114 PLOKA INDICA. 



been remarked. With our present knowledge, this aflBnity is 

 chiefly indicated by the occiurence of Indian natural orders or 

 genera, siich as Stephania, Grewia, Hippocratea, Impatiens, 

 Brucea, Zizyjthus, Anoyeissus, Blumea, Jasminum, Torenia; and 

 by the prevalence of those tribes of the larger or cosmopolitan 

 families which are especially Indian. This is the case with 

 MalvacecB, EuphorbiacecB, Terebinthace<s, Leguminosa, llubi- 

 acece, Asclepiadea, Acanthacea, Amaranthacece, Figs, and Or- 

 cJiidecB. Few cases of specific identity are known to us, but 

 we confidently beheve that many will be found to exist. The 

 occurrence of Delphinium dasycaulon of Abyssinia in the 

 mountains of the Dekhan is one instance ; and we have little 

 doubt, notwithstanding that M. Ach. Richard attempts to dis- 

 tinguish it, that Pterolubium lacerans is identical with the 

 Indian species. The Indian plants, Sponia velutina and Anti- 

 desnia paniculata, are also African; and the Celtis eriucarpia 

 of Decaisne appears identical with C. vesiculosa, Hochst., irom 

 Abyssinia. Lastly, the absence of Oaks and Pines in both 

 countries is a very strong point of resemblance. 



There are further examples of American genera, and even 

 species, being found in India, but so few and scattered, com- 

 paratively, as to render it unadvisable to complicate our ar- 

 rangement by the introduction of an American type. As 

 conspicuous examples, it will be sufiicient to indicate Adeno- 

 caulon and Oscybaphus, of which genera the Indian species 

 were first described by Edgeworth; Podophyllum, the section 

 Stylopodium of Meconopsis, and Liquidambar. Gnetum also 

 is a South American genus, which ha* not hitherto been found 

 in Africa ; and Lardizabala is interesting as a Chilian genus 

 of a small order, the rest of which is entirely East Asiatic. 

 Monotropa uniflora and Brasenia are common to North Ame- 

 rica and India; and the curious little Mitreola paniculata. 

 Wall., is remarkable as being a native of India and Brazil, 

 and, so far as is known, of no intermediate country*. 



* Tlio West African and East tropical American coasts afford curious exam- 

 ples of a si m ilar relationship in the identity of species of Schmidelia, and in the 



