DEVELOPMENT AND DISTRIBUTION OF THE LEGUMINOSZ. 353 
Of these some may be found to fall in line either with 
proved colonists such as Pithecolobium dulce, Mimosa 
pudica, Mimosa sepiaria. Luccena glauca, Desmanthus 
virgatus, or with plants transported by sea currents, such 
as Entada scandens, Afzelia bijuga, Abrus HPACCOLaRI GS 
and Sophora tomentosa. 
Attention will be directed to this subject in a subse- 
quent chapter. 
If consideration be now given to the distribution of 
Leguminose in Australia, it will be seen that out of 39 
genera in Australia which have almost cosmopolitan tropi- 
cal range, and which possess 535 species in Australia, 73 
species are common to Asia, 22 to Africa and 12 to Tropical 
America. 
Facts such as these led Wallace,’ the great exponent of 
geographical distribution, to the conclusion that the tropi- 
cal flora of Australia was comparatively recent and deriva- 
tive. Wallace also, from the distribution of the plants, 
proceeded to explain the origin of the endemic flora of 
New Zealand.” 
The discussion of this point may be deferred until a later 
stage, but, in the meantime, it may be stated that the 
facts presented in this note indicate that Australia has 
been isolated from the rest of the world for a long period, 
and that, with the exception of certain species which 
appear to be colonists or waifs, those genera in Australia 
which are not endemic there have been in that continent 
for a long time. 
Thus it will be seen that the following widely-spread 
genera have established themselves firmly in Australia, 
and have each produced from one to numerous endemic 
species: Crotalaria, Trigonella, Lotus, Psoralea, Indigofera, 
1 (62) p. 498. * Ibid., p. 500. 
W—WNov. 4, 1914 
