8APINDACEM 388 



phelis, UriocoeJum, DeinboUia, Melianthus, Bersama, Greyia and Aitonia. 

 The AitoniecB and the majority of tlie species of Melianthew are from 

 son til Africa. . The flora of New Caledonia is already characterised by 

 three special genera, Podonephelium, Loxodiscus, and Meltcopsidmm, 

 having great aiBnities with Cossignia and EryUiropliym. This island is 

 at the same time very rich in Cupania, a genus up to the present not 

 very abundant in tropical Asia and Oceania, but which, as we know, is 

 also one of the richest in species in South America and is also found 

 well represented in the southern islands of Eastern Africa. The 

 genera with sarmentose or volubile and cirrhous stems, such as 

 Serjania, PaulUnia and Urvillea^ are essentially American. Was the 

 species of PaulUnia found in the old world introduced ? With the 

 suffrutescent and nearly herbaceous form of Cardiospermum, this 

 same type is met with in all the tropical countries of the globe. In 

 Chili on one side and in Beloochistan on the other, the family has 

 representatives whose aspect and organs of vegetation present consider- 

 able modifications. Stochia, in the latter of these countries, is only 

 a prickly shrub with very slightly developed leaves; while the 

 Chilian types, like Bridgesia, Valensuelia, and Llagunoa are rigid 

 shrubs with coriaceous leaves, simple entire or trilobate, sometimes 

 opposite, like those of JEseulus and BUlia. The latter are distin- 

 guished by their digitate nervation. 



Of all Sapindacece the Acerece inhabit the coldest reigons. Dohinea 

 is limited to the mountains of temperate India, and the Maples 

 extend, ia both worlds, to all the cold or temperate regions of the 

 northern hemisphere ; they are unknown in the southern hemisphere, 

 and are not pointed out ia any part of Africa. If they abound in 

 Eastern India, it is on the elevated slopes of the Himalayas and 

 the neighbouring chains ; and it is probable that in Java, where we 

 also find them, they only grow at a certain height on the mountains. 

 In the extreme east of Asia they also exist in large numbers. In 

 Japan, for example, they are, says Miqtjel, " among the most cha- 

 racteristic of the woody flora," and twenty-three species have been 

 already counted in that country, several being completely identical 

 with those of the Himalayas. " The great majority of the Japanese 

 Maples (17 species) are endemic," and three species are again met 

 with in continental Asia : Acer pictum^ observed in Northern China, 

 Manchouria, and the Himalayas, and A. Mono and tataricum, also 

 growing in the North of China. "The decided affinity with the 



