The family Hippocrateaceae was established by A. L. DE JUSSIEU (Ann. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris 18, 1811, 486, as Hippocraticeae) and three years later R. BROWN created the family Celastraceae (in Flinders, Voy. Terra Austr. 2, 1814, 554, as Celastrineae). BROWN was well aware that his new ‘order’ (family in our sense) closely approached Hippocrateaceae and hinted at the Possibility that they might be fused later. This was indeed effected by HOOKER f. (in B. & H. Gen. P1. 1, 1862, 358), who reduced Hippocrateaceae to a tribe of the Celastraceae. Still up till the present there has been no unanimity of opinion on this question. Disagreement with HOOKER’S vision started with MIERS (Trans. Linn. Soc. 38, 1873, 319-330) in his elaboration of the South American Hippocrateaceae; reviewed the history of the two families and ably summarized their general characters, Basing himself on literature and new observations he put forward eleven points of difference for their distinction. However, many new genera and species have been described since 1873 Which have obliterated many of MIERS'S arguments, and recent specialists agree that, if any, only few characters do hold.