SAPINDACEjE. 880 



phelis^ Eriocoeliim^ Dcinhollia^ Melianthus^ Bersama, Greyia and Aitonia. 

 The Aitonica avn\. the majority of the species of Mdianiliciv arc from 

 south Africa. The flora of New Caledonia is already characterised by 

 three special genera, PocJonejyhdhmi, Locvodiscus, and 3fcIicoj}S!dmm, 

 having great affinities with Coss/'gm'a and Erijtlirophysa. This island is 

 at the same time very rich in Cupania, a genus up to the present not 

 very abundant introjiical Asia and Oceania, but which, as we know, is 

 also one of tlie richest in species iu South America and is also found 

 well represented iu the southern islands of Eastern Africa. The 

 genera with sarraentose or volubile and cirrhous stems, such as 

 Herjunia^ PauUi'nia and Urvillea^ are essentially American. Was the 

 species of PauUinia found iu the old world introduced ? With the 

 suflrutescent and nearly herbaceous form of Cardiospermum, this 

 same type is met with in all the tropical countries of the globe. In 

 Chili on one side and in Beloochistau on the other, the family has 

 representatiA'es whose asjiect and organs of vegetation present consider- 

 able modifications. Stocksia, in the latter of these countries, is only 

 a prickly shrub with very slightly developed leaves; while the 

 Chiliau types, like Bridgesia, ValensueUa, and Llagunoa are rigid 

 shrubs with coriaceous leaves, simple entii-c or trilobate, sometimes 

 opposite, like those of jEscuIus and Billiu, The latter are distiu- 

 guished by their digitate nervation. 



Of all Scqrindacece the Acc7-ece inhabit the coldest reigons. Bobinea 

 is limited to the mountains of temperate India, and the Maples 

 extend, in both worlds, to all the cold or temperate regions of the 

 northern hemisphere ; they are uuknown iu the southern hemisphere, 

 and arc not pointed out in any part of Africa. If they abound iu 

 Eastern India, it is on the elevated slopes of the Himalayas and 

 the neighbouring chains ; and it is probable that in J.ava, where wo 

 also find them, they only grow at a certain height on the mountains. 

 In the extreme east of Asia they also exist in large numbers. In 

 Japan, for example, they arc, says Miquel, " among the most cha- 

 racteristic of the woody flora," and twenty- three species have been 

 already counted in that country, several being completely identical 

 with those of the Himalayas. " The great majority of the Japanese 

 Maples (17 species) are endemic," and thi'ee species are again met 

 with iu continental Asia : Acer jAclum^ observed in Northern China, 

 Manchouria, and (he Himalayas, and .1. Muno and f<(farieitni^ also 

 the North of China. "The decided aflinity with the 



