The Pappus is termed

1. Stipitate, (stipitatus) when supported on a stipe. Ex. Dandelion.

2. Sessile, (sessilis) when it is immediately connected with the seed. Ex. Apargia.

3. Pilose, (pilosus) when it consists of simple hairs. Ex. Golden Rod, Solidago.

4. Plumose, (plumosus) when each hair is branched like a feather. Ex. Dandelion.

5. Membranaceous, when it consists of thin, transparent leaves.

3. TAIL, (cauda) is an elongated, generally feathery, appendage to some seeds formed from the permanent style. Ex. Virgin's bower, Clematis ; Avens,

Geum.

4. WING, (ala) a dilated membranous appendage to seeds. Ex. Catalpa tree and Trumpet flower, Bignonia.

DISSEMINATION, (disseminatio)

The various contrivances of nature to disperse and scatter abroad the seeds.

Observation The various modes by which seeds are dispersed, is a subject truly wonderful, and cannot fail to excite admiration in an observing mind. The numerous organs evidently constructed for this peculiar purpose are alone sufficient to prove, beyond a possibility of doubt, that the creation is the product of superiour intelligence and design.

Naturalists observe four means of dissemination.

1. Rivers and running waters. 2. Wind. elastic capsule.

3. Animals. 4. An

1. Seeds are often conveyed by running waters a great distance from their native soil, and cast upon a very different climate, to which, however, by degrees, they render themselves familiar.Milne

2. Those which are carried by the wind, are either furnished with a pappus, as in the Dandelion, Thistle, and other compound flowers, or with a wing, as the Maple, Ash, Trumpet-flower, &c. The bractea of the Lime-tree or Basswood, Tilea, serves to wing the seed; it is placed obliquely, so as to give a rotatory or whorling motion as it falls. Winged seeds generally are so constructed as to acquire a rotatory motion as they fall, and are thus suspended some time in the air.

Many seeds, in addition to the means of dissemination, are calculated to bury themselves in the earth. The seeds of many of the compound flowers, as the Dandelion, have barbs pointing up.

ward in such a way, that after they are thrown down, the wind, by moving the pappus, works them into the earth. The Animated Oat, being moved b; every change of moisture, affecting its twisted awn, works its way into the earth with wonderful certainty. 3. Animals feed on the pulpy fruits, and at the same time disperse their seeds, voiding them in a condition to vegetate.

Some seeds attach themselves to animals, by means of barbs and hooks, which are either affixed to the seeds themselves, as in Carrot, or to their calyx, as in Burdock, Agrimony and Bidens.

4. The Touch-me-not, Impatiens, is a common example of an lastic capsule.

VII. Receptacle.

RECEPTACLE, (receptaculum) Pl. 12, fig. 2, A. Is the common base or point where all the other parts of the fructification unite.

It is termed

1. PROPER, when it belongs to a simple flower. 2. COMMON, when it belongs to aggregate flowers, which see below.

Observation. It is not a very definite part in simple flowers, there being no particular line of separation between it and the other parts; in the compound flowers, as the Dandelion, Sunflower, &c. it constitutes a remarkable and important part.

Simple and Aggregate Flowers.

1. A SIMPLE FLOWER, (flos simplex) is a flower which has a single fructification, complete in all its parts, none of which are common to many flowers, as the Rose and Lily.

Observation. A flower furnished with both calyx and corolla, is termed a COMPLETE flower, (fos completus ;) when the latter is wanting, INCOMPLETE, (incompletus ;) and when the corolla is pres ent without a calyx, NAKED, (rudus.)

2. Aggregate fLOWER, (flos aggregatus) is applied by Linnæus to such flowers as are made up of a number of smaller flowers, collected together by means of a part, either a calyx or receptacle, common to them all.

Observation. Each of the flowers, which goes to constitute an ag gregate flower, is called a FLORET, (flosculus) little flower; and, from the above description, it is evident, does not constitute a complete flower of itself, as one or two of the essential parts of a flower are common to the whole aggregate. It happens, however, sometimes, that the floret will be furnished with a part analogous

to the common part in the aggregate; thus, besides a common calyx, each floret may have its own proper calyx.

Linnæus enumerates seven kinds of aggregate flowers.

1. AGGREGATE FLOWER, (flos aggregatus) properly so called, which has a common undivided receptacle, the anthers all separate and distinct.

Observation. Flowers usually blue, purple or white.

