NATURAL ORDERS. ]07 



is aware of the constancy in the direction of the embryo in 

 this order.-^ 



HIPPOCRATICEtE. M. de Jussieu has lately pro- 

 posed this as a distinct family,^ of which there are two plants 

 in the collection. The first is a species of liippocratea; 

 the second is referable to Salacia. 



In Hippocraticese, the insertion of the ovula is either [437 

 towards the base, or is central ; the direction of the radicle 

 is always inferior. In these points of structure, which are 

 left undetermined by M. de Jussieu, they differ from Mal- 

 pighiacese, but agree with Celastrinse, to which, notwith- 

 standing the difference in insertion and number of stamina, 

 and in the want of albumen, they appear to me to have a 

 considerable degree of affinity ; especially to Elseodendrum, 

 where the albumen is hardly visible, and to PteHdium, as 

 suggested by M. du Petit Thouars,^ in which it is reduced 

 to a thin membrane. 



SAPINDACEiB. Only four plants of this natural 

 family, which is almost entirely equinoctial, occur in the 

 herbarium. Two of these are new species of Sapindus. 

 The third is probably not specifically different from Car- 

 diospermum grandiflorum of the West India Islands. And 

 the fourth is so nearly related to Paullinia pinnata, of the 

 opposite coast of America, as to be with difficulty distin- 

 guished from it. M. de Jussieu,* who probably intends 

 the same plant, when he states P. pinnata to be a native of 

 equinoctial Africa, has also described a second species from 

 Senegal.^ No other species of this genus has hitherto 

 been found, except in equinoctial America ; for Paullinia 

 Japonica of Thunberg, probably belongs even to a different 

 natural order. The species from Congo, however, seems 

 to be a very general plant on this line of coast; having 

 been found by Brass near Cape Coast, and by Park on the 

 banks of the Gambia. 



1 Mem. du Mus. d'Hisi. Nat. 2, p. 400. 



2 Annal. du Mus. d'Hist. Nat. 18, ;;. 183. 



' Hist, des Vcget. des Isles de V Afrique, p. 34. 



* la Anml. du Mus. d'Hist. Nat. i, p. 317. ' loc. cit., p. 31S. 



