Distribution of Orders.'] 



INTRODUCTORY ESSAY. 



Stackhousia? : containing only about 20 species, and of which representatives are found in New 



Zealand and the Philippine Islands. 

 Goodeniaceae : very closely allied to Campanulacece and Looeliacece. 

 Stylidiere: ditto. 

 Epacridere : a division of JEricece. 

 Casuarineaa : very near Myricew. 

 Xerotidea? ") 

 Aphyllantheae J ! 



sections of Liliacece or Juncr,, . 



Other Orders which are less peculiar but are largely developed and equally or more characteristic 

 of Australian vegetation than the other, are : 



Dilleniacea?, after Australia, abound most in India. 



Rutaceae „ „ South Africa. 



Proteacese „ „ Ditto. 



Bestiaceae „ „ Ditto. 



Thymelese „ „ Ditto. 



Haamodoraceae „ „ Ditto. 



Buettneriaceae . „ „ Ditto. 



Droseraeeae „ „ Ditto. 



Turning again to other countries which are remarkable for the peculiarity of their vegetation, 

 I find that South America contains many more peculiar families than Australia, and South Africa 

 about as many. 



§ 3. 



On the Australian Distribution of Natural Orders. 



- I have attempted in various ways so to group the Orders as to show the geographical distribution 

 of the characteristic ones ; of these I shall select the following as illustrating most clearly, both that 

 the temperate Flora is more peculiar than the tropical, and that that quarter of the continent which 

 is geographically most isolated contains the greatest number of peculiar features. 



A. Orders which are most characteristic of Australia, and almost confined to it : — 



1. Stackhousieas lias most species in the South-west ; next, South-east ; fewest in the Tropics. 



2. Goodeniaceae 



, South-west , 



South-east 



, Tropics 



3. Stylidieae 



, South-west , 



South-east , 



, Tropics. 



4. Epacrideas 



, South-east , 



South-west , 



, Tropics 



5. Tremandreae 



, South-west , 



South-east , 



, Tropics 



6. Casuarineaa 



, South-west , 



South-east 



, Tropics. 



7. Xerotideae 



, South-west , 



South-east 



, Tropics 



Hence, Sis-sevenths attain their maximum in the South-west. 

 One-seventh „ „ South-east. 



None „ „ Tropics. 



B. Orders which attain their maximum in Australia, and most of the Australian genera and 

 species of which are peculiar to that country : — 



/ 



