Contributions towards a Flora of Ceylon. 473 



and in several Gesneriacece it exists so sparingly as to be- 

 come a character of very little value, especially as it is not 

 here connected with other more important differences. 



" In describing the genus Aikinia (Epithema of Dr. Blume,) 

 I regarded Cyrtandracece, or Cyrtandrece, for the reasons 

 now assigned, as a tribe merely of Gesneriacece^ distin- 

 guishable from that portion of the order with hypogynous 

 corolla, or Besleriece, by characters either of little import- 

 ance, or which required confirmation. For although, in addi- 

 tion to the characters referred to, Cyrtandrece differ very 

 remarkably in geographical distribution from the rest of the 

 family, yet this difference is not entirely without exception, 

 as I have already noticed in my account of Loxotis. But 

 whether these groups be considered as distinct families, or as 

 tribes only, it will probably be admitted that in a natural 

 classification Cyrtandrece must stand next to Besleriea ; 

 while, on the other hand, they appear to be very nearly 

 related to Bignoniacece, with which they are connected 

 through Incarvillea, particularly with that section of it which 

 in Dr. Royle's Illustrations I have described as a subgenus, 

 and named Amphicome" 



With regard to the geographical distribution of the na- 

 tural order Gesneriaceae, the tribes Gesneriece and Besleriece 

 are entirely confined to the tropical parts of South America 

 and the West Indian Islands ; while Cyrtandrece represent 

 them principally in the tropical parts of Asia. As yet only 

 two species of this tribe have been found in America, viz. 

 Klugia assurea, Schlect., in Mexico, and Napeanthus Brasi- 

 tiensis, Gardn., in the Organ Mountains of Brazil. One 

 species, Rhabdothamnus Scabrosus, Steud., exists in New 

 Zealand. Fieldia Australis, Cunn., is from New Holland ; 

 and Ramondia pyrenaica, a European species, is referred 

 here by De Candolle. One species of Streptopus is from 

 South Africa, and the other five from Madagascar ; while 

 several species of Cyrtandra are from the Sandwich Islands. 



