224 Transactions of tlic South African Philosophical Society. 



able that not even a single outlier should have reached so far 

 westward as the Cape Peninsula. 



BiGNONiACEiE and Pedaliace^, less important Orders, yet both 

 represented in the eastern and northern districts, are both entirely 

 absent. 



EuBiACE.E, avast Order, fifth in rank in the number of its species 

 in the whole world, and the second in India, have but 15 species. 

 Of these only two are trees ; the rest small plants of the tribes- 

 Anthospermese and Galiese. In Natal, however, this Order 

 occupies a high rank, and probably reaches to about 3 per cent, of 

 the whole Flora. 



The following Orders also are very scantily represented here— 

 those marked with an asterisk being also somewhat deficient 

 throughout South Africa : — Bixace^ (2 species) ; Malvaceae (5) ; 



TlLIACE^ (1) ; SaPINDACE^ (1) ; SaXIFRAGACE^" (1) ; ONAGRACEiE" 



(1) ; CucuRBiTACE^ (2) ; Primulace^" (2) ; Convolvulace^ (3) — 

 the genus IpomcBa entirely absent ; Conifer^''' (2). 



Of Cycadace^, a few species, and of Palmace^e 2 species, reach 

 their southern limits in the Sub-tropical Eegion, but both are wholly 

 wanting here. 



Of the ORCHiDACEiE SO numerous on the Peninsula, it is note- 

 worthy that of the 117 species enumerated, 109, or 93 per cent.,, 

 belong to the tribe Ophrydege ; 7 species only to the tribe Vandese ; 

 and 1 species to the Epidendrese. All the species are terrestrial. 

 Epiphytic orchids begin to appear only about the district of Knysna 

 (in proceeding eastward) and become more abundant throughout the 

 Sub-tropical Eegion. 



Eelations of the Peninsular Flora to Others. 



A brief and very general statement only can be made on this- 

 subject. Even if space permitted, the data are as yet too incomplete 

 to enable it to be treated as fully as its high importance demands. 

 Excellent lists of the Flora of the Sub-tropical or South-eastern 

 Eegion have been made by Mr. T. E. Sim for Kaffraria, and by Mr. 

 Wood for Natal, which together give a satisfactory report of the- 

 Flora of that Eegion. But for that of the South-western Eegion a 

 tabulated census is still wanting. 



The general identity of the Peninsular Flora with that of the- 

 last-named Eegion has already been pointed out. On the eastern 

 side there is a gradual transition (chiefly over the districts of Knysna, 

 Humansdorp, and Uitenhage) to the Flora of the Sub-tropical 

 Eegion. Some of the most striking contrasts between our Flora and 



