ANGIOSPERMiE. I 5 57 



Aristolochia, which includes climbing plants, usually having coloured 

 sepals, dates from the Dakota Cretaceous, and also occurs in the 

 European Miocene. The occurrence of fossil representatives of the 

 SantalacecB is open to some doubt ; but remains attributed to the 

 genera Leptomeria, Osyri's, and Santalum have been described from 

 the European Eocene and Miocene. The alleged occurrence of 

 fossil representatives of the Rafflesiacece and Bala7iophorace<z is too 

 doubtful to need mention. 



Division B. Sympetal^e. — With this second primary division of 

 the Dicotyledons we reach the last and most specialised group of 

 plants, characterised by the union of the lower part of the petals 

 into a complete tube. These plants are dependent entirely, or to 

 a great extent, upon the aid of insects for their fertilisation, and a 

 large proportion of them are in all probability of comparatively 

 modern origin. The group is frequently termed Gamopetalas, and 

 is divided into nine orders. 



Order i. Bicornes. — The family Ericacece is important from 

 the effect which its massed foliage produces upon the landscape of 

 many regions of the globe. Its type genus Erica (Heath), which 

 is exclusively Old World, and very characteristic of the Cape, ap- 

 pears to be unknown before the Upper Miocene of CEningen ; while 

 Andro7?ieda and Leucothea date from the Eocene. Gaultheria has 

 likewise been traced back to the Eocene, in which period occur the 

 extinct types described as Andromedites and Arbutites, and also a 

 species referred to the existing genus Arbutus. The Rhododen- 

 drons, which some writers make the type of a distinct family, are 

 represented by species of the widely-spread genus Rhododendron in 

 the Eocene and Miocene, and by Azalea in the Miocene of Croatia 

 and elsewhere. In the Vacciniaceoe, the type genus Vaccinium (Cran- 

 berry) is recorded from the Upper Eocene of Provence and higher 

 deposits. 



Order 2. PrimulintE. — In this order the subtropical and tropical 

 genus Myrsine, the type of the family Myrsiniacece, is said to date 

 from the Upper Cretaceous, and is well represented in the Eocene 

 of Provence and the higher Tertiaries. Myrsinites is an extinct 

 Tertiary type ; and we also find in the Tertiary representatives of 

 Ardisia, and some other forms of doubtful affinity. 



Order 3. Diospyrin/e. — Coriaceous leaves, found in the Upper 

 Cretaceous of Greenland and the United States, and also in the 

 Lower and Middle Tertiaries, have been described under the name 

 of Sapotites as being allied to the American and Australian genus 

 Sapota, the type of the family Sapotacece. The existing American 

 genus Bumelia occurs in the Green River Eocene of that country, 

 and also in the Eocene of Provence and other Old World Tertiaries. 

 Achras, which is likewise now exclusively American, has been de- 

 scribed from the Croatian Miocene. In the Ebenacece. the genus 



