CLASSIFICATION OP ARCHICHLAMYDEAE 249 



XXI. Kiiamxai.es. — This includes Ehamnaceae and Vita- 

 ceae, together containing about 955 species, almost exactly 

 equally distributed between the two families. The alliance is 

 clearly parallel with the preceding one, but is distinctly set 

 apart by its tetracyclic flowers with opposite stamens. 



XXII. Malvales. — This includes Elaeocarpaceae, Chlae- 

 naceae, Gonystylaceae, Tiliaceae, Malvaceae, Triplochitonaceae, 

 Bombacaceae, Sterculiaceae, and Scytopetalaceae, together con- 

 taining about 1,740 species, the large families being Malvaceae 

 with about 800 species, and Sterculiaceae with 780. This 

 alliance is very uneven in the advancement of its characters, and 

 in certain features would seem to precede Geraniales and Sa- 

 pindales in any secpience ; but it is so closely related to Parie- 

 tales through Elaeocarpaceae and Chlaenaceae that it seems 

 clear it should be placed near them. 



Distinct or slightly united carpels are found, as among the 

 Geraniales and Sapindales, but complete syncarpy prevails. 

 The inequality of advancement is shown in such families as 

 Tiliaceae, in which there is complete syncarpy associated with 

 indefinite stamens ; and Sterculiaceae, in which there is a com- 

 plexity in the arrangement of stamens approaching that in 

 Malvaceae, associated with a more or less incomplete union of 

 carpels. 



XXIII. Paeietales. — This includes Dilleniaceae, Eu- 

 eryphiaceae, Oehnaceae, Caryocaraceae, Marcgraviaeeae, Qui- 

 inaceae, Theaceae, Gnttiferae, Dipterocarpaceae, Elatinaceae, 

 Frankeniaceae, Taniaricaceae, Eouquieraceae, Cistaceae, Bixa- 

 ceae, Coehlospermaceae, Koeberliniaceae, Canellaceae, Viola- 

 ceae, Flacourtiaceae, Staehyuraceae, Turneraceae, Malesherbia- 

 ceae, Passifloraceae, Achariaceae, Caricaceae, Loasaceae, Datis- 

 caceae, Begoniaceae, and Ancistrocladaceae, together compris- 

 ing about 4,225 species, the large families being Gnttiferae 

 with 700 species, Flacourtiaceae with 525, Begoniaceae with 

 405, Violaceae with 400, Dipterocarpaceae with 320, and Pas- 

 sifloraceae with 315. 



The Parietales are prevailingly syncarpous, and have very 

 evident connection with the Eanales through the Dilleniaceae, 

 which were formerly included among the Eanales, and with 

 the Ehoedales through the Flacourtiaceae and other families. 

 The families from Dilleniaceae to Dipterocarpaceae, mainly 



