92 
Geography. Natives of the Mediterranean and the milder parts of 
northern Asia. 
Properties. Saline matter is present in great abundance. Reaumuria 
vermiculata is used at Alexandria as a cure for the itch, being apphed bruised 
externally, and taken internally in the form of a decoction. Forsk. FI. ceg. 
arah. 101. 
GENERA. 
Reaumuria, L. Hololachna, Ehr. 
Group V. 
Essential Character. — The carpels compactly united into a solid pistil. Calyx not 
having the sepals in a broken whorl. PlacentcB not parietal. Ovary not inferior. Carpels 
not placed obliquely upon a central gynobase ; or if they are, then either in more rows 
than one or of a larger number than 5. 
The characters of this group are negative rather than positive, but the 
orders collected under it seem generally to have a common and obvious bond 
of union. Tlie highest aUiances in regard to structure are the Malval and 
Melial, the lowest the Silenal, in which, among Alsinacese, the force of deve- 
lopement seems as it were worn out. The only mistake that is Hkely to occur 
is the confounding some gynobasic genera with this group ; but such an error 
will be avoided if it is remembered that the truly gynobasic orders have never 
more than 5 carpels; hence Malva itself, which in some respects may be 
looked upon as gynobasic, is divided from the Gynobaseous group by its numerous 
carpels. Aurantiacese connect this Syncarpous group with the Gynobaseous 
by Luvunga, which is almost a Xanthoxylum, and Lythracese join it with 
the Epigynous through the medium of Melastomaceae. There is no polypeta- 
lous group in which the tendency to be apetalous is so common as here. 
Alliance I. MALVALES, 
Essential Character. — ^Estivation of the calyx valvate. Carpels 4, or a larger num- 
ber. Stamens generally monadelphous ; the calyx long and tubular when that is not the 
case. Hairs mostly starry. 
The valvate aestivation of the calyx clearly divides this from all the other 
aUiances except the Rhamnal, and from that the numerous cai-pels, and far 
more highly developed coroUa often distinguish it neatly. 
Order LXXI. STERCULIACE.E; 
STERCULiACEiE, Vent. Malm. 2. 91. (1799) ; Endl. Meletem. p. 30. (1832). — Herman- 
niace^, Juss,. — Byttneriace^, Brown in Flinders, 2. .540. (1814) ; Kunth. Diss. 
p. 6. (1822); DC. Prodr. 1. 481. (1824); Aug. St. HU. FI. Bras. mer. 1. 139. 
(1827) ; a section of Malvaceae. — Bombace^e, Kunth. Diss. Malv. p. 5. (1822) ; 
DC. Prodr. 1. 475. (1824) ; A. St. Hilaire FI. Br. merid. 1. 257. (1827), a section 
o/ Malvaceae ; Ed. pr. No. 26. (1830). 
Essential Character. — Calyx either naked or surrounded with an involucre, consist- 
ing of 5 sepals, more or less united at the base, with a valvular, or nearly valvular aestiva- 
