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X

IJ)'E.CANI]>M1A.

THE CHABACTER ©E TME HRST TEF €IAS§E§

Sigbs

C^ i3.-^ (2ily^r or OrrvJla

I StarruTl

. H'-rtiTbon.

THE

CLASSES AND ORDERS

OF THE

LINNiEAN SYSTEM

OF

BOTANY.

ILLUSTRATED EY

SEJLECT SPECIMENS

OP

FOREIGN AND INDIGENOUS PLANTS.

VOL. L

LONDON :

PRINTED BY T. BENSLEY,
Bolt-Court, Fleet-Street,

FOR LONGMAN, HURST, KEES, ORME, AND BliOWN,
PATERNOSTER ROW.

M.DCCC.XVI.

INTRODUCTION.

This Work is intended to be a com-
plete illustration of the Limuean system of
Botany ; and, that the subject may be
more attractive, the Botanical examples
which have been selected for ihat purpose
are, as far as a conformity to the system
would permit, such as are connected
with Poetry, History, or some branch of
useful knowledge.

The Work contains at least one British
Plant of each Class and Order, ex-
cept of such Orders as our indigenous
Botany does not afford examples. Of
the two Classes, Monandrta and Do-
DECANDRiA, there is one Species of
every Genus indigenous to Great Britain,
as the parts of fructification of those
Genera are more obscure or irregular
than those of any other Plants of the first
thirteen Classes. Of the Classes Monce-
CIA and DiCECiA, additional examples

b2

IV INTRODUCTION.

arc also given to facilitate the knowledge
of several Orders in those Classes; and
of which the Editor was the more de-
sirous, as some writers, without sufficient
reason, have altogether rejected those
Classes.

That this artificial svsteni of Linnasus
niaj be clearly understood it is only ne-
cessary to attend to two parts of the
flower, which are generally in the centre ;
they are the foundation of the whole
system, and in the language of Botany are
called Stamen^ and Pistillum. In the
common garden lily, and the Tulip, these
two parts are remarkably conspicuous,
the Pistillum being in the centre, with
six Stamina surrounding it. In the
second plate of this work are represented
one Stamen and one Pistillum,^ but the
inexperienced Botanist is not to con-

> The Plate which exhibits the Stamen and the
Pistillum, shi'ws how they are subdivided with their
respective botanical names. The Pistillum, into
three parts, Germen, Style, Stigma ; of these
parts, the Stigma, and the Germen which contains
the embrio seed, are indispensable ; but the Style is
often wanting, as in the Grass of Parnassus, Poppy,
&c. The Stamen is divided into two parts, Fila-

INTRODUCTION". V

sider the form and appearance of these
examples, as necessarily applicable to.
plants in general ; their character, in dif-
ferent Genera, is infinitely various. In the
Iris^ the stigmata are like three petals;
in the Sarracema'' the stigma is like the
top of an umbrella, while the pistilla
of the Wild oaf^ are like two feathers.
In the Stamen there is an equal diversity
of character as may be seen in the
Spring Crocus, the Globe-Thistle, and
the Yew."

MHNT and Anthera ; but that on which the fer-
tilizing of the seed depends, is an apparently fine
dust, or powder, contained in the Anthera, called
Pollen, which, by falling on the Stigma of the
Pistillum, causes complete fructification.

Linnaeus has thus expressed his opinion on this
subject: " While plants are in flower, the pollen
falls from the anthera?, and is dispersed abroad. At
the same time that the pollen is scattered, the stigma
is then in its highest vigour, and for a portion of
the day at least is moistened with a fine dew. The
pollen easily finds access to the stigma, where it ad-
heres, and being mixed with the fluid of the stiirma
IS conveyed to the rudiments of the seed.''

^ See Class til. Order 1.

' Class Xm. Order 1.

^ See Plate 4 in this Vol. exhibiting the different
kinds of Pistilla in difterent plants.

"= See Plate 3 which exhibits the different kinds '
i»f Stamina in diflerent plants.

VI INTRODUCTION.

This system of Bolanical arrangement
which, although founded upon a distinc-
tion in nature, so far as it regards the
Stamina and Pistiila, does not other-
■vvise imply any natural affinity ; conse-
quently arranging plants together by
thesecharacters, is to be regarded in
the economy of nature, as purely arti-
ficial, and in the course of the work
examples are introduced to shew this
fact. The Elm tree and the slender
Buffonia^ have no common character; or
if the Elm be put in the cUiss Pentan-
dria digynia, it lias as little affinity with
the common parsleyofourgardens, which
is of that Class and Order. An Apple-
tree and the Meadow-sweet,^ and the
Oak and the common Arrow-head'" are
equally ren)ote from any natural alliance.
The Classes of Linnaeus are twenty-
four, twenty-three of which have their
distinctions founded on the number and
situation or arrangement of the Stamina;
and the twenty-fourth is made to include

' See Class IV. Order G. ? Class XII. Order 2.

h Class XXL Order 7.

INTRODUCTION. Ml

all those plants which, from the obscurity
or uncertainty of their fructification did
not allow of being included in either of
the preceding Classes.

The first eleven classes depend entirely
upon the number of the Stamina; as
Class I. one Stamen; Class II. two Sta-
mina; Class III. three Stamina, &c. .

Class XII. depends upon the number,
with the additional circumstance of their
growing out of the Calyx,

Class XIII. depends on the number,
and their growing out of the Recepta-
culum.

Class XIV. and XV. depend on the
relation of the Stamina among themselves.
The first of these has four Stamina, two
of which are long, and two short ; and the
second has six Stamina, of which four
are long, and two short.

Class XYI. XVII. XVIII. depend
upon the Stamina being more or less
united; as, in Class XVI. all the Sta-
mina are united together in one sheath ;
in Class XVII. the Stamina are di-
vided into two quantities ; and in Class
XVIII. into more than two.

viii INTRODUCTION.

Class XIX. has the upper part of the
Stamina, usually the Anlheree, united into
a lube, and the lower part or filaments
separate.

Class XX. has the Stamina growing
on the Pistillum, These last seven classes
are illustrated b}^ plates prefixed to each
class respectively.

Class XXI. comprehends those plants
"where the Stamina grow in separate
flowers from those which produce the seed,
yet both sorts growing at the same time
on the same plant, as in the common
Cucumber.

Class XXII. includes those plants
w here the flowers which bear the Stamina
grow on separate plants from those which
produce the seed, as in the Yew and
Juniper.'

Class XXIII. comprehends those
plants the Stamina of which grow some-
times on separate plants^ sometimes in
separate flowers on the same plant, and
sometimes in the same flower with the
Pistilla.

* See Class XXII. Order 8.

INTRODUCTION. IX

Class XXIV. includes Ferns, Mosses,
Liverworts, Flags, and various kinds of
sea-weeds, and Fungi.

The Linncean Names of these Classes are,

I. Monandria. XIII. Polyandria.

II. Diandria. XIV. Didynamia.
III. Triandria. XV. Tetradynaraia.

IV. Tetrandria. XVI. Monadelphia.

V. Pentandria. XVII. Diadelphia.

VI, Hexandria. XVI II. Polyadelphiu.
Vll. Heptandria. XIX. Syngenesia.

VIII. Octandria. XX. Gynandria.

IX. Enneandria. XXI. Moncecia.

X. Decandria. XXII. Dicecia.

XI. Dodpcandria. XXIII. Polygamla.

XII. Icosandiia. XXIV. Cryplogamia.

Besides these divisions, Linnaeus made
a secondary artificial arrangement or sub-
division of these Classes into Orders.

The Orders of the first thirteen Classes
are established upon the number of the
Pistilla or Stigmata.

The Orders of Class XIV. and XV.
are characterized by the manner of pro-
ducing their seed, as shewn in the tvvo
plates prefixed to those Classes.

The Orders of Class XVI. XVII. and
XVIII. are founded on the number of

X INTRODUCTION.

Stamina, tliat is, on the characters of the
first thirteen Classes.

The Orders of Class XIX. are marked
by the united or separated, barren, fertile,
or abortive nature of the florets, which are

1. Pohjgamia ceqtialis. Florets all perfect
or united, that is, each furnished with
perfect Stamina, a Pistillum, and one
Seed.

2. Polygamia sHperjiua. Florets of the
disk with Stamina and a Pistillum ;
those of the radius with Pistilla only,
but each, of both kinds, forming per-
fect Seed.

3. Polygamia frustranea. Florets of the
disk as in the last ; those of the radius
with merely an abortive Pistillum, or
without even the rudiments of any.''

4. Polygamia necessaria. Florets of the
disk with Stamina only; those of the
radius with Pistilla only.

.5. Polygamia segre gat a. Several flowers,
either simple or compound, but wdth
united antherae, and with a proper
calyx, included in one common calyx.

^ Sir J. Ed, Smith saj3 this is not a good Order.

INTRODUCTION. XI

The Orders of Class XX. XXI. and
XXII. are almost eniirely distinguished
by the number of their Stamina.

The Orders of Class XXIII. are dis-
tinguished upon the principles of the two
preceding classes, and being three, are
called Monoecia, Dioecia, Trioecia.

1. MonoBcia has flowers with Stamina
and Pistilla on the same plant with
others which have only Pistilla, or only
Stamina ; or perhaps all these three
kinds of blossoms occur; but whatever
the different kinds may be, they are
confined to one plant.
'2. Dicecla has the two or three kinds of

flowers on two separate plants.
3. Trioecia has them on three separate
plants, of which the Fig is the only real
example, and in that the structure of
the flowers is alike in all.
The Orders of Class XXIV. are pro-
fessedly natural, and are four; Ferns,
Mosses, Flags, and Fungi.

1. Filices. Ferns, whose fructification is
obscure, and grows either on the back,
summit, or near the base of the leaf,
thence denominated a frond.

XU INTRODUCTION.

2. Musci. Mosses, which have real sepa-
rate leaves, and often a stem; a hood*
like corolla, or calyptra, bearing the
style, and concealing the capsula,
which a I length rises on a slalk with
the caiyptra, and opens by a lid.

3. Alga. Flags, whose herb is likewise
a frond, and whose seeds are imbedded,
either in its very substance, or in the
disk of some appropriate recepta-
culum.

4. Fungi, Mushrooms, destitute of
herbage, bearing their fructification in
a fleshy substance.

To these four Orders modern Bo-
tanists haveadded a fifth called Hepaticae,
which by Linna3us was included in his
Order Aigce,

Besides this system, which is little
olher than a Dictionary where a distinct
place is allotted to each plant, and where
each may be readily found, Linnaeus
adopted a principle of investigation to
determine the Genera and Species of
plants founded entirely in nature. He
laid it down as a rule, not to be dej^arted

INTRODUCTION^. XUl

from, thai the Genus should depend upon
some constant, peculiar, and determinate
character, in what he denominates the
parts of fructification, which he distin-
guishes into seven kinds. The Calyx,'
Corolla, Stamen, Pislillum, Pericar-

^ That part which surrounds the flower is distin-
guished in tlie language of Botany by the general
term Pc/ianthium, and the word Calyx may be
considered as only having a more precise and
technical meaning, under which head Linnaeus has
distinguished seven kinds; 1, Calyx, properly so
called, as in the Clove-pink. This kind of Calyx,
which by English writers oa Botany is commonly
called cup^ by scientific writers is denominated Pe-
rianthium by way of pre-eminence; C, Inyo lu-
crum; 3, Amentum; 4, Spatiia; 5, Gluma ;
6, Perich^tium ; 7, Volva. See examples of all
these seven kinds in Class X. V. VII. XVI. II,
XXIV. The colour of the calyx is usually green;
nevertheless, in some plants it is of other colours,
as in the l^^uchsia, Class VUI. Order 1, and in the
Geum, Class XII. Order 3.

The Corolla is that part which is familiarly
known, and commonly called the flower: in the
Rose, in its wild and uncultivated state, it consists
of i> petal> ; see Class XII. Order 3.

In the centre of the Corolla there are two parts
on which the fructification and reproduction of the
species more particularly depend, which are called
i\\e Stamen and Pistillimi. The Pistillum produces
the seed at the base : and the Stamen serves to per-

XIV INTRODUCTION.

piura,"' Seed, and Receptaculum; and
these he calls his natural characters.

feet that seed. These parts are shewn in the intro-
ductory plates, and may be seen in many others
throughout the work.

"* The word Pericarpnim or seed-vessel expresses
whatever surrounds the seed, from a similar ety-
mology with the wordPerianthiuin, and the scientific
name of this part is, Capsula : Capsula, therefore,
may be considered as a generic term : under this head
Liunsus has arranged seven kinds of coverings by
these names :

1 Capsula, properly so called, a dry seed vessel
of a woody coriaceous or membranous texture, as
the fruit of the common Poppy, <kc.

