THE ROYAL FAMILIES OF PLANTS. 471 
nities in their original possessions, as self-satisfied as the 
old grandees of Spain. Thus there are species in Aus- 
tralia that no other country can furnish; for they have 
never travelled from the island yet, whatever they may 
be tempted to do hereafter. So with those found at the 
Cape of Good Hope; and even of the European genera 
there are some that never have’ penetrated into either 
Asia or Africa more than a very little way. Yet, in one 
form or another, they are met with almost everywhere ; 
in fact, we hear only of two spots entirely without them, 
namely, the islands of St. Helena and Tristan d’Acunha ; 
and perhaps it detracts nothing from the royal wisdom of 
these plants that they have kept themselves clear of two 
such Heaven-forsaken places. 
Before, however, proceeding too warmly into the ad- 
miration of this grand order, we should give the reader 
some simple means of recognizing it when he meets it. 
In these familiar views of natural families, we like to 
bring luminously before the eye of the untechnical lover 
of plants the few constant marks that we hold to exist in 
every such family somewhere, as the true key to all their 
‘Mutual relationships, and the fit signs by which they may 
be readily and definitely known. Now, as we had three 
marks whereby certainly to know an Astertd, so we 
have three that as certainly indicate a Pisid; but whereas 
in the other case all three are always present, here one 
may be absent, but never two, and one never disappears 
at all. 
Get the first pea, bean, or locust flower yousee. A 
large flower is easier to study than a small one, and these 
are the largest we have. The Sweet Pea is, perhaps, 
best of all, but the bean-flower has some obscurities to 
the common eye. Turn the flower face to face with you. 
