214 
jalap plant, which is, however, now known to be a mistake. See Convolvu- 
laceae. The flowers of several species of Mirabilis are handsome, as are those 
also of some of the Abronias; but the greater part of the order is com- 
posed of obscm'e weeds. The genus Pisonia consists of trees or shmbhy plants. 
GENERA. 
Mirabilis, L. 
Nyctago, Juss. 
Tricratus, L’Herit. 
Ahronia, Juss. 
Trichya, Cav. 
Oxybaphus, L’Herit. Boldoa, Cav, Buginvillea, Commers. 
Calyxhymenia, R.P. Salpianthus, H.B.K. Torreya, Spreng. 
Vitmannia, Turr. Reichenbachia, Spreng. Oxia, Lour. 
Allionia, L. Boerhaavia, L. Nexea, R. P. ? 
Calymenia, Nutt, Pisonia, L. Okenia, Schlecht. 
Calpidia, Pet. Thou, Epilithes, Bl. 
Mitscherlichia, Kth. 
Alliance V. COCCULALES. 
Essential Character. — Albumen present. Flowers formed upon a ternary plan, with 
the divisions of the calyx in two row's. 
It is usual to refer the species of this alliance to Poh’petalse, because the 
calyx has its segments in two series ; and it cannot be denied that, if paper- 
characters are alone to be consulted, this ought to be the proper com*se. But 
if we compare Cocculales with the orders with which they are thus as- 
sociated, we cannot find one other important circumstance of agreement. 
It is usual to station them near Berberacese, or Anonaceae ; but what their 
affinity really is with such orders it^is difficult to conceive, even if we admit 
their relationship to Schizandrese. But if we look at them with an unpreju- 
diced eye, w^e cannot fail to be struck with their general resemblance to 
Smilacese among Endogens, difi'ering in little except their dicotyledonous, more 
highly developed, embryo, and exogenous stem. In the next place, their floral 
envelopes, although in two rows, and therefore technically composed of both 
calyx and corolla, agree altogether with the biseriate calyx of some Polygo- 
naceae, such as Rumex. Thirdly, the absence of zones from the wood 
assimilates them to Columnosae. In short, look at these plants in what way 
we will, their relation seems to be in aU important particulars with Imperfectae. 
I, therefore, station them here at the peril of ofiending all the prejudices that 
have been gradually growing up since the appearance of the Genera plantarura 
of Jussieu in 1789, 
Order CLXII. MENISPERMACE^. The Cocculus Tribe. 
Menisperme^, Juss. Gen. 284, (1789) ; DC. Syst. 1. 508. (1818). — Menispermace^, 
DC. Prodr. 1. 95, (1824) ; Wight and Arnott. Prodr. FI. Penins. Ind. 1.11. (1834). 
Essential Character. — Flowers (by abortion?) unisexual, usually dioecious and very 
small. Sepals in one or several rows, each of which is composed of either 3 or 4 parts, 
hypogynous, deciduous. Stamens monadelphous, or occasionally distinct, sometimes oppo- 
site the inner sepals and equal to them in number, sometimes 3 or 4 times as many. An- 
thers adnate, turned outw'ards or proceeding immediately from the point of the filament. 
Ovaries sometimes numerous, each wdth one style, cohering slightly at the base, sometimes 
completely soldered together into a many-celled body, which is occasionally in consequence 
of abortion 1 -celled. Drupes usually berried, 1 -seeded, oblique or lunate, compressed. 
Seed of the same shape as the fruit ; embryo curved, or turned in the direction of the cir- 
cumference; cotyledons flat, sometimes lying face to face, sometimes distant from each 