2 Siligua, or Pod.

3 Legumen (no Enghsh synonyme.)

4 Drupa, Stone fruit.

5 PoMUM, Apple.

6 Bacca, Berry.

7 Strobilus, Cone.

See examples : Illustration of the Orders of
Class XIV. Class XV. XVII. V. XII. XXII.

SEED is too well known to require any ex-
planation.

The Receptaculum isoften wanting, but where
it exists it is the part which connects the Seed or the
Pericarpium with the stem of the plant; it is pointed
out in the cushion-like base of the Dandelion, to
which the seeds are attached, in the plate to illus-
trate Class XIX. The Strawberry is a pulpy Re-
ceptaculum ; and what is familiarly known as the
Artichoke-bottom is the Receptaculum of the Arti-
choke flower.

INTRODUCTION. XV

All vegetables, therefore, which agree
in these parts of fructification are to be
put together under one Genus, and all
such as differ in these parts are to be
separated. The characteristic mark of
each Genus is fixed by the number,
fip-ure, proportion, and situation of all
these parts ; and the more constant any
partof the fructification be found through-
out the several species of any Genus, the
more it is to be relied on with certainty as
a characteristic mark of that Genus. A
variation in any one of these parts, if the
variation be found always to exist, is held
to be sufficient to constitute a separate
Genus," and in many cases this principle
has been extended to very minute parti-
culars. Between the common garden Pea
and theS weet-Pea,the on ly variation in the
parts of fructification is in the style, which
has been thought sufficient to divide them

» This principle, although it be established as a
rule, ought to be acted upon with caution, for, by
too strict a conformity to it, the strongest natural
affinities would sometimes be destroyed. Of the
Genus Phytolacca, by a strict conformity to this rule,
there would be nearly as many genera as there are
. species.

XVI INTRODUCTION.

into two Genera; in like manner the
Genus Maiva and Lavatera are sepa-
rated by a slight variation in the Calyx,
and the Agave and the Allow, from the
Stamina of the one, growing out of the
Calyx, and of the other, out of the Re-
ceptaculum. But, if in these parts of
fructification there should benodijBference
between two or more plants, however un-
like they may be in their general ap-
pearance, they are to be considered as
of the same Genus : in different species
of the Euphorbia, at first sight it would
be impossible to suppose that they
were at all allied in nature, but the parts
of fructification being the same, instead
of their being classed as separate genera
they are considered only as distinct spe-
cies of one and the same Genus. The
common Spurge, Euphorbia helioscopiaf"
which grows spontaneously every where
in the garden as a weed, or the Euphorbia
stricta represented in Class XI. Order 3,
of this work, contrasted with the Eiiphor^

" See Sowerby's English Botany, plate 883.

INTRODUCTION". XVll

bia meloformis'^ will fully serve to illustrate
this fact.

The different 5j?ecze5 of the same Genus
are distinguished by a variation in the
other parts of the plant ; as in the leaves,
stem, or root, or any other invariably
permanent character, not essential to the
character of the Genus. In three species
of the Genus Reseda, given in Class XI.
Order 3, the specific distinctions very
much depend on a difference in their
leaves. The Beseda odorata has its
leaves three-lobed ; the Reseda lutea,
trifid and pinnated ; and the Reseda luteola
lance-shaped. The specific distinctions
of the very numerous species of the Genus
Geranium or Pelargonium, areprincipally
characterized by a difference in their
leaves : as the Ivy-leaved, Telargonium
lateripes; the Gooseberry-leaved, Pe/ar-
gonium grossularioides ; the Oak-leaved,
Felai'gonium qiiercifoUum, &c.

For the use of those who study English
Botany, at the end of each Class a Bo-

" See Andr. Hep. plate 6 1 7.
C

XVlll INTRODUCTION.

tanical description is given of each Bri-
tish Genus agreeably to characters found-
ed in nature, which Linnoeus estabhshed
as the basis of Generic distinction; but
a plant is subject to so much diversity
of character from soil, climate, and latent
causes of which we are ignorant, that the
most circumstantial description of it,
conformably to any rules hitherto laid
down, will seldom be found to be scru-
pulously correct ; hence precise accu-
racy is not in the nature of the subject
to be expected : all botanical descrip-
tions and definitions must therefore be
received with due allowance for such
variations.

At the head of each description is
the Essential character of the Genus and
of the Species, if there be more than one
species of the Genus. This Essential
generic character is a selection of those
facts which are found to be most cha-
racteristic of the Genus.

In the nomenclatu re of Linnaeus
every plant has two names ; the first is
called the Generic, and the second, which

INTRODUCTION. XIX

defines the species, is called the Specific
name/

So far as this Work is an illustra-
tion ofthe Classes AND Orders of
LiNN^us it was not necessary to have
inserted any Botanical descriptions; but,
considering Botany as a branch of na-
tural knowledge, such descriptions may
be useful to those who are commencins:
the study upon the principles of Nature.

This Work was originally begun as
an amusement, and it has gradually in-
creased to its present size; the Editor
has no collection of Botanical books, and

p This rule is extended to plants, of which the
Genus consists of only one known species, rather to
preserve an uniformity in the nomenclature than for
any Botanical advantage; and indeed, in all those
instances where only one species of a Genus is known^
it is more than probable, that if any other species
were discovered, the present Specific distinction
Avould require to be altered; as temiifolia, might be
no distinction between theBuffonia now known and
one which might be discovered ; nor umbcllatus, for
theButomus; nor Eiiropcca, forSibthorpia. Neither
in reality, are these sjsecific distinctions of any conse-
quence; the generic name being sufficient so long as
there are not two or more species to create any am-
biguity.

X

XX INTRODUCTION.

it has been chiefly compiled in occasional
and accidental visits to private libraries,
except as to two parts. Erom his own
experiments and the assistance of practi-
cal men he has given his opinion in
Class XII. on the laws of vegejation as
to the reproduction of new plants ; and
to investiojate the Lotus of the Ancients
was a favourite object, which led him to
read every author ancient or modern that
could throw any light on that subject;
those extracts therefore in Class V. and
XIII. are not without their interest.

XXI

The Name and Number of the Linnaan Orders ar-

ranged under each Class,

Class I.
MONANDRIA.

2 Orders.

1 Monogynia

2 Digynia

Class II.
DIANDRIA.

3 Orders.

1 Monogynia

2 Digynia

3 Trigynia

Class III.
TRIANDRIA.
3 Orders.

1 Monogynia

2 Digynia
5 Trigynia

Class IV.

TETRANDRIA.

3 Ordas.

1 Monogynia

2 Digynia

3 Tetragynia

Class V.
PENTANDRIA.
7 Orders.
I Monogynia
z Digynia

3 Trigynia

4 Tetragynia

5 Pentagynia
^ Hexagynia
7 Polygynia

Class VI.
HEXANDRIA,
6 Orders.
1 Monogynia
a Digynia

3 Trigynia

4 Tetragynia

5 Hexagynia

6 Polygynia

Class VII.

HEPTANDRIA.

4 Orden,

1 Monogynia

2 Digynia

3 Tetragynia

4 Heptagynia

Class VIII.
OCTANDRIA.
4 Orders.
Monogynia
Digynia
Trigynia
Tetragynia

Class IX.
ENNEANDRIA.

3 Orders.
Monogynia

; Trii

;ynia

3 Hexagynia

Class X.
DECANDKIA.
5 Orders.
I Monogynia

XXll

i Digynia

3 Trigynia

4 Pentagynia

5 Decagynia

Class XI.
DODECANDRIA.

6 Orders,
Monogynia
Digynia
Trigynia
Tetragynia
Pentagynia
Dodecagynia

Class XII.
ICOSANDRIA.
3 Orders.
Monogynia
Pentagynia
Polygynia

Class XIII.
rOLYANDRIA.

7 Orders.
Monogynia
Digynia
Trigynia
Tetracvnia
Pentagynia
Hexagynia
7 Polygynia

Class XIV.

DIDYNAMIA.

z Orders.

1 Gymnospermia

2 Angiospermia

Class XV.

TETR ADYNAMIA.

2 Orders.

1 Siliculosa

2 Siliquosa

I

Class XVI.

MONADELPHIA.
8 Orders.

1 Triandria

2 Pentandria

3 Heptandria

4 Octandria

5 Decandria

6 Endecandria

7 Dodecandria

8 Polyandria

Class XVII.
DIADELPHIA.
4 Orders.
Pentandria
Hexandria
Octandria
Decandria

Class XVIII.
POLYADELPHIA.

3 Orders.
Dodecandria
Icosandria
Polyandria

Class XIX.
SYNGEXESIA.
5 Orders.
Polygamia aequalis
Polygamia superflua
Polygamia frustranea
Polygamia neccssaria
Polygamia segregata

Class XX.

GYNANDRIA.

7 Orders.

1 Monandria

2 Diandria

3 Triandrii

4 Tetrandria

5 Pentand,ria

XXIU

€ Hcxandria
7 Octandria

Class XXr.

MONCECIA.
8 Orders.
1 Monandria
Diandria
Tiiandiia
Tetrandria
Pentandcia
Hexandria
Polyandria

S Monadelphia

Class XXII.
DICECIA.
8 Orders.
Monandria
Diandria
Triandria

<

4 Tetrandria

5 Pentandria

6 Hexandria

7 Polyandria

8 Monadelphia

Class XXIII.
POLYGAMIA.

3 Orders.

1 Ntonoicia

2 Dicecia

3 Trioecia

Caass XXIV.
CRYPTOGAMiA.

4 Orders.

1 Fil ces

2 Musci

3 Algae

4 Fungi

XXIV

SYSTEMATICAL INDEX

Of all the Plants in this Work, serving to illustrate
the Classes and Orders of LinncEus.

SCIENTIFIC NAMES.

Order Page

Class I.

1 Hippuris vulgaris i

-- Salicornia annua 4

— Chara translucens. 5

— Zostera marina

2 Callitriche aquatica 6

Class II.

1 Circsea lutetiana 13

— Veronica chamedrys 14

— Lemna gibba 15

2 Anthoxanthum odoratum . . 19
" Bromus diandrus 20

3 Piper nigrum 21

Class III.

1 Cyperus papyrus 29

-- Scirpus lacustris 36

— Crocus officinalis 37

— Irisfcelidissima 38

2 Saccharuni officinarnm . . . . 59

— Alopecurus pratensis 42

-- Agrostis stolonifera 43

— Festuca vivipera 47

3 Holostcum umbe'.latum . . . . 51

— Montia fontana —

— Polycarpon tctraphyllum .. 52

— Tellaea muscosa '. —

Class IV.

I Scabiosa succisa 61

.- Exacum filiforme 62

— Cornus sanguinea 63

— Centunculus minimus -*

Order Page

2 Buffonia tenuifolia 6 J

— Ulmus campestris 68

3 Ilex aquifoliuni 69

-- Moenchia quaternella .... 71

— Ruppia maritima 72

Class V.

1 Rhamnus Lotus 79

— Azalea pontica 91

-- Nicotiana tabacum 96

— CofFea arabica loj

— Solanum dulcamara 107

— Atropa bella-donna io8

-- Viola tricolor no

2 Cicutavirosa 113

— j^ithusa cynapium 116

— Crithmum maritimum . . 1 iS
-- Gentiana verna 1 ip

— Stapclia hirsuta

3 Passi flora casrulca 122

— Corrigiola litteralis 1 24

— Viburnum lantana —

— Sambucus ebulus 12^

4 Parnassia palustris iz6

5 Linum usitatissimum . . . 1^7

— Statice armiria 129

— Sibbaldia procumbens ...

6 Drosera anglica 131

7 Myosurus minimus 132

Class VI.

I Berberis vulgaris 143

— Hyacinthus non-scriptus 14^
~ Allium oltraceum. ,,, ,. 153

XXV

Order Page

1 Juncus Glaucus 152

~ Juncus conglomeratus 153

2 Oryza sativa 155

3 Colchicum autumnale <: 156

-- Tofieldia palustris 158

4 Petiveria alliacea 160

5 Stratiotes allismoides 161

6 Alisma plantago 16 z

Class VII.

1 Trientalis europasa 167

2 Limeiim 16S

3 Saarurus cernuus —

4 Septas capensis 169

Class VIII.

1 Vaccinium vitis idaea 171

— Erica tetralix 172

•- Chlora perfoliata 173

— Fuchsia coccinea 1 74

— Amyris gileadensis 175

2 Galenia africana 179

3 Plygonum convolvulus 179

4 Adoxa moschatellina 181

— Paris quadrifolia 182

— Elatine hydropiper 183

Class IX.

