.S'.-i FIND A CM JE. 388 



phclisi Eriocœluni, DeiiibolUa, Melianthus, Bcrsama^ Greyia and Aitonia. 

 The Aitoniea and the majority of the species of Mdiantheœ are from 

 south Africa. The flora of JSTew Caledonia is ah-eady characterised by 

 three special genera, PodonepJicUum, Loxodiscus., and 3Iclicojjsidmn, 

 having great affinities with Cossignia and Er/jlhropliysa. This island is 

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

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

 also one of the richest in species in South America and is also found 

 well represented an the southern islands of Eastern Africa. Tbe 

 genera with sarraentose or volubile and cirrhous stems, such as 

 Serjania, PaulUma and Urvillea, are essentially American. Was the 

 species of PaiiUinia found in the old world introduced ? With the 

 sufi'rutescent and nearly herbaceous form of Cardiospermum, this 

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

 ChUi on one side and in Beloochistan on the other, the family has 

 representatives whose aspect and organs of vegetation present consider- 

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

 a prickly shrub with very slightly developed leaves; while the 

 Chilian types, like Bridgcsia, ValenziieUa, and Llacjunoa are rigid 

 shi'ubs with coriaceous leaves, simple entu^e or trilobate, sometimes 

 opposite, like those of jEscuhis and Billia. The latter are distin- 

 guished by their digitate nervation. 



Of all Swpindacecc the Acerece inhabit the coldest reigons. Dobinea 

 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 unknown in the southern hemisphere, 

 and are not poiutcd out in any part of Africa. If they abound in 

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

 the ueighbourhig chains ; and it is probable that in Java, where we 

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

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

 Japan, for example, they are, says Mtquel, " 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) ax-e endemic," and three species are again met 

 with in coutiaental Asia : Acer pictum., observed in Northern China, 

 Manchouria, and the Himalayas, and A. 3Iono and tcdariciim^ also 

 growing in the North of China. "The decided affinity with the 