2. COMPOUND FLOWER (flos compositus) has also a common undivided receptacle, but the filaments, which. are five, have their anthers united into a tube. Ex. Dandelion, Sunflower, Daisy, &c.

Observation. These constitute the class Syngenesia, which see. Flowers usually yellow, especially in the centre or disk.

3. AMENTACEOUS (flos amentaceus) has a threadlike receptacle, along which are disposed scales, each of which is accompanied with one or more stamens or pistils. Ex. Willow and Alder. See AMENT, page 48.

Observation. 1. The greatest part of the amentaceous flowers are separated.

2. The birch, betula; beech, fagus; poplar, populus; hazel, corylus; hornbean, carpinus; pine, pinus; walnut, juglans; oak, quercus; and some other trees, are amentaceous. The fertile flowers of some of these are not aments, as the walnut, oak, and hazel.

4. GLUMOSE, (flos glumosus) has a slender, threadshaped receptacle, along which are disposed a number of florets, all enclosed in a common calyx, termed GLUME, (gluma.) Ex. Grasses.

5. SPADICEOUS, (flos spadiceus) a sheathed flower, in which the receptacle common to many florets is a spadix, enclosed with a sheath (spatha.) Ex. Common Dragon Wild Turnip, Arum.

6. UMBELLATE, (flos umbellatus) in which the florets are borne on footstalks produced from a common receptacle. Ex. Hemlock, Carrot. See UMBEL, p. 42.

7. CYMOSE, (flos cymosus) consists also of florets borne on foot-stalks produced from a common receptacle. Ex. Elder, Sambucus. See CYME, p. 43.

PART IV.

SYSTEM OF LINNEUS, &c.

According to the Linnæan system, the vegetable kingdom is divided into Classes, Orders, Genera, and Species. See page 4.

Observation. 1 These divisions and subdivisions of the vegeta. ble kingdom enable a student to find out the name and history of an unknown plant, in the most expeditious manner, by referring it, in the first place, to its class, and to its order in that class; then determining to what genus it belongs, and what species it is in the genus, which is the individual: whereas, without method and system, he would have been under the necessity of searching over the descriptions of all the plants known.

2. The Classes and Orders are called artificial divisions, in opposition to natural ones, because they are professedly constructed to serve the purpose of mere convenient divisions, stamped by a definite mark by which the individuals of each may be at once recognised; and because they, in many instances, bring together, in the same division, plants which are dissimilar, agreeing only in the assumed technical character of such division, as the Elm and Carrot, which, notwithstanding they are very unlike, belong to the same class and order merely, because they have each the same number of stamens and pistils; whereas natural divisions bring together such only as are similar, allied by numerous affinities, as the Carrot and Parsnip. The Genera are founded on natural affinities, and are natural of course. The genera are naturally divided into species. See observations on Natural Orders.

It is no objection to artificial divisions, that they bring together, in the same division, objects which are dissimilar; but their characters should be so constructed, that they should not separate those which are very closely allied, as the various species of the same genus.

CHAP. I.

CLASSES AND ORDERS.

I. CLASSES, (classes.)

THE CLASSES of Linnæus are twenty-four, and their distinctions are founded on the number, situation or proportion of the stamens. Their names are of Greek derivation, and are expressive of their characters. The first eleven are characterized solely

By the number of the Stamens.

Plate 15 contains figures of the 24 classes.

1. MONANDRIA, 1 stamen Ex. Glasswort, Sali-n cornia.

Observation. A small class.

2. DIANDRIA, 2 stamens. Ex. Lilac, Syringa. 3. TRIANDRIA, 3 stamens. Ex. Blue Flag, Iris. Most of the grasses belong to this class.

4. TETRANDRIA, 4 stamens.

tago.

5. PENTANDRIA, 5 stamens. Datura.

Observationon. A numerous class. 6. HEXANDRIA, 6 stamens.

Ex. Plantain, Plan

Ex. Thorn-apple,

Ex. Lily, Lilium,

7. HEPTANDRIA, 7 stamens. Ex. Trientalis.

Observation. A very small class.

8. OCTANDRIA, 8 stamens. Ex. Primrose, Enothera.

9. ENNEANDRIA, 9 stamens. Ex. Sassafras, Laurus.

12. ICOSANDRIA, 20 or more stamens inserted into the calyx. Ex. Apple, Pear, Cherry, Plum, Raspberry,