1 Laurus cinnamomum 189

2 Rheum palmatum 193

3 Butomus umbellatus 195

Class X.

1 Andromeda polifolia 197

— Pyrola uniflora 198

— Dionaea muscipula 199

2 Dianthus caryophylius 201

— Saxifraga aizoidcs 202

3 Silene conica 203

— Stellaria holostea 204

4 Cerastium latifolium 105

— Oxalis acetosella 205

Order Page

5 Phytolacca decandra 2c6

Class XI.

1 Lythrum salicaria 213

-- Asarum europaeum 214

2 Agrimonia eupatoria 213

3 Reseda odorata 216

— Reseda lutea 217

— ■ Reseda luteola

-~ Euphorbia stricta 218

4 Aponogeton monostachyon. . 219

5 Glinus , 220

6 Sempervivum tectorum —

Class XII.

1 Prunus lauro-cerasus 227

-- Prunus domestica 236

2 Pyrus domestica 237

— Spiraea ulmaria z4^

3 Rosa rubiginosa 247

— Geum rivale 250

Class XIII.

1 Nymphaea alba 255

— Nymphaea caerulea 256

— Cistus helianthemum 261

— Chelidonium comiculatum .. 263
-- Papaver sonmiferum 26^

— Sarraconia adunca 266

2 Paeonia corallina 267

3 Thea 268

3 Delphinium consolida 275

4 Tetracera 276

5 Aquilegia vulgaris

6 Stratiotes aloides 277

7 Cyamus nelumbo 278

-- Ranunculus sceleratus zAy

— Caltha palustris 287

Class XIVT

I Nepeta catarca 297

— Glechoma hederacea 299

d

XXVI

Order Page

1 Tcucrium scorodonia 300

— V'erbena officinalis 501

— Thymus serpyllum 302

2 Linnsa borealis 305

— Antirrhinum linaria 307

— Sibthorpia turopasa

;o8

318

Class XV.

1 Iberis amara

— Draba vcrna 3 -'9

— Subularla aquatica 310

— Isatis tinctoria 3^1

2 Dcntaria bulbiltra 3Z3

— Cheiran'.hus Iruticulosus .... 324

— Tunitis glabra j^j

Class XV'I.

1 Sisyrinchium bcrmudiana. . . 333

2 Hcrmannia altlixifolia 334

-- Erodium ciculaiium 335

3 Pelargonium acetosuni 336

4 Aitonia capensis 337

5 Geranium pyrinaicuni 33S

— pusillum 340

6 Erownea racemosa 341

7 Pterospermum acerifoliam .. 342

8 Gossypium herbaceum 344

— Lavateria arboria 346

— Malva sylvestris 348

— Althffia officinalis 349

Order Page

4 Hedysarum gyrans 363

Class XVIII.

1 Citrus aurantium 375

2 Melaleuca thymifolia 377

3 IJypericum elodes 37S

Class XIX.

I Carlina vulgaris 382

— Tragopogon porritblius 383

z Bellis perennis 3 85

— Achillea ptarmica 387

3 Centaurca cyamus 389

4 Calendula officinalis 391

5 Echinops sphcerocephalus , , . 393

Class XVH.

1 Monnieria trifolia 353

2 Eumaria lutea 354

3 Polygala vulgaris 355

4 Astragalus hypoglottis 356

— Trifolium jjiatcnse 357

~ Genista tinctoria 358

— Spartium scoparium. 359

— Pisum mnriiimum 3^0

— Lotus corniculatus 3 'it

-- Hedysarum onobrychis 362

Class XX.

1 0[)hrys muscifera 402

-- Satyrium albidum 405

-- Mala.KJs paludosa 406

-- Scrapius cnsifolia 407

— Orchis palmata 408

2 Cypripedium calceolus 410

3 Mcborea guyannensis 411

4 Stylidium major 413

5 Pergularia odoratissima 415

6 Aristolochia clematitis 416

7 Cytinus hypocistis 418

Class XXI.

1 Zannichellia palustris 425;

— Artocarpus incisa 426

2 Anguiia pedata r... 429

3 Carcx acuta 430

-- Typha latifolia 434.

— Sparganium natans 435

4 Betula nana 437

— Euxus sempervirens 438

— Littorclla lacustris 440

5 Nc'phclium echinatuin 441

~ Amaranthus blitum 442

6 Zizania aquatica 443

XXVll

Order Page

7 Sagittaria sagittifolia 444

-- Quercus robur 445

— sessilirtora 447

— Arum maculatum 449

8 Pinus sylvestris 452

9 Bryonia dioica 456

Class XXII.

1 Najas marina 471

2 Vallisneria spiralis 472

— Salix hcrbacea 474

3 Ruscus aculeatus ■ 476

-- Empetrum nigrum 478

4 Viscum album 479

— Myrica gale 484

— Broussonetia papyrifera .... 486

5 Cannabis sativa 488

— Hamulus lupulus 491

6 Tamus communis 493

7 Hydrocharis morsus-rana; .. . 494

Order Page

7 Mercurialis perennis... 495

8 Taxus baccata 497

— Juniperus communis 503

8 Nepenthes distillatoria 504

Class XXIU.

1 Atrlplex pedunculata ^i^

— Mimosa pudica ji6

2 Hippophae rhamnoidcs 520

3 Ficus 52s

Class XXIV.

I Osmunda lunaria <jjf

~ Equisetum liyemale 533

— Hypnum intricatum 536

3 Lichen rangiferinus 538

4 Phallus esculentus 542

-- Agaricus pratensis 54^

— semi-globatus 546

— Xylostroma giganteum 548

MONANDRIA.

CLASS I.

ONE STAMEN.

THIS CLASS HAS TWO OKDERS.

ORDER i.

HIPPURIS VULGARIS.

Maies 'rail.

Gen. Ch. Calyx, obsolete, undivided. Corolla, none. Stigma,

simple. Seed, one, inferior.
Sp. Ch. Leaves, whorled, linear.

This plant has only one stamen and one
pistillum, and each flower produces only one
seed. It is found in ditches and pools, and
on the borders of slow streams; it is not
very common, but grows in several parts of
Norfolk, and in the neighbourhood of Lon-
don. Linnceus, in his Lapland Tour, found
this plant as far north as Calix, in West
Bothnia. It blossoms in May and June.

MONOGV.

NIA.

One Pistillum.

NIA.

On« Piitillum.

2 MONANDRIA.

MONOGY- At the bottom of each leaf is a small
flower of the simplest kind, consisting only
of one oval germen without a corolla, ter-
minating in a thread-shaped pointed style,
by the side of which stands one stamen with
a two-lobed anthera. When young this an-
thera is large and reddish, sitting close to
the germen without any filament, as in Fig. 1.
Afterwards in a more advanced state the an-
thera is raised, supported on a filament and
detached from the style, as in Fig. 2. As the
parts of fructification often vary in shape
and character in different stages of their
growth, this may serve as an illustration,
and perhaps in some cases prevent an unex-
pected difference of appearance from being
misunderstood.

The parts of fructification of this plant
having no corolla, in common language,
may be said to be without a blossom ; but
in the Linnsan language of botany the sta-
mina and pistilla constitute the flower of the
plant ;^ and if a plant has the union of one

^ Ray and Touruefort meant by die flower the coloured
leaves of the plant ; but since the introduction of the Lin-
naean system the petals have lost their importance, and arc
now only considered as a finer sort of cover, which is gene-
rally present, but not essentially necessary to the existence
of the flower.

The leaves of the plants being usually green, botanists

MONANDRIA. 3

Stamen and one pistillum, that flower is said monogy-

^ _ NIA.

to be flos per feet us, thousfh it has neither co-

^ i -J ' ^ .One Pistillum.

rolla nor calyx; and, on the other hand, if a
flower has the most beautiful corolla that
can exist, and contains only pistilla, or only
stamina, that flower is said to be Jlos imper-
fectus. Thus the hautboy strawberry has its
corolla of white petals like other strawber-
ries, but the pistilla and the stamina are not
united in the flowers of the same plant, con-
sequently these flowers are said to be imper-
fect.'' Nevertheless, from the generally re-

liave given an unphilosophic distinction to the word colour
by applying it only to variegated hues, to the exclusion of
green.

In an early state of vegetation almost all the leaves of
plants are green, of different shades, but the common red
beet. Beta vulgaris, and the Dracccna ferrea, the copper-
beech, and some others, have their leaves of a dark purple.

^ This fact is of importance in the cultivation of straw-
berries, concerning which gardeners are sometimes igno-
rant, for all the other varieties have perfect flowers, and
in this, no difference is suspected j the consequence of which
is, that large beds of Hautboy strawberries often blossom
very finely, but yield no fruit, because the plants produced
only stamina, or only pistilla, and no precaution had been
taken to intersperse the two sorts, that the fructification,
might be complete.

Retzius says, that sometimes this strawberry has both
stamina and pistilla united in the same flower ; the same
variation occasionally happens in the fig, hemp, spinach,
and other plants^ whose primary economy is governed by
different Jaws.

b2

One Pistillum.

4 jrONANDRTA.

MONOGY. ceived opinion of the corolla beinq-the flowey,
the descri})tion of flovv^ers in modern botani-
cal works often yields to the common ac-
ceptation of the word, even with those who
adhere to the Linr.£ean system.

Of this Order is the Genus Maranta, or
Indian Arrow-root, of which there are five
species, natives of South America, and cul-
tivated in the West Indies. It is the root
of one species of this plant, Maranta arun-
d'macca^ which, when bleached and pounded,
makes the line powder used as food by vale-
tudinarians, though, in Europe, the flour of
the potato is often thought to be substituted
for it.

MONOGY- SALICORNIA ANNUA.

NfA.

r, „ „ Annual Samphire, or Jointed Glass-wort.

One Pistillum. -f '

Gen. Cji. Calyx, inflated, undivided. Petals, none. Sta-
mina, one or two. Seed, one, enclosed in a
calyx.

Sr. Ch. Joints, compressed, notched j interstices obconi-
cal. Branches, opposite. Spikes, cylindrical.

This plant is a native on seashores, in
places overflowed by the tide, especially on
a muddy soil. It blossoms in August, or
later. It is often used as a pickle, to supply

MONANDRIA. 5

tiie place of the Crithmum maritimum : but monogy.
it has little flavour of its own, and differs
materially from it, for the want of that aro-
matic quality which characterizes the true
samphire.

One Pisullum.

CHARA TRANSLUCENS.

Great Transparent C/iara.

Gen. Ch. Calyx, none. Corolla, none, Anthera, tessel-
lated. Style, none. Berry, with many seeds.

Sp. Ch. Smooth, transparent, without prickles. Leaves,
cylindrical, obtuse with a small joint, all
simple, with transverse internal partitions.

This plant grows in Berrington Pool,
Shropshire,

MONOGY-

NIA.

One Pistillum.

ZOSTERA MARINA.

Common Grass-wrack.

Gen. Ch. Spadix, linear, sheathed by the base of the leaf,
bearinsr the fructifications on one side in two
ranks. Calyx and Corolla, none. Anthera,
sessile. Stigmata, two, linear. Capsula, with
one seed.

Sp. Ch. Capsules, sessile.

This plant is common in salt- water
ditches, blossoming in August and September.
The peculiarity of its structure has perplexed
many botanists to know where to place it in

MONOGY.

NIA.

One Pistillum.

6 MONANDRIA.

MONOGY- this system. Linnsus placed it in the class
— — - Gynandria; since which Thunberg placed it
in Poli/andria polygynia\ and Dr. Smith, in
Monandria monogynia.

British Plants of this Order.

Botanical Generic Names. Common Names.

*^3 HipPURis 1 Mare's Tail.

5 Salicornia 4 Glass-wort.

6 Chara 6 Chara.

1 ZosTERA 1 Sea Grass-wrack.

British Species ^gured in Sowerby's English Botany,

Hippuris, 763. Salicornia, 415, 2467, iSpl, 2475.
Chara, 33G, 463, 10/0, 1/03, 1855, 2140. Zostera, 46?.

ORDER 11.

DYGYNiA. CALLITRICHE AQUATICA.

Two PistiUa. Water Star-wort,

Gen. Ch. Calyx, none. Petals, two. Stigmata, acute.
Seeds, four, compressed, naked, with a wing-
ed margin on one side. Some monoecious
flowers.
Figured in the English Botany, 722.

This plant is common in ditches and
standing water, and blossoms from April to

" Tlie figures which precede the botanical generic
names denote the total number of species of each genus,
according to our present knowledge j and the figures before
the common names, denote the number of species found
wild in Great Britain.

MONANDRIA. 7

October; its upper leaves make a star-shaped dygynia,
appearance, from whence it has its English Two Pistuia.
name. Of this genus there is only this one
species; though there are supposed to be se-
veral varieties.

