346 



locality on thebanks ofthe Ganges. Also the other three genera 

 said by Mr. Bentham to be found on the "Nilgherry range" 

 (Adenoon, Lamprachasnium, Nanothamnus) are not found on 

 the Nilgherries at all nor near them as the word is understood 

 in India. The Nilgherries mean here a flat-topped plateau 6000- 

 8000 feet above the sea and barely 30 miles diameter in any di- 

 rection, having Ooty as its centre and from its edge descending 

 on allsidesbya rapid descent (ghat) to the 3000 feet level 

 atleast. Next, Blumeabynomeansconsists altogether of " weeds 

 "that spring up rapidlywhere a foresthas been cleared or culti- 

 " vated groundabandoned :" two or three of the abundant common 

 species do so, the others cannot be so described, they form a good 

 endemic tropical genus most characteristic of South-East Asia 

 found in the untouched jungles, in Himalaya forest up to 8000 

 feet, floating in tanks, in short the different species adapting them- 

 selves to nearly every varied circumstance of India plant life. So 

 again of the Helianthoideav half are weeds of cultivation, but 

 half are not : and the whole number of Helianthoidea? in tropical 

 Asia is few. 



These criticisms on Mr. Bentham's Note are however only 

 on points of detail : the general view given by him of the character 

 of the Compositaa of Tropical Asiais quite correct. 



The above list of genera affords an almost boundless area for 

 deduction. I will only note one point here : the Indian genera 

 of Helianthoidese nearly all extend to America, while of the 

 Indian genera of Mutisea3 not one is found in America. 



The table below gives an abstract of the distribution of the 

 tribes of the Indian Compositse. 



