418 X. GENERAL REMARKS. 



a conspicuous vegetal character. Wliat would otherwise 

 be a linear series of orders may be converted into a 

 binary or ternary series, by separating from the rest 

 those orders which include shrubs and trees, or the dico- 

 tyledons from the monocotyledons and acotyledons. This 

 is done in the arrangement on the opposite page ; where 

 the orders are placed in correspondence with the census 

 figures, which were introduced into the ' summary of dis- 

 tribution,' and were also set after their names in the 

 floral census on pages 359 to 361. But a second and 

 shorter series is made, apart from the princij)al one, by 

 removing those orders which include trees or shrttbs, and 

 placing them in a second column. A third series is in 

 like manner made by separating also the monocotyledons 

 and acotyledons, and placing these together in a third 

 column. As the second and third series are short, the 

 general series of herbaceous dicotyledons is continued into 

 the lower portions of both columns. Through this slight 

 change of arrangement the relative positions of orders of 

 the same character are rendered more readily comparable. 

 The ligneous orders are also brought up higher in the 

 scale, more in conformity with their conspicuousness in 

 the general vegetation. And the actual positions which 

 all would hold in a single linear series, are still suffi- 

 ciently shown by the figures set after the names of the 

 orders. 



Some seeming anomalies occur in the arrangement 

 which are easily accounted for. There can hardly be a 

 doubt that Legtiminiferce stand too high, where placed at 

 the head of the second column. In the general vegeta- 

 tion, that order is exceeded by Amentifera and Rosaceee, 

 and perhaps also by Ericacecs. It is placed with the 

 ligneous orders chiefly on account of the vegetal im- 

 portance of Ulex, which is so conspicuous an item in the 