Linneeus, in his Lapland Tour, met with
this plant between Natra and Umoea, upon
which he remarks, " Those botanists are
much mistaken who distinguish this from
the kind with oval leaves, for they only dif-
fer in age. The lower leaves of the preced-
ing year, of an ovate form, still remain under
water, quite fresh, bearing ripe seeds in their
axillcey At Lulea he met with another va-
riety; where, he says, " this neighbourhood
abounds Avith the Stellaria^ minima of bota-
nists, generally supposed to be very rare."
He then proceeds to observe, " this is evi-
dently no naturally distinct species, but a
variety caused by circumstances. Every one
knows that the common kind always floats
in the water; whereas this min'una never
grows where Avater is actually present, but
where it has been dried up in consequence
of hot weather. Not being, therefore, able

^ Stellaria is the name by which the CaUitriche was
known to former botanists, and to our distinguished coun-
tryman Ray.

8 MONAXDllIA.

DYGYNiA. to sustain itself upright, it must creep, and
TwoPbtiiia. becomes at the same time diminutive from
a deficiency of its usual aHment. If any
one doubts this, let him place this dwarf
plant in a rivulet, or the larger one in a situ-
ation from which the water is retiring, and
the result will remove every doubt."

Plants in this class are not numerous,
and there are none of English growth with
ornamental or conspicuous flowers. The
well-known Canna Indica, which bears a
beautiful crimson blossom, is a favourite ex-
ample of Monandria monogynia ; but the
bunible growth of our own country has been
preferred by ]\Ir. Sowerby's kindness, who
has permitted the use of his Indigenous
Botany, which, it is no flattery to say, is by
far the most complete work of the kind ever
published.

To prevent any mistake in the pronui;-
ciatipn of the botanical names, the quantity
of the penultimate syllable is marked, by
which our English pronunciation of Latin
Avords is uniformly governed. The consider-
ation of this circumstance is to be attended
to in all Latin words of more than two
syllables; therefore, of such words consist-
ing of more than two syllables, if the last

MONANDRIA. 9

syllable but one. whicb is called the pcnul- dygynia,
tima, be marked ( — ) long, then the English Tuo Pi tiiia.
accent is placed on that syllable; but if the
qua«tity be marked ( " ) short, on this penul-
timate syllable, then the English accent is
always thrown back on the preceding sylla-
ble, called the antepenultima, without any
consideration of what may be the quantity, in
Latin poetry, of that preceding syllable.

These are the general rules by which the
words of the Latin language are pronounced;
and in words of one and two syllables no dif-
ference is made in the pronunciation, whe-
ther the vowel be long or short. The better
rule would be, if it could be so established,
Ayhen the vowel is long in the syllable on
which the accent is to fall, to place the ac-
cent on that vowel ; and in all cases where
the vowel is short, to place the accent on the
syllable. If this rule were attended to, words
of one and two syllables might always be
distinguished by the ear, which would be a
relief to the memory; and it is more than
probable that such was the practice of the
ancients; sls piciga, plaga, os, as, and similar
words, are never confounded in their quan-
tity by even the worst of the Latin poets.

10

MONANDRlAi

The different Genera in this Class described by
their Generic Characters^ taken from the seven
parts of fructification, agreeabli/ to the principles
of the LinncBan System.

MONOGY-

NIA.

One PUtillum.

MONOGY.
NIA.

One Pistillum.-

HIPPURIS.

Calyx, a 2-lobed rim, crowning the germen.

Corolla, none.

Stamen. Filament, single, erect, fixed within the outer
lobe of the calyx. Anthera, roundish, compressed.

Pistillum. Germen, oblong, beneath. Style, single, up-
right, awl'shaped, longer than the stamen, fixed to the
inner lobe of the calyx. Stigma, acute.

Pericakpium, none.

Seed, single, roundish, naked.

* :f,*. Mr. Curtis describes the stamen as standing upon
the top of the germen 3 and says, that at the close of sum-
mer he has found flowers without a stamen ; and Scopoli has
observed, that such flowers are sometimes intermixed with
the others.

SALICORNIA.

Calyx, 4-cornered, inflated, undivided ; permanent.

Corolla, none.

Stamen. Filament, single, undivided, longer than the
calyx. Anthera, double, oblong, erect.

Pistillum. Germen, oblong-egg-shaped. Style, undi-
vided, standing under the stamen. Stigma, cloven.

Pericarpium, none. The seed is covered by the inflated
calyx.

Seed, single.

*^* Linnaeus observes, that in this Genus the stamina
are not very certain; sometimes there are two in each
flower.

MONANDRIA.

11

CHARA.

FLOWERS WITH ONLY STAMINA.*

Calyx, none.

Corolla, none.

Stamen. Filament, none. A'fithera, globular, sessile,
placed before the germen on the outer side, and at the
base of the calyx, of one cell, not opening.

FLOWERS WITH ONLY PISTILLA,

On the same Plant.

Calyx. Perianthium, four leaves ; leaflets, awl-shaped, ■

unequal, permanent. The calyx is sometimes wanting.
Corolla, none.
PiSTiLLUM. Germen, turban-shaped, marked with five

spiral grooves. Style, none. Stigmata, 5.
Pericarpium. Berry, egg-shaped, but oblong, spirally

grooved, of one cell, enclosing numerous seeds within

a very thin crast.
Seeds, numerous, spherical, extremely small.

MONOGY-
NLA..

Ona PutiUum.

ZOSTERA.

FLOWERS WITH ONLY STAMINA.

Caltx. Spatha, none, except the base of the leaf, en-
closing the spike- stalk, approaching, and notched on
each side towards the top.

Spike-stalk, strap-shaped, flat, bearing stamina on its
upper, and pistilla on its under side. Perianthium, none.

Corolla, none.

MONOGY-

NIA.

One Pistillum.

* If this plant be constant in having separate flowers with Stamina and
others with Pistilla, the Geuus should, with strict propriety, be referred
to the Linnaean Class Monoeda: but in this, as in similar cases, I have beea
foverned by Dr. Smith's Flora Britannica.

12

MONOGY-
NIA.

One Pistillum>

MONANDRIA.

Stamen. Filameyits, alternate, numerous, very short, at-
tached to the spike-stalk above the germen. Anthera,
one on each filament, egg-oblong, nodding, blunt, awl-
shaped^ and crooked upwards and backwards.

FLOWERS WITH ONLY PISTILLA,

On the same Plant.

Calyx, as above. Perianthium, none.

Corolla, none.

PisTiLLUM. Germina, fewer, egg-shaped, compressed, al-
ternate, 2-edged, nodding, fixed by the top to a little pe-
dunculus. Style, one on each germen, simple. Siigviata,
two, hair-like.

Pericarpium. Capsula, egg-shaped, beaked, terminated
by the style, rather compressed, membranaceous, trans-
parent, of one cell, without valves (Gaertn.) opening
lengthwise at a lateral angle (Linn.)

Seed, single, elliptical, compressed, scored. {Gaertn.}

DYGYNIA.

Two Pistilla.

CALLITRICHE.

Calyx, none.

Corolla. Petals, two, bowed inwards, channelled, op-
posite to each other.

Stamen. Filament, single, long, bowed. Anthera, simple.

Pistilla. Germen, nearly round. Styles, two, hair-like,
bowed. Stigmata, acute.

Pericarpium. Capsula, roundish, compressed, with four
angles, and two cells.

Seeds, solitary, oblong.

*^* Seeds, four, naked, with a membranaceous bor-
der on the outer edge. In the Callitriche verna, the stamen
and pistilla are found in separate flowers, but growing on the
same plant. But sometimes, even in this species, flowers
are found which contain both the stamen and pistilla.

STAMEK AOT) FISTIILILITM
THE ]essi:nt]lajl ipamts of a fiaio^

L

MOl^^OGYNIA

CLASS I

ORDER 1

MAIRES^TAII

.^:ifrtJi(rtt,

Stigma

J iremien

Irci nun
Kg: 2.

MIPFUIRIS VITi,(&AIRJw^

JKJ<^^r?

MONOGYNIA

Ararxud Sanyhkire or Joznted fflafs-wcrt'

SAJLICOISJfIA AI^HFA

I

MOTsroGTnsriA-

ffreat trxins^^afrnt Ckaro/.

CHARA T]RA^gLIJCE:^S

M ONANDIK-IA

MONOGYNIA.

ZOSTEIKA

MOKAKBRIA

DIGTNIA

CLASS I

H

V\

ITATEIR STAIR«WOMT
M N

CAILILITRKCHE AQUATICA

D I A N D R I A.

CLASS II,

TWO STAMINA.

THIS CLASS HAS THREE ORDERS.

ORDER I.
CfRCiEA LUTETIANA. monogy-

NIA.

Enchanter's Nightshade.

One Pistillum «

Gen. Ch. Calyx, of two leaves, superior. Corolla, of
two petals. Capsula, of two cells. Seeds,
solitary.

Sp. Ch. Stem, erect. Leaves, ovate, slightly toothed,
opaque and downy.

This plant is so called, probably from its
being found in shady damp places, in church-
yards, where ghosts were supposed to haunt;
and was therefore thought to be favourable
to incantation. It blossoms in July and Au-
gust ; and the delicacy of the flower gives a
ray of cheerfulness to the gloom of its na-
tural situation.

I4f DIANDRIA,

MONOGY. VERONICA CHAM^DRYS.

NIA.

Ooe Pistillum.

Germander Speedwell.

Gen, Ch. Corolla, inferior, of one petal, four-cleft, wheel-
shaped; lower division narrowest. Capsula,
two-celled.

Sp. Ch. 5yjiAe.yj lateral, on stalks, ieawi, opposite, rough.
Stem, procumbent.

This elegant flower ornaments hedge-
banks and retired situations early in April,
and not unfrequently in ]\larch ; its blossom
is usually a beautiful blue, but it is some-
times a pale red, and sometimes white. It is
a very good example of this Class and
Order.

The botanical name of this plant, Veron-
ica^ is usually pronounced, as if the accent
were on the two letters on, and it is so taught
in common books on Botany. I have ne-
vertheless made the (i) long, as the better
mode of pronouncing tlie word; but if it be
generally pronounced short, it is not worth
while to alter an accent which has been
found to be more agreeable to the English
ear. Orator, theatre, and a countless num-
ber of such words in the English language,
are now not to be discussed, though they
are pronounced in violation of their original

On Pistillum.

DIANDRIA. 15

quantity. A conformity to classical autho- monogy-
rity is only advisable when a word is not
fixed by established usage, or where a pro-
nunciation is partially adopted through ig-
norance, as in the words Clematis, Erica,
and Arbutus, which gardeners generally pro-

nounce waong.

LEMNA GIBBA. .,^..^^,.

MONOGY-

Gibbous Duck-Treed. ^^^'

One Pistillum.

Gen. Ch. Calyx, of the sterile flower, one leaf. Corolla,

none. Calyx, of the fi-uitfnl flower, one leaf.

Corolla, none. Style, one. Capsula, with

several seeds.
Sp. Ch. Leaves, sessile, a little convex above, hemisphe^

ricai beneath. Roots, solitary.

This plant grows in stagnant water in
shady places, floating on the surface. It was
put by Linnaeus in the Class Monoecia, but
has been removed here by Dr. Smith, from
the parts of fructification being better un-
derstood: they are known now to be pro-
duced on the margin of the leaf, and were
first discovered by Ehrhart at Hanover, in
July 1779. Di'- Adams, a zealous English
Botanist, devoted himself with great atten-
tion to this object, but unfortunately died
"without making the discovery. The interest

One Pistillum.

I^ DlANDRtA.

MONOGY- he took in this pursuit, made him sometime^

NIA. / '

the sport of his friends, and to those who
were indifferent to his research, he appeared
to be frivolously employed.

Every object in nature, philosophically
considered, is equally wonderful and perfect,
but the investigation of every object has not
the same relation to the well-being of man,
or to his happiness in society : it is from the
consideration of this principle, universally
felt, though not always analyzed, that oppro-
brious and contemptuous epithets are be-
stowed on those who exhaust their time and
attention in minute research. Dr. Adams,
who only wished that he might live to see
the blossom of the Lemna, by the many,
would doubtless be considered as insane. He
who spent twenty years from Spring to Au-
tumn prying into stagnant ponds to make
this discovery, might nevertheless, in him-
self, be highly gratified. Every succeeding
day might present to his view the operations
of nature, and the harmony of those laws
which a mind of quick sensibility sees con-
stantly evolving. This research, therefore^
as far as concerned the individual, might be
as worthy and as honourable as the occupa-
tion of tracing obscurities in a dead Ian-

DIANDRIA. 17

o'uage : but whatever may be Dr. Adams's monogy.

