Good Hope, in equinoctial and North Africa, in the different regions of America, in New Zealand, in India, very sparingly in North Asia, and lastly in the South of Europe, where, [553 however, only two species have been observed, namely, Anagyris fœtida, and Cercis siliquastrum; but the latter having a straight embryo and a habit approaching to that of Bauhinia, rather belongs to Lomentaceæ.
Among the Diadelphous genera of Terra Australis the most remarkable in habit and structure, namely Platylobium, Bossiæa, Hovea, Scottia, and Kennedia, are found chiefly in the principal parallel and higher latitudes; within the tropic the greater part of these cease to exist, and most of the genera which there occur are common to other countries, especially India.
ATHEROSPERMEÆ.[1] Jussieu, in his excellent memoir on Monimieæ[2] has referred Pavonia of Ruiz and Pavon and Atherosperma of Labilardière to that order, from the other genera of which, namely, Ambora, Monimia, and Ruizia, they appear to me very different, not only in the insertion of the seed, the texture of the albumen, and relative size of the embryo, but in having antheræ similar to those of Laurinæ. I separate them therefore into a distinct family with the name of Atherospermeæ. The propriety of this separation is confirmed by the discovery of two New Holland plants, evidently belonging to this family, but which have hermaphrodite flowers; a structure not likely to occur in Monimieæ, in which what has been termed calyx is more properly an involucrum.
- ↑ Atherospermeæ. Flores diclines vel hermaphroditi. Calyx monophyllus, limbo diviso: laciniis sæpe duplici serie, interioribus omnibusve semipetaloideis: Squamulæ fancis in femineis et hermaphroditis. Corolla nulla. Stamina in masculis floribus numerosa, fundo calycis inserta, squamulis aucta; in hermaphroditis pauciora, fauce imposita: Antheræ adnatæ, biloculares, loculis valvula longitudinali a basi ad apicem dehiscenti. Ovaria uno plura, sæpius indefinita, monosperma, ovulo erecto: Styli simplices, nunc laterales v. basilares: Stigmata indivisa. Pericarpia clausa seminiformia, stylis persistentibus plumosis aristata, tubo aucto calycis inclusa. Embryo erectus brevis, in basi albuminis carnosi mollis. Arbores. Folia opposita simplicia exstipulata. Pedunculi axillares, uniflori.
- ↑ Annales du museum, 14, p. 116.
