﻿352 * MR. G. BENTHAM ON THE MIMOSE^. 



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archipelago and neighbouring Asiatic districts (not extending, however, to Australia), 

 and about 3 African ones, all nearly allied, variable, and of rather extended range. In 

 America it has gone further. Besides 3 Brazilian species, not very far removed though 

 specifically distinct from the Old-World ones, it has developed into a mere local subgenus 

 Paryphosj)h(8ria, of which 5 species are known from North Brazil, Guiana, or Columbia. 



1 say nothing at present of a few imperfectly described Malayan-Archipelago species, 

 such as P. singularis and P. sumafrana, Miq., of which I have seen no specimens, 

 as it appears very uncertain whether they really belong to the genus. 



The Piptadeniece, or Mimoseae with definite stamens, exalbuminous seeds, and almost 

 always glanduliferous anthers, including 7 genera or subgenera, have the geographical cha- 

 racter of the order — 39 American species in 5 genera or subgenera, of which 3 are endemic, 



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12 African in 3 genera, of which 1 endemic, 1 Mascarene species, and 3 Asiatic in 3 genera, 

 of which 1 endemic. Of the 5 (or perhaps, rather, 4) genera, Fiptadenia, belonging to the 

 moist forest regions, in its typical and what may be presumed to be the nearest to the 

 original form, has representatives in all four countries— in America 24 species, chiefly 

 cast of the Andes, but with 1 or 2 extending westward to the Pacific, several of them 

 with a wide range as well as variable, besides 9 species belonging to two distinct genera, 

 but with similar specific wide range and variability, especially the Niopcs, in Africa 



2 species (one of them imperfectly known), in the Mascarene islands 1, and in Asia 1, all 

 of definite character and limited area. The genus may thus well be classed amongst the 

 races in the full tide of prosperity in America, but expiring in the Old World. Mitada, 

 after deducting U. scandem, which is identically luxuriant in Asia and Africa, and to a 

 certain degree in America, has a more African character, having there developed 7 

 endemic species, and only 3 in America. The latter belong to the same forest region of 

 North Brazil and Guiana as the majority of the Fiptadenieee, whilst in Africa the genus 

 is less exclusively tropical, 2 species extending southward to the Natal district, where also 

 has arisen the endemic allied genus or subgenus JElephantorhiza with 2 (or 3 ?) species. 

 Flathi/menia is an endemic Brazilian genus of 2 species, closely connecting Pipfadenia 

 with Bntada ; and Xylia is a very distinct monotypic genus, which, if we neglect the 

 above-mentioned identical Entada scandens, is the sole survivor of the ancient race of 



Piptadcniese in tropical Asia, but is there luxuriant, having mliintained an extended 



from the Peninsula to the Malayan Archipelago. Like Pentaclethra and ParJc 

 the tribe, if it ever spread to Australia and Polynesia, has there left no traces of its 

 existence. 



The only exceptional species of the tribe without glands to the anthers are two Ame- 

 rican Niopce, in other respects closely resembling two genuine species of the subgenus, 

 and all four showing an approach in habit, though none in any other essential character, 

 to some species of Acacia. 



AdenantherecBi or MimoseEe with definite stamens, albuminous seeds, and almost 

 always, glanduliferous anthers, still show an American preponderance, but in a less 

 degree ; the forms are more . generically diversified though still specifically variable, and 

 the characters much less tropical. In America we have 21 species in 2 genera or sub- 

 genera, both endemic ; in Africa 9 species in 4 genera or subgenera, of which 3 endemic ; 