^ f -^ _ _ NIA.

merit, or whatever may have been his grati-

One Pistillum.

tification, they were to himself alone; no
one partook of his enjoyment, no one has
been benefited by this appropriation of his
time : but a learned commentator, however
numerous his absurdities, may amuse or en-
tertain some portion of mankind ; hence the
naturalist who thus spends his time in rustic
solitude is dismissed with contempt, while
he who is only versed in Synonymes is treat-
ed with respect.

Men are valued by the use they are of to
us, not to themselves : our happiness de
pends upon a reciprocal communication of
benefits, and he who in any way acts in hos-
tility to this principle must not be surprised
that he contracts the circle of his friends.

To appropriate with discrimination our
time, our fortune, or our talents, with judg-
ment suited to the occasion, is the criterion
of a sound and healthy mind ; and whoever
employs either to obtain an object less worthy
than the means, inevitably barters for his
personal gratification, a proportion of his
character in the estimation of mankind.*

* Another instance of the earnestness men sometimes
take in tlieir own pursuits, and of the importance they at-

C

18 DIANDRIA.

MONOGY-

NFA.

One PistUlum.

British Plants of this Order.

Botanical Generic Karnes. Common 'Karnes.

2 CiRc^A 2 Enchanter's Night-

shade.
4 Frxxinus 2 Ash.

4 Lemna 4 Duck-weed.

3 LiGUSTRUM 1 Privet.

3 Licorus 1 Horehound.

5 Pinguicula 3 Butter-wort..

79 Salvia 2 Sage.

13 Utricularia 3 Bladder-wort.

57 Veronica . 1? Speedwell.

British Species figured in Sowerhy^s English Botany.

Circaeo, 1056, 1057. Fraxinus, 1692,2476. Lemna, gi6,
1095, 1233, 2458. Ligmtrum, 764. Lycopus, 1 105.
Pinguicula, 145, 70, 2184. Salom, 153, 154. Ulricu-
larta, 253, 254, 2489. Veronica, 2, 673, 765, 1027,
1028, 484, 1075, Q55, 781, 783, 7QQ, 623, 783, 734,
784, 26, 25.

tach to them, may be cited in Pelletier, who made some
experiments to ascertain the nature and quality of Barytes.
When he was dying, and only a few hours before his death,
he sent in great haste for Dolomieu, to impart something
to him of the greatest magnitude : when Dolomieu amved,
not knowing what to expect that could require his presence
at so solemn a moment, Pelletier told him that he had ascer-
tained Barytes to have a metallic basis; and he begged that
this information might be communicated to the world as a
fact of the utmost importance to mankind.

DIAIfDRIA. 19

DIGYNIA.

ORDER 11.

ANTHOXANTHUM ODORATUM.

Szeeet-scented Vernal Grass.

Gen. Ch, G/«ma^ of two valves, single- flowered. Corolla,
of two valves, awned. Seed, one.

Sp. Ch. Spike, ovate-oblong. Flowers, longer than their
awns, standing on short stalks.

Of the Genus AnthoxantJium there are
three species, but this one species only is
indigenous to Great Britain; the other two
are natives of the East Indies and New Zea-
land. It blossoms in May and the beginning

of June.

The fragrance of new-made hay is said
to be solely produced by this grass, but the
opinion I believe is not very well founded.
Towards the latter end of June and the mid-
dle of July, in Herefordshire and Worcester-
shire, this grass is brown and dry, down to
the root, yet that sweet odour peculiar to hay,
while it is making, is as powerful to the ol-
factory sense as in other counties, where
the hay is made at an earlier season, when
this grass, at the time of mowing, may be
supposed to be in perfection. Another rea-
son for objecting to the scent exclusively

c 2

Two PistiUa.

20

DIANDRIA.

DiGYNiA. proceeding from this grass, is, that in mea-
TwoPistiiia. dows where it does not abound no diminu-
tion of fragrance is perceived in the harvest ;
it would therefore seem only to contribute
its share, and not to be the sole cause of the
fragrance of new-made hay. The sweet odour
of this grass resides in the steni, more parti-
cularly in the joints, and not in the spike or
flower.

DIGYNIA.

Two Pistilla.

BROMUS DIANDRUS.

Upright annual Brome-grass.

Gen. Ch. Gluma, of two valves; Spikelet, oblong, two-
ranked. j4wn, from below the top. Inner
gluma, fringed.

Sp. Ch. Pariicle, eiect, spreading, scarcely subdivided.
Florets, lanceolate, ribbed, furrowed, with
only two stamina.

This Bromus grows mostly on sandy bar-
ren ground, walls, and waste places, but is
not very common. The flowers are per-
fected in June.

The Bromus dlandrm, and the Anthox-
ant hum odoratum^ are the only two British
grasses which have fewer than three stamina,
and are the only English plants of this
Order.

DIANDRIA. 21

TRIGYNIA.
ORDER III. Three Pistilla.

No British Plant of this Order.

PIPER NIGRUM.

Black Pepper.

Gen. Ch. Calyx, none. Corolla, none. Berry, 1-seeded.
Sp. Ch. Leaves, ovate, commonly 7-nerved^ smooth;
Petiolus, quite simple.

In the Linnasan System the Genus Piper
makes an additional Order to this Class, as
it is the only plant yet known of the Class
and Order Biandria trigynia.

The different species of Pepper are very
many. Professor Martyn enumerates sixty.
They are all natives of the East and West
Indies ; a few, of the islands of the South
Seas, two or three of the Cape of Good-Hope,
but none, of Europe.

Black Pepper is a shrubby plant, and
grows spontaneously in the East Indies and
Cochinchina. It is cultivated with such suc-
cess in Malacca, Java, and especially in Su-
matra, that it is from thence exported to
every part of the world. It is exported also
from Cochinchina.

White Pepper was formerly thought to

22 DIANDRIA.

TRYGYNiA. bc a different species from the Black; but
Three PistiUa. it IS HO moie tliaii tlic lipc berries deprived
of their skin by steeping them about a fort-
night in water, after which they are dried in
the sun. The berries faUing to the ground,
when over-ripe, lose their outer coat, and are
sold as an inferior sort of White Pepper.

Black Pepper is the strongest and the
hottest of them all ; and is most commonly
used for medical as well as culinary purposes.
That which is called Cayan Pepper is pro-
duced from a plant in the West Indies, of a
very different genus, called Capsicum, of
which there are five species; and that parti-
cular species from which the Cayan is made,
is Capsicum grossum.

Jamaica Pepper is the dried unripe fruit
of the Myrtus pimenta of Linnasus, a plant of
the twelfth Class of this system. It is a
round fruit, with a duskish, hard, and rough
rind, containing within it two black kernels
of an aromatic smell and taste, approaching
to that of Cloves, yet partaking, in some de-
gree, of the odour and taste of all the other
species, whence it has obtained the name of
All-spice. The tree which produces it, grows
to the height of thirty or forty feet; and in
a rich soil, will sometimes grow even to the

DIANDRIA. 23

height of an hundred feet. The leaves are trycynia.
like those of the bay, but of a much stronger Three Pistiiia.
aromatic scent, the flowers stand in bunches,
and are of a greenish colour; these are suc-
ceeded by the fruit, which the negroes ga-
ther before it is ripe, and dry it in the sun;
in drying, it becomes wrinkled and brown,
though before, smooth and green. The tree
grows naturally in hilly places in the north
part of Jamaica. The churches in the West
Indies are usually adorned at Christmas with
small boughs of this Myrtus^ as we decorate
ours in England, at the same time of the
year, with Holly and Ivy.

* There is a good figure of this plant in the Botanical
Magazine, plate 1236.

24

DIANDRIA.

MONOGY-

NIA.

One PistiUum.

The different British Genera in this Class described
by their Generic Characters, taken from the seven
parts of fructification , agreeably to the principles
oj the Linnxan System.

ClRCiEA.

Calyx. Perianthium, 1 leaf, superior, deciduous. Tule,
thread-shaped, veiy short. Border, with 2 divisions,
segments sharp, egg-shaped, concave, bent outwards.

CoKOLLA. Petals, 2, inversely heart-shaped, expanding,
equal, mostly shorter than the calyx.

Stamina. Filaments, 2, hair-like, erect, as long as the
calyx. Anthera, roundish.

PiSTiLLUM. Germen, turban - shaped, beneath. Style,
tliread-shaped, as long as the antherae. Stigma, blunt,
notched at the end.

Pekicarpium. Capsula, betwixt egg and turban-shaped,
covered with strong hairs, with 2 cells and 2 valves, open-
ing from the base upwards.

Seeds, solitary, oblong, narrow towards the base.

^'^* Calyx properly 2-leaved.

MONOGY-

NIA.

One Pistillum-

VERONICA.

Calyx. Perianthium, with 4 divisions, permanent. Seg'
ments, spear-shaped, acute.

CoKOLLA, wheel-shaped, of 1 petal. Tule, nearly as long
as the calyx. Border, flat, divided into 4 egg-shaped
segments. Lower Segment, narrowest, that opposite to
it, the broadest.

Stamina. Filaments, 2, thinnest at tlie bottom, ascend-
in "■. Anthcrcp, oblong.

DIANDRIA. 25

PrsTiLLUM. Germen, compressed. Style, thread-shaped,
declining, as long as the stamina. Stigma, undivided.

Pericarpium. Capsula, inie:sely heart-shaped, com-
pressed at the point, witli 2 cells and 4 valves.

Seeds, several, roundish,

*^* The tube of the blossom is generally very short ;

Jess so in the 3 first species. Linn. In Veronica montana,

the seed-vessel is roundish, with a notch at the base, and
. at the top, (Reich.) and in Veronica hederifolia, it is like

two united globes.

LEMNA.

MONOGY-
NIA
PLOWERS WITH ONLY STAMINA.* 1

One Pistillum.

Calyx, 1 leaf, circular, opening at the side, obliquely
dilated outwardly, blunt, expanding, depressed, large,
entire.

Corolla, none.

Stamina. Filaments, 2, awl-shaped, crooked, as long as
the calyx. Antherce, double, globular, short, perma-
nent.

Pistillum. Germen, egg-shaped. Stijle, short. 5//^-
ma, indistinct.

Pericarpium, barren.

FLOWERS WITH ONLY PISTILLA

On the same Plant.
Calyx, as above.
Corolla, none.
Pistillum. Germen, somewhat egg - shaped. Style,

short, permanent. Stigjua, simple.
Pericarpium. Capsula, globular, tapering to a point,

with 1 cell.
Seeds, several, oblong, acute at each end, nearly as long

as the capsula, scored on one side.

a Perfect flowers have sometimes been observed, whigh has entitled
this plant to a place in this Class.

26

DIANDRIA.

DIGYNIA.

Two Pistilla.

ANTHOXANTHUM.

Calyx. Gluma, 2 valves containing 1 flower. Valves,
concave, egg-shaped, taper, the innermost the largest.

Corolla. Gluma, 2 valves, the length of the larger valve
of the calyx. Each valve sends out an awn fi'om its
back, at the lower part, and one of the awns is jointed,
Nectarium, 2 leaves, very slender, cylindrical. The
leaves nearly egg-shaped, and one enfolding the other.

Stamina. Filaments, 2, hair-like, veiy long. Anthera,
oblong, forked at each end.

Pistilla. Germen, oblong. Styles, 2, thread shaped.
Stigmata, undivided.

Pericarpium. The Husks of the blossom grow to the
seed.

Seed, single, nearly cylindrical, tapering at each end.

DIGYNIA.
Two Pistilla.

BROMUS.

Calyx. Gluma, 2 valves, expanding, containing several
florets collected into a spikelet. Valves, oblong egg-
shaped, taper, awnlessj the Inferior Valve smaller.

Corolla. 2 Valves. The Inferior Valve large, the size
and figure of the calyx, concave, blunt, cloven, sending
out a straight Awn from beneath the end. The Superior
Valve spear-shaped, small, awnless. Nectaiium, 2-
leaved ; leaflets, egg-shaped, acute, bulging at the base.
(Schreb.)

Stamina. Filaments, 3, hair-hke, shorter than the co-
rolla. Antheree, oblong.

Pistilla. Germen, turban-shaped, ending in 2 leaflets,
egg-shaped, delicate, greenish, and transparent, notched
at the end, upright. Styles, 2, short, reflected, woolly.
Stigmata, simple.

Pericarpium. The corolla shuts close upon and adheres
to the seed.

DIANDRIA. 27

Seed, single, oblong, covered, convex on one side, fur-
rowed on the other.

