valis, 3Ial- 

 jjighia and two neighbouring genera, the Sapindacece known iu 

 his time, the Viues, Menispermcce^ Passion flowers, and Mahaceiv : 

 Bomhax and Ilcnnannia. Adanson'' much improved the family 

 by removing the Menispermew, Passiflorccv^ Bombaceo', and Am- 

 p)lielidem, but he introduced the Nasturtiums, Melianthus, and 

 Viola. In 1789, A. L. de Jussieu^ only left iu the Geranium order 

 Geranium and 3fonsonia, and as ycncra affinia^ 'fropa'alum, Balsamina, 

 and Owalis, which he again unfortunately separated in 1817.'^ The 

 Neuradea'^i whose close affinities with the Geraniums had been 

 known to most botanists, had unfortunately, until qiute recent times, 

 been placed in the order RosaceasJ Biebersteinia., considered as 

 Eutaccw,^ were in, 1862, placed by Bentiiam and Hooker" among 

 the Gerunietv. The same authors reiutroduced the Bahaminew, 

 Tropa;olew^ and Oxalidew, in the Geraniacew family, as well as 

 Flarkea^ aud Limnanthes^ before considered as a distinct family. 

 The Balbisiecc and Vivianiew, from the time they were fii'st known, 

 have been considered as very analogous to the O.validca'}'^ 



As actually now constituted the family comprises eighteen genera, 

 divided into eight series whose general characters are the follow- 



' Le Dapania rnceiiiosa (Kouth. in Ned. Geranium with certain Sapiiidaccco, etc. in his 



Kiukllc. Arch. (1854), 381.— Pl. in Ann. Sc. Order 50, Tfi/iilatrc. 



^'al. ser. 4. ii. 26G.— Mia. Fl. Ind. Sat. Suppl. ' Ex A. L. Juss. Gen. Ixviij. 



i. 398.— B. H. Gen. 277, n. 18), a plant from < Fam. *.v P/. ii. 388, Fam. 49. 



Sumatra, which, according to its dcscrihod ^ Gen. 268, Ord. 13. 



characters, is nearly allied to Averrhoa, but 'In Mem. Miis. v. 230, 232. 



distinguished from it by its simple leaves and ^ Voy. )i. 10, note 2. — H. Bn. in Adnnsonia, x. 



ovary cell.s (" cf//7/(7/f/ <id)c(mlita^"). It has also 3lil. 



been doubtfully allied to the Quussiere [Siinnr- ^ Lindl. Vcy. Kingd. 4G9. 



biuce). "> Gen. 270, 271. 



" LiKN.ai:us, in 1738, in Classes Plant, ranges '" Juss. ia Mem Mas. v. 231. 



