NATURAL ORDERS. 121 



the tube of the perianthium, though existing in various 

 degrees in all the genera above enumerated, is probably a 

 character of only secondary importance in Homalinse. 

 Por an unpublished genus found by Commerson in Mada- 

 gfiscar, which in every other respect agrees with this 

 family, has ovarium superum. This genus at the same 

 time seems to establish a considerable affinity between 

 Homalinse and certain genera, either absolutely belonging 

 to PassifiorecB, especially Faropsia of M. du Petit Thouars,^ 

 or nearly related to them as Ih-ytlirosjjermum, well de- [439 

 scribed and figured by the same excellent botanist/ 



The increased number of stamina in Homaliiim, and 

 particularly in the genus from Congo, instead of presenting 

 an objection to this affinity, appears to me to confirm it. 

 It may be observed also that there are two genera referable 

 to Passiflorese, though they will form a separate section of 

 the order, which have a much greater, and even an inde- 

 finite, number of perfect stamina, namely, Smeathmania, 

 an unpublished genus of equinoctial Africa, agreeing in 

 habit, in perianthium, and in fruit, with Paropsia ; and 

 Hyania of Vahl,^ which appears to me to belong to the 

 same family. 



In Passiflorese the stamina, when their number is defi- 

 nite, which is the case in all the genera hitherto considered 

 as belonging to them, are opposite to the outer series of 

 the perianthium ; a character which, though of general im- 

 portance, and here of practical utihty in distinguishing 

 them from HomalinEe, is not expressed in any of the nu- 

 merous figures or descriptions that have been published of 

 the plants of this order. 



Passiflorese and Cucurbitacese, though now admitted as 

 distinct families, are still placed together by M. de Jussieu ; 

 and he considers the floral envelope in both orders as a 

 perianthium or calyx, whose segments are disposed in a 

 double series.* 



These views of affinity and structure are iu some degree 

 confirmed by Homalinse, in which both ovarium inferum 



1 Bist. des VSqet. des Isles de V Afrique, 59. ^ Op. citat. 65. 



3 Eclog. \,p. '6\, i. 9. ^' Amial. du Mm. d'Eist. Nat. 6, p. 102. 