*^* Schreber has attempted to form a better character
to this genus, by a strict attention to the germen, having
remaiked that in several of the Brome-grasses the awn does
not come out from below the outer gluma, but the point
of the gluma runs out into an awn. Roth thinks that
these plants might be formed into two divisions, i. e. those
with the awn below the top of the exterior gluma, and
those in which the gluma terminates in an awn. Annals
of Botany, Vol. I.

JDIAKIDRIA

MONOGY>riA

CLASS n

ORDER 1

N

E:^0£ANTE]RS higmtshabe

K

y

^^^^

IDIAHjDlEilA

MONOGYKIA

(Jermander SpeediveU'

VERO:^ICA CHAMJEBRYS

¥

Gii'bouj DiocJc-weed

LEMKA '&IBBA

DIGYNIA

CLASS n

ORDER 2

H

V]

^2S2S"

Ij)IAKE)]RIA

DIGYNIA

BROMU S1A\1D]I| ^ID M-U S

\r

BIAI^BIRIA

TRIGYNIA

CLASS II

BILACK FEFFEB.

'^\A

dhjc Lad opoh ^^luHuta the

FIFIER NI&MUM

TRI AN DRIA.

CLASS III.

THREE STAMINA.

THIS CLASS HAS THREE ORDERS.

ORDER I.
CYPERUS PAPYRUS, monogy-

NIA.
Papyrus.

One Pistillum.

Gen. Ch, Calyx, Gluma, chaffy, imbricated in 2 rows.

Corolla, none. Seed, 1, naked.
Sp. Ch. Culmus, naked, umbel, longer than the invo-

lucrum, involuceUum, 3 -leaved, setaceous,

longer. Spikelets, in threes.

This plant is usually said to be proper to
the Nile : it grows, however, not in the bed
of the river, but in some small streams issu-
ing out of it, some large stagnant lake or
neglected watercourse in its neighbourhood,
in a depth of water not exceeding three feet.
It grows also in Syria, in the shallow recesses
of the river Jordan, and at the confluence of
the Tigris and Euphrates. It is a plant tali
and slender, of the rush kind, about eight or
ten feet high. The stem is naked, of a vivid,
green colour, and triangular in the lower

30 TRIANDRIA.

MONOGY- part; at the top it has a bushy head, and at
c, "^T'v the bottom a few short sedo;v leaves/

As our knowledo-e of the different uses to
which this plant was applied by the ancients
must be now derived from ancient authors,
I will here translate part of a chapter of
Pliny upon this subject, rather than be in-
debted to more modern compilations. This
author, after speaking upon gums, in his
thirteenth book, says, " We have not yet
touched upon marsh plants or on shrubs of
the rivers; yet before we depart from Egypt,
the nature of the Papyrus is also to be re-
lated, since in the use of paper consists civi-
lization and the retrospect of past events.
Varro relates, that the invention of making-
paper from the Papyrus was found out dur-
ing the conquest of Alexander the Great,
Avhen he founded Alexandria; before which
time the use of paper did not exist.**

" lathe British Museum there is a good dried specimen
of the plant, which was brought by Bruce from Egypt ;
and in the royal gardens of Kew are many plants now grow-
ing, bat they do not exceed four or live feet in height.

^ Although Pliny has here asserted, on the authority of
Vairo, that the use of paper made from the Papyrus did
not exist before the foundation of Alexandria, " Antea non
fuiasti charLarum usum," yet it would appear, from Isaiah,
to have been applied to that purpose before he wrote his
Pr<3pheci8s, which is supposed to have been seven hiuidred

TRIANDRIA. 31

" The leaves of Palm trees were first monogy-

NIA.

used to write upon; then the inner bark, by
Botanists called the libei\ of certain trees ;
afterwards the public records were written
on rolls of lead; soon after that, private per-
sons began to make use of linen cloth or
waxed tablets for the same purpose; for we
find in Homer table-books were even used
to write upon before the time of the Trojan
war. But while Homer himself was writinjr,

c5»

neither was that part all land in Egypt which
is now known to be so (as, within the dis-
trict Scbennytis only, all the paper was pro-
duced); for since liis time, the Nile, by its
inundations, has caused mud to be accunm-
lated, which has consolidated into land; for,
from the island where the Pharos stands,
which is now joined to Alexandria only by
a bridge, a vessel was a night and a day, with
full spread sails before the wind, making that
distance. Soon after, as Varro also relates,
in the rivalry between Ptolemy and Eunic-
nes to establish their respective libraries,

years before the Christian aera. Isaiah xix. 7. And what is
more remarkable, the Hebrew word T\\-\v, signifying Papy-
rus, appears to have been derived from the use to which
the plant was applied j as if its application to the making of
psper were even anterior to its Hebrew name.

One Pistillurri.

32 TRIANDRIA.

MONOGY- Ptolemy interdicted the sale of paj^er. And
^ -r— T, the same Varro relates, that the use of parch-

One PistiUum. ' r

ment was found out at Pergamus; afterwards
that use became general, on which the im-
mortality of men depends.
•" " The Papyrus is produced in the marshes
of Egypt, or in the still parts of the Nile it-
self, or where its inundation has made a tem-
porary shallow, not exceeding two cubits in
depth. The horizontal root is of the thick-
ness of a man's arm ; the stem of the plant
is triangular, not more than ten cubits long,
becoming slender towards the top, when it
terminates in a bushy head, like a Thyrsus :
it has no seed, nor is any part of the head
made use of, except the flower, to make
chaplets for the statues of the gods. The
natives use the roots as wood, not only for
fuel, but also to make vessels for domestic
purposes. From the Papyrus itself, indeed,
they make wicker boats ; from the liber of
the plant they make sails and coverings,
mats and cordage, and also wearing apparel.
They chew the root also, crude or soddened;
however, swallowing only the juice.

" The Papyrus is also produced in Syria,
on the borders of the same lake with the
sweet-scented reed; nor had King Antigo-

One Pisulium.

TUIANDUfA. 33

nils any other cordage for his naval purposes monogy-
than what he procured from thence, before
the introduction of the Spanish broom/
Lately it has been ascertained that the Pa-
pyrus is found growing in the Euphrates
about Babylon, and the natives make the
same use of it for paper : and even now the
Parthians are fond of weaving letters m
their clothes.'* The paper is prepared from
the plant by dividing the pellicles into la-
minae with a pointed instrument, at the same
time preserving the strips as wide as pos-
sible."^

* Sparliumjunceum oi lAnnxus.

^ " Et tamen adhuc malunt Par tin vestibus liter as in-
texere." This fact may probably refer to some ancient cus-
tom of the Parthians to manufacture the clothes they wore
of the same material as that on which they were accustomed
to write^ and the cloth so manufactured may have served
for either purpose ; and when this practice was no longer
in use, they may have still continued to ornament their
dress with worked letters instead of written characters.

e " Nondum palustria attigimus, nee frutices amnium,
Prius tamen quam digrediamur ab ^gypco, et Papiri natura
dicetur, cum chartai usu maxime humanitas vitae constet
et memoria, Et hanc Alexandri Magni victoria repertam,
auctor est M. Varro, condita in iEgypto Alexandria. Antea
non fuisse chartarum usum : in palmarum foliis primo scrip-
titatum: deinde quarundam arborum llbris. Postea pub-
lica monumenta plumbeis voluminibus, mox et privata lin-
teis confici coepta, aut ceris. Pugillarium enim usum fuisse
etiam ante Trojana tempora invenimus apud Homerum.
Illo vero prodente, ne terrani quidem ipsam totam fuisse,

E

One Pistillum

Sh TRTANDRTA.

MONOGY- From the inner rind of the bark of the

NIA.

middle part of the s-tem the Egyptians ap-
pear to have made their paper. The laminai
or layers, as Fliny observes, were separated
with an instrument made for that purposes
these strips, whicli were usually about two
inches and a half broad, were squared at the

quae nunc iEgyptus intelligitur (cum in Sebennytico sal-
tern ejus nomo omnJs charta nnscatur) postea adaggeratam;
Nolo. Siquidem a Pharo insula, qpst nunc Alexandrice
ponte jungitur, noctis dieique velilico navigii cursu terranni
fuisse prodidit. Mox aemulatione circa bibliothecas regum
Ptolemaei et Eumenis, supprimente chartas Ptokmaeo, idem
Varro membianas Pergami tradidit repertas. Postea pro*
miscue patuit iisus rei, qua constat immortalitas hominumi
Papyrum ergo iiascitur in palustribus iEg}'pti, aut quies-
centibus Nili aquis, ubi evagatae stagnantj duo cubita non-
excedente altitudine gurgitum, brachiali radicis obliqnae
crassitudine, triangulis laleribus, decern non amplius cubi-
torum longitudine in gracilitatem fastigiatum, thyrsi modo
cacumen includens : semine nullo, aut usu ejus alio, quam
floris ad decs coronandos. Radicibus incolse pro ligno utun-
tur: uec ignis lanttim gratia, sed ad aCa quoque utensilia
vasoium. Ex ipso quidem Papyro navigia texunt: et 6
libro vela, tegetesque, nee non et vestem, etiam stragnlam,
EC funcs. JVIandunt quoque crudum decoctumque, suc-
cum tantum devorantes. Naseitur et in Syria, circa quem
odoratus ille calamus lacum. Neque aliis usus est, quam
inde, funibus rex Antigonus in navalibus rebus, nondum
sparto conimiuiicato. Nuper et in Euphrate nascens circa-
Bab)lonem Papyrurn inteilectum est eundura usum habere
chartae; Et taiuen adhuc malunt Parthi vestibus literas in-
texere. Praeparantur ex eo chartae, diviso acu In praete-
nnes, sed quam latissimas, philuras." Pliny, de gumvd ge-
^cril'USt et Papyro. Liber xiii. cap. 1 1 .

TRIANDRlA. $5

«?clges, SO as to be like ribbons ; they were monogy-
cemented together by their ed^es, which ^ '" ' .„

° ♦' » ' One Pistillum.

were laid just over each other; similar strips
were then laid transversely, to give the paper
a proper substance and strength : when this
was done, a weight was placed upon them
while moist, and they were then left to dry
in the sun. The paper varied in quality and
dimension, according to the uses to which it
was to be applied.

This paper was principally manufactured
at Alexandria, from the exportation of which
the city was greatly enriched: and in the
time of the Emperor Adrian, Vopiscus speaks
of one Fermius, who boasted that he could
maintain an army with his stock of paper.

The time when paper made from the Pa-
pyrus was disused, is not known with more
certainty than the time of its first introduc-
tion; and the truth is, probably, that they
were both so gradual, that no date can accu-
rately be assigned to either. As late as the
end of the fifth century it was in general use
in Europe; and in Italy it was occasionally
used till the eleventh, and in France till the
twelfth century,*" when paper made of cotton

^ The Bulls of the Popes Sergias II. John XII. and
Agrapatus II. were written in the eighth and ninth centu-
xies on cotton paper.

z 2

One Pisiillum.

S5 TRIANDRIA.

MONOGY- entirely superseded it. Afterwards, paper
made from linen was adopted, of which there
is reason to believe none was entirely made
of that material before the year lo67.^

From Papyrus, paper is derived; and from
the ancient custom of writing on the leaves
of trees, our book is said to be composed of
leaves. Liber is the inner bark of a tree,
which the ancients were also used to write
upon ; and volumefi was the manuscript rolled
up; hence our words librari/ and volume: our
English word book is derived from the Saxon
boc, a beech, because beechen tablets were
used for that purpose.

MONOGY-
NIA.

Oae Piotillum.

SCIRPUS LACUSTRIS.
Bull-Rush.

Gkn. Ch. Gliiniie, chatfy, imbricated every way, all fer-
tile. Corolla, none. Seed, 1, beardless.

Sp. Ch. Stem, round, naked. Panicle, cymose, twice-
compounded, terminal. Spikelets, ovate.

This Bull-rush grows plentiful in clear
ditches, streams, and fens, and is in flower in
July and August. In England, cottages are
sometimes thatched with it, and mats and
scats for chairs are very commonly made of it.

8 The first Paprr-inill in England was erected in the year
1588.

TRIAXDRIA. 37

CROCUS OFFICINALIS. monogy-

NIA.
Snff'ron, or Autumnal Crocus.

One Pistillum.

Gen. Ch, Corolla, in 6 divisions, regular. Stigmata, con-
voluted.

Sp. Ch. Sheath, of 1 leaf, radical. 7af<? of the corolla
very long. Stigma, in 3 deep linear divi-
sions, hanging out of the flower.

