GERANIACE^. %1 



They form in this case a section characterised by leaves reduced to 

 three or to one single foliole.^ 



Geranium and the neighbouring genera, after having been generally 

 connected with the Mallows, became before the middle of the 

 eighteenth century^ the type of a separate group. B. de Jussieu,^ in 

 1759, and Adanson, in 1763, each established an order Gerania', but the 

 former very improperly by placing beside Geranium and Oxalis, Mal- 

 pighia and two neighbouring genera, the Sapindacece known in 

 his time, the Vines, Menispermcce, Passion flowers, and Malvacece : 

 Bombax and Hermannia. Ai)ANsoj!j* much improved the family 

 by removing the Menispermece, Passiflorece, Bombacece, and Am- 

 phelidece, but he introduced the Nasturtiums, Melianthus, . and 

 Viola. In 1789, A. L. de Jussieu^ only left in the Geranium order 

 Geranium and Monsonia, and as genera affinia, Tropceolum^ Balsamina, 

 and Owalis, which he again unfortunately separated in 1817.^ The 

 Neuradece^ whose close affinities with the Geraniums had been 

 known to most botanists, had imfortunately, until quite recent times, 

 been placed in the. order Rosaceoe? Biebersteinia, considered as 

 Uutacece^ were in, 1862, placed by Bentham and Hooker® among 

 the Geraniece. The same authors reintroduced the Balsaminece^ 

 TropceolecB, and Oxalidece, in the Geraniacece family, as well as 

 Flcerkea, and Limnanthes^ before considered as a distinct family. 

 The Balhisiece and Vivianiece, from the time they were first known, 

 have been considered as very analogous to the Oxalidece.^" 



As actually now constituted the family comprises eighteen genera, 

 divided into eight series whose general characters are the follow- 

 ing ; 



1 Le Dapania racemosa (Kokth. m Ned. Geramum with certain Sapindacece, etc. in his 



Kruidk. Arch. (1854), 381.— Pl. in Ann. Sc. Order 50, Trihilata. 



Nat. ser. 4. ii. 266. — Mia. M. Ind. Bat. Suppl. ' Ex A. L. Juss. Qm. Ixviij. 



i. 398.— B. H. Q-en. 277, n. 18), a plant from * Fam. des PI. ii. 388, Fam. 49. 



Snmalra, which, according to its described * (?««.'268, Ord. 13. 



characters, is nearly allied to Averrhoa, but " In Mem. Mm. v. 230, 232. 



distinguished from it by its simple leaves and ? Voy. p. 10, note 2. — H. Bn. in Adansonia, x. 



ovaxy ceOa {" carpella iubcoalita"). It has also 361. 



been doubtfully allied to the Quassiete {Simar- ' Lindl. Veg. Kingd. 469. 



bms)). ' Gen. 270, 271. ' 



" iiUfSMMS, in 1738, in Classes Plant, ranges i" Jess, in M4m Mus. v. 231. 