This species clifFers from the spring Cro-
cus in having the stigma diviiie^ into three
very long segments, the ends of which are
are also trifid : the three horns of the stigma
are also odorous and aromatic, which is not
the case in the Crocus vermis. The flowers
are much larger, and do not vary in colour
so much, from their high native purple.
These two species differ also in their roots
and leaves, the time of flowering, and place
of orrowth.

It is from the anthcrai of this plant that.
the saffron is collected, and a century ago
the Crocus officinalis was cultivated to a con-
siderable extent in England, particularly in
Cambridgeshire, to obtain this aromatic drug,
which was then in high reputation for its me-
dicinal quaUties: it is now less esteemed, and
the ground employed in its cultivation is
every year gradually diminishing. Like the

58 TRIANDRIA.

NIA

One Pistillum,

MONOGY- Borago and Datura, this plant has obtained
a place among the native productions of this
country ; but Ray affirms, that nothing cer-
tain is known concerning its place of spon-
taneous growth, and since his time we are
pot better informed.

MONOGY. ^^'S FCETIDISSIMA.

^'^- Stinking Iris.

One PisulluRi.

Gen. Ch. Petals, 6, superior, alternately reflexed. Siig-

mata, like petals.
Sp. Ch. Coro/Zfl, beardless: inner petals spreading. Steirif
wiih one angle. Leaves, sword-shaped.

This plant is found in Hertfordshire and
Norfolk, and in several places about Cam-
bridece. In the west of Eno-land it is com-
mon in lanes in the hedge?. The flowers ap-
pear in May, and the seeds in the open cap-
&ulae make a conspicuous figure in the au-
tumn. The leaves, when bruised, have a
very peculiar and offensive scent, from which
the plant derives its specific name.

The three stigmata are so remarkably like
petals, that they maybe easily taken for them;
they are tiierefore marked on the figure, that
the young Botanist may not be perplexed ir>
his examination. — The root of the Iris jio-
rentiana makes the Orris-root of the shops.

TRIANDRIA.
British Plants of this Order.

Sotanical Generic Names- Common Names.

3 Crocus 2 Crocus.

53 CypERUs 1 Galingale.

6 Eriofhorum . . . 6 Cotton-grass.

50 Iris 2 Flower-de-xuce.

1 Nardus 1 Mat-grass.

41 ScHOENUs 7 Long-rooted Bog-Rush.

6g SciRPUs 14 Club-rush.

31 Valeriana 6 Valerian,

British Species figured in Sowerbifs E/iglUk Botany,

Crocus, 343, 344. Cyperus^ ISOg. Eriophdrum,
873, 563, 564, 311, 238/, 2402, Iris, 576, 596. Nar-
dus. 2v;0. Schoenus, gSO, 112i, 79 1, 1010, ^85, 1575,
1410. Scirpus, 131, 1187, 1«29, 1122, 749, 2l6, (566,
1612, 1693, 1694, 542, 919, 1983, 2321. F'aleriana,
J531, 628, 698^ 811, 1591, 13;0.

89

MONOGY-
NIA

Oac Pistiilum.

ORDER If.

SACCHARUM OFFICINARUM.

Common Sugar-cane.

Gen, Gh. Calyx, 2-valved, involucred with a long la-
nugo. Corolla, 2-valved.
Sp. Ch. Flowers, panicled. Leaves, flat.

DIGYNIA.

Two Piscilla.

Of this genus there are eleven species.
This produces the sugar in common use. It
is a native of Africa and Lower Asia, as well
a? the East Indies and Arabia Felix. It is

40 TRIANDRIA.

DiGYNiA. also said to grow spontaneously in America;
TwoPistiiu. but, on the other hand, it is asserted, tliat
it was not known in those regions till the
Europeans colonized them. For a consider-
ahle time, however, it has been most indus-
triously and successfully cultivated in the
American islands within the tropics, and
it is from these plantations that we now
derive the greatest part of our supply of
sugar.

Very many vegetables secrete a sweet
juice, easily converted into sugar. From a
species of Maple, Acer saccharimwi, sugar is
annually obtained in America in consider-
able quantities ; in Mexico it is obtained
from the American Aloe, Agave Americana;
and at Kamschatska it is produced from the
Herackwn sphondyliimi and Fucus sacchari-
nus: many roots also afford sugar, as Beet,
Carrots, Parsneps, &c.

The sugar from the plant here represent-
ed is prepared fro ui its expressed juice boiled
with the addition of quick lime, or common
vegetable alkali, to saturate the superabun-
dant acid. The boiling is repeated in smaller
and smaller vessels, during which time it is
often necessary to scum the impurities, and
employ additional alkali. When the juice

TRIANDRIA.

acquires a due consistence, it is suffered to
cool in a proper vessel, and the sugar con-
cretes into a crystallized mass. This, after
being separated from the molasses, is sold
under the name of brown or moist sugar.
This same sugar, more purified, becomes
white; and being cast into conical moulds
in the process, is then the loaf sugar of the
shops.

Moist, or what is commonly called brown
sugar, in the state it is imported from the
West Indies, when refined, yields the fol-
lowing products, in these proportions, from
a cwt. of 1 la lb. Of refined or loaf sugar,
about ()4lb. ; of bastard sugar 17 or 18lb. ;
of treacle 28 lb. ; of extraneous impurities,
2 or 3 lb. The bastard sugar is a residuum
from making the refined or loaf sugar, con-
taining less of the saccharine principle, and
is ground up to an exceedingly fine powder,
and sold in that state at an inferior price.

The sweetness of sugar is thought to
proceed from an essential acid salt, mixed
with some oily particles, one of its compo-
nent parts; as, by distillation, when the oily
parts are separated from the saline, neither
of them are sweet, but the saline are acid,
^nd the oil is insipid upon the tongue, mak-

41

DIGYNIA,

Two PUtilla.

42 TRIANDRIA.

DiGYNiA. ing little or no impression upon the nerve of

TwoPistiiia. tasting.

Sugar, as a part of our necessary food, or
as adding to our luxuries, is too well known
to require any description : but its use as an
aliment is by different medical men diife-
rently appreciated: while the great Boer-
haave supposed it to have a tendency to
emaciate the human bod}-, John Hunter re-
commended it as a restorative in cases of
great debility. However, in a moderate pro-
portion, there can be little doubt but that it
is nutritious; for all animals, in theirj^^earliest
state supported by milk, are nourished by a
food containing a great proportion of sugar;
and Dr. Cullen is of opinion, that all food
is nutritious in proportion to its saccharine
quality: there are, however, well authenti-
cated cases, where an excess of sugar hasi
been found to have done much harm.

DIGYNIA. ALOPECURUS PRATENSIS,

Meadow Fox-tail-grass.

Two Pisulla.

Gen. Ch. Glutna, of 2 valves, containing a single floret.
Corolla, of 1 valve, in a simple husk, which
constitutes the character of the genus.

Sp. Ch. Stem, erect, smooth. Spike, somewhat lobed.
Gluma, united at the base.

This Grass, which is abundantly produced

TRIANDRIA.

43

^n rich soil, neither very wet nor very dry ; digynia.
js perhaps, on the whole, as valuable as any Two Piniiia.
pf the Grasses we possess, having, as Pro-
fessor Martyn observes, the three great re-
quisites, of qiiantity, quality, and earliness,
}n a superior degree to any other. After it
has been mown, it shoots freely, and the af-
ter-math is greedily eaten both by horses and
^ows. It is in flower in May.

AGROSTIS STOLONIFERA.

Creeping Bent-grass.

pEN. Cp. GJuma, of 2 acute valves, single - flowered.

Corolla, of 2 unequal membraneous valves.

Stigmata, feathery.
6p. Ch. Panicle, close. Stem, branched, creeping. Flow-
ers, crowded. Calyx-valves, lanceolate^ rough.

There are several varieties of this grass,
which form an herbage in deep spongy mea-
dows of considerable value, and often con-
stitute the chief part of the crop.

In Wiltshire, at a place called Orcheston,
about nine miles from Salisbury, there is a
small meadow of not more than two acres
and a half, which has been long celebrated
for its extraordinary quantity of grass.* The

* The fertility of this meadow is noticed in Howe's
Phylologia Britannica, published l650^ and in Merret'*
|?inax, published 1667, ,

DIGYNIA.
Two PistilU,

44 TRIANDRIA.

DiGYNiA. meadow is situate on a small brook, which is
Two Pistiiia. frequently overflowed, and sometimes con-
tinues so a great part of the M^inter: it has
always the greatest crop in a wet season.
It is mowed twice a year, and the average
crop is twelve tons of hay at the first mow-
ing, and six the second, though sometimes
considerably more. The first crop consists
principally of the Poa trk'iaiis, and the last
of this j^grostis stoloiiifera.

The grass is of a sweet nature, so that
all cattle, and even pigs, eat it very eagerly.
When made into hay it is excellent, and inir
proves beasts greatly; and horses will eat it
' in preference to corn mixed with chaff, when

both are set before them together. This ac-
count was published by the Bath Agricultural
Society in 17^2,^ and verified by the farmer
who then occupied tlie land. The account
the farmer has also given concerning the
character of the grass, is, that it generally
grows to the height of about eighteen inches,
and then falls and runs along the ground in
knots to the length of sixteen or eighteen
feet; and that he has known instances of its
running to the length of twenty-five feet.

'' Memoirs of the Bath Agricultural Society, Vol. I.
p. 91.

TRIANDRI.^. 45

The immediate soil of the meadcw con- digynia.
sists of a bed of small loose pebbles, which TwoP..tui..
are all of a silicious nature, with a scanty
covering of mould; and though the herbage
of the adjoining meadows is altogether very
exuberant, yet this exuberance may be traced
increasing or declining, according as the soil
varies more or less from that of the principal
meadow.

The Irish Fiorin-grass, which is so pro-
ductive, and so materially contributes both
to the quantity and the quality of the milk
and butter of Ireland, is said also to be a
'cariety of this grass ; but from the examples
I have seen, I suspect it is a distinct species,
and not common in England.

Grass' is the most general herbage on the
face of the earth, which to a common ob-
server might be supposed to be one uniform
vegetable production, growing more or less
luxuriantly in different soils; but, upon more
accurate and scientific investigation, there
are found to be not less than a hundred and

<= To this Class and Order, with few exceptions, belong
all the numerous tribe of vegetables called Grasses, which
are tlius defined by Ray : " Plants having a round, jointed,
and hollow stem, surrounded at each joint with a single
leaf, long, narrow, and pointed, and whose seeds are con-
tained in chaff^' husks."

45 ' TRIANDRIA.

DYGYNiA. sixteen clifFerent species, natives of Bfrta^iir
Two PistiUa. alone. i\Iost of the grasses possess the valu-
able property of increasing by their roots, as
well as by seeds; and while the leaves, whiclr
form the herbage, are cropped and eaten off,
the roots multiply and spread under the sur-
face of the ground ; and thus, by a double
provision of nature, are secured, the preserva-
tion and reproduction of the plant so essen-
tial to the animal world. Among this exten-
sive tribe of plants none have been found of
a poisonous nature, except the Lol'ium temu-^
lentem, which is said to be intoxicating and
pernicious in bread.*^ The seeds of the smaller
kinds are the sustenance of many birds; while
the seeds of the larger grasses, as wheat, bar-
ley, rye, and oats, supply food for the human
species. Among these the wheat is of the
most importance, which, in its native state,
is a very small seed, but by culture is en-
larged, and the quantity infinitely increas-
ed. From a single grain, Mr. Charles Miller,
of Cambridge, produced no less than three

^ Lolium temulentum is a pernicious plant among corn,
especially among wheat and barley, and grows with a stem
three feet high. The flour of the seeds, when mixed with
wheat flour, if considerable, is prejudicial to the human
constitution ; and if the seeds are malted with barley, ocea-
sioa di-unkenness. It is in flower in July and August.

TRIANDRIA. 47

pecks and three quarters, weighing forty- digynia.
seven pounds, by the following management : Two pistuu.
On tlie 8th of August he took up a plant of
wheat which had been sown in the beginning
of June, and divided it into eighteen parts, -^^
each of which was transplanted separately :
about the latter end of September they were
again removed, and divided into sixty-seven
roots. In the end of the March following,
and the beginning of April, they were sepa-
rated into 500 plants, which yielded £1,109
ears; and thus this single grain produced
570;000 fold.

FESTUCA VIVIPARA.

Viviparous Fescue.

Gen, Ch. Calyx, of 2 valves. Spikdet, oblong, some-
what cylindrical, 2-ranked, with sharp-point-
ed glutnae,

9p. Ch. Panicle, pointing one way, crowded. Florets,
cotnpressed, keeled, beardless, rather downy,
as well as the calyx. Stem, square. Leaves,
bristle-shaped, smooth.

This grass seems to make an exception,
to the general law of nature, of reproducing
its like by seed; and, if what is known con-
cerning it be correct, its habit is peculiarly
interesting to the vegetable physiologist.

DYGYNM.
Two Pistiila.

48 triaStdria.

DYGYNiA. The seeds of many of the pasture grasses

TwoPistiiia. Mill oftcii germinate in their husks by the
successive showers and sunshine of autumn^
and especially those which spring up amidst
the crags on the summits of mountains, where
the sun has not been sufficiently constant to
perfect their seeds. But this plant is not
considered as simply viviparous by local and
casual circumstances, but from the constitu-
tion of its nature; as its habits and character
have been found hitherto, in all altitudes and
situations, to be invariably the same.

Its progress of vegetation is, that in a
very early stage the terminal floret springs
out and forms a leader, and in that situation
it has three or four stipula^ wrapping it up at
the base, but in succession the stipula3 be-
come elongated, an inch or more, and form^
leaves to the leader, till all have shot out,
excepting the Calyx, which remains unal-
tered; roots then occasionally spring out,
the sprout afterwards drops from the Calyx^
becomes rooted in the earth, constituting a
separate and independent plant.

This grass is indigenous to alpine situa-
tions; it is found in perfection in Scotland,
on dry walls, and in the moist crevices of
dripping rocks: I have gathered it at Lodore*
water-fall, near Keswick.

TRTANDRIA. 49

In considering plants according to their digynia.
natural affinities, Linnanis di\ ided the vege- Two ristiiis.
table world into nine Casts or Tribes, of
which Gramiua, or Grasses, make one; and
by analogy to the different ranks in society,
he fancifully called them the plebeians of the
creation, while the Palms were the princes,
and Lilies he designated as the nobles. His
tribes are thus arranged: 1. Palmar. 2. Gra-
mina. 3. Lilia. 4. HerbLL\ 5. Arbores. 6. Fi-
lices. 7. Musci. 8. Alga?, y. Fungi.

British Grasses.

Bot.iiiica! Generic Names. C 'mmon Ndmes.

35 Agrostis 9 Rent-grass

\4 Air A 8 Haiu-guass

8 AloPECIRUS 6 ?\)X-TAIL-GRASS

3 Anthoxanthum . . . . 1 Vehnal-grass

14 Arundo 7 I^EtlD

25 Avena 6 Oat-grass

6 Briza 2 Quaking-grass

25 Bromus 13 Brome-guass

20 Cynosurus 3 Dog's-tail-gkass

2 DaCTYLIS 2 CoCIC'S-EOOT-GRiSS.

11 Elymus 3 Lyme-grass

26 Festuca 15 Fes cue- GRASS

i5h0lcus 3h0lcus

9 Hordeum 4 Barley

1 Knappia 1 Angl;:3ka Sand-grass

5 LoLiuM 3 Darnel

1-1 Melica 3 Melic-grass

12 MiLiu.M 2 Millet-grass

F

60 TRIANDRIA.

Two Pistilla.

DIGYNIA. Botanical Generic Names. Common Names.

79 Panicum 5 Paivic-grass

12 Phalaris 3 Canary-grass

5 Phleltm 5 Cat's-tail-grass

71 PoA , 18 Meadow-grass

17 ROTTBOELLIA 1 HaRD-GRASo

I SeSLERIA 1 MoOR-GRAS3

19 Teiticum 5 Wheat,

British Species fgured in Sowerbi/'s English Botany,

Agrdst'is, 0,5], \S56, 1251, 1188, 16/1, 1532, 11 89,
1127, 1704. Aira, 643, 15,5/, 1453, 1519, HQO*
1296, 812, 2102. Alopecuriis, 759,848, 1249, 1250,
1 126, 1467. AntJwxcinthuf'i, 64/. A/undo, 401, 403,
2159, 520, 2 J 60. Avtna, 2221, lti40, 1204, 952,
214J. Brlza, l3\6,3-kO Broinus, \\7 \ , \SS4, lOyS,
1079, 1885, 920, 471, 1172, 1030, 1006, 729, 730,
1984. Cynosurus, 31 6, 1333. Dactylis, 380, 335.
Elymus, 1672, J58b", 13 17. Festuca, 5vS5, 1355, 470,
205(i, 1411, 1412, 1430, 1820, 1005, 1821, 1592,
1593, 1917, 19I8, 220(5. Hdlcus, 1169, 1170, 813.
Hurd/um, 1971.409, 1205. Knappta, 112/. Lottum,
315, 1124, 1125. Melua, 1058, IO59, 750. Miinum,
1100, 1107. Pamcum, 874, 875, 876, 849, 850.
Phalaris, 1310, 222,459,402. Phleum, IO76, 519,
1077, 1704, 2265. Poa, 1315, 1520, 986, 1140, 532,
1371, 365, 1003, 1123, 1071, 1719, 1072, 1073, 1141,
1265, 792, 1004, 1720. RotthoelUa, 7OO. Seskrta,
1613. Trittcum, 814, 9O9, 1372, 221, 2267. Stlpa*
1356. Lagunis,* 1334.

* By some writers these two grasses are not thought to be indigenous.

TRIANDRIA.

51

ORDER III.

HOLOSTEUM UMBELLATUM. trigynia.

UmbelliJ'erous Holosteum.

Three Pistilla.

Gen. Ch. Cnlyx, 5-leaved. Corolla, of 5 petals. Cap-
sula, 1 -celled, nearly cylindrical, bursting at
the top.

Sp. Ch. Flower i, in umbels.

This is an annual plant, found wild in
Norfolk and Suffolk, and blossoms in April
and May. It was first noticed in England
in 1765, when it was found on the walls of
Norwich.

MONTIA FONTANA. trigynta.

Water Chick-zceed. Three PistUia.

Gen. Ch. Calyx, 2 leaves. Corolla, 1 petal, irregular.
Capsula, 1 -celled, 3-valved, containing 3

seeds.

I

This plant grows in springs and watery
lanes, and not unfrequently in wet ploughed
lands and wet heaths.- It blossoms in May.
Linnffius, in his Lapland Tour, found it in
the beginning of June in Lycksele Lapland;
and he seems to have been much delighted
with his discovery. " Towards evening I
reached Stocknasmark and Jamtboht, where

F 2

32 TRIANDRIA.

TRiGYNiA. grew the pretty little Moiitia, a plant that
Tiiree Pistiiia. had iicver fallen in niv way before. In Kiill-
heden it was peculiarly abundant, and after-
wards I found it common throughout West-
bothnia. It is one of the smallest of plants."

TRIGYNIA. POLYCARPON TETRAPHYLLUM.

Thr«e Pistiiia. Foui-hincd Allseed,

Gen. Ch. Calyr, 5-leaved. Petals, 5, ovate, minute.
Capsu/a, 1 cell and 3 valves. Seeds, nu-
merous.

This plant grows on dry sandy ground.
The Bishop of Carlisle found it close to the
shingly beach on the neck of the Isle of
Portland. It blossoms from May to August.
It alters its habit very much by cultivation,
so as to be hardly known at first sight. It is
sometimes without petals.

TRIGYNIA. TILL/EA MUSCOSA.

Three Pistiiia. Mossy TUlosa.

Gen. Ch. Cayl.v, 3 or 4 cleft. Petals, 3 or 4. Capsules,

3 or 4, with many Seeds.
Sr. Ch, Steins, procumbent. Flowers, 3-cleft.

It is a native of the driest sandy heaths;
common in Norfolk and Suffolk. This spe-
cies of the Tillas is always Triandria trigy-

TRIANDRIA. 53

7iia; and as this is the only species found in trigynia.
England, I have thought it better to give Three Pijtiiia.
this example, and to place it here, for the
benefit of the learner, to prevent his being-
confused in ascertaining its Class and Order,
as this Genus is referred to the Class Tetran-
dria tetragyuia in botanical works; to which
Class and Order, the other three foreign spe-
cies belong.

British Plants of this Order.
Botanical Generic Names. Common Names-

5 HOLOSTEUM • • 1 HOLOSTEUM

1 MoNTiA 1 Water Chick-weed

1 PoLYCARpoN., 1 All-seed

4 TlLL^A 1 TiLLyEA

British Species fgiired in Sotcerhy^s English Botany.

Holosteum, 27. Monita, 1206. Polycarpon, 1031.
Tillaea, 11 6.

54

TRIANDRIA.

The different British Genera in this Class described
bi/ their Generic Characters, taken from the seven
parts of fructijication, agreeably to the principles
of the Linncean System.

MONOGY.

Cne Pistillum>

MONOGY-

NIA.

One Piiul.um.

CYPERUS.

Calyx. Spike, 2-rowed, imbricaled. Scales, egg-shapedj

keeled, flat, but bent inwards, separating tiie Morets.
Corolla. None.
Stamkn. Filume7its, 3, very short. Antherce, oblong,

furrowed.
Pis'iiLLUM. Gcrviev, very small. Style, thread-shaped,

very long. Stigmata, 3, hair-like.
Pericarpium. None.
Seed. Single, 3-cornered, tapering to a point, without

hairs.

SCIRPUS.

Calyx. Spihe, imbricated on every side, the florets sepa-
rated by Sca.es, which are egg-shaped, flat, but bent
inwards.

CoKi'LLA. None.

Stamina Filaments, 3, which continue growing longer.
Anthers, oblong.

PisT.LLUM. Germen, very small. Style, thread- shaped,
long. Stlgvialn, 8, hair-like.

Pericarpium. None.

Seeds. Single, 3-c()rnered, taper, pointed, sometimes fur-
nished \\ idi soft hairs, shorter than the calyx.

*^.* Soft hairs in some species grow to the point, in
others to the base of the seed. Linn. In Scirpus palustris
there are only two stigmata In this genus all the scales
contain fertile florets, whilst in the Schcenus the lower
scales are always barren.

TRIANDRIA.

55

CROCUS.

Calyx. Spatha, 1 leaf.

Corolla. Tube, simple, long. Border, with 6 divisions,
erect. Segmenls, equal, oblong, egg-shaped.

Stamina. Filaments, 3, awl-shapeJ, shorter than the
corolla. AntlLerie, arrow-shaped.

PisTiLLUM. Gerincn, beneath, roundish. Style, thread-
shaped, as long as the stamina. Stigmata, 3, rolled in
a spiral, serrated.

Pericakpium. Copsula, roundish, with 3 lobes, 3 cells,
and 3 valves.

Seeds. Several, round.

MONOGY

NI\.

One Pistillum,

IRIS. MONOGY-

NIA,

Calyx. Spalha, 2 valves, separating the flowers, perma- one Pistillum,
nent.

Corolla, with 6 divisions, Segmeyits, oblong, blunt; the
3 outer ones reflected, the other 3, erect, more acute,
all connected together by the claws, so as to form a
tube.

Stamina. Filaments, 3, awl-shaped, lying upon the re-
flected segments. Antherce, oblong, straight, depressed.

Pistillum, German, beneath, oblong. Style, simple,
very short. Stigmata, 3, very large, resembling petals j
keeled within, furrowed on the outside, leaning on the
stamina, 2-lipped, outer lip small, notched at the end 3
inner lip larger, cloven, a little bent inwards.

Pericakpium. Cupsula, oblong, angular, with 3 cells
and 3 valves.

Seeds. Several, large.

*^* In some species of this genus the nectarium is a
long line marked on the base of the reflected petals, and
set with hair-like substances ; in others there are 3 necta-
riferous dots at the base of the flower on the outside. In

56

TRIANDRIA.

some, the capsula has 3, in others 6 angles. Linn. The
outer lip of the stigma performs the proper office of the

stigma.

SCHREBEU.

DIGYNIA.

T--VO Pistilla.

ALOPECURUS.

Calyx. Gluma, 2 valves, containing 1 floret. Valves,

egg-spear-shaped, compressed, equal, united at the base.
Corolla. One valve, egg-spear-shaped, concave, rather

shorter than the calyx, its edges united at the base.

Awn, twice as long as the corolla, jointed, fixed on the

back of the coroUa towards its base.
Nectarium, none.
Stamina. Filaments, 3, hair-like, flattlsh at the bottom,

longer than the calyx. Antherce, forked at each end.
Pistilla. Germen, roundish. Styles, 2, hair-hke, united

at the base, longer than the calyx. Stigmata, woolly.
Pericarpium. None ; the blossom enclosing the seed.
Seed. Egg-shaped, covered.

*^* In Alopecurus agrestis, the calyx is of one piece,
divided ratlier more than half way down. Alopecurus
monosp e lice n sis and paniceus have 2-valved coroUae.

DIGYNIA.

Two Pistilla.

AGROSTIS.

Calyx. Gluma, 2 valves, enclosing 1 floret, tapering to

a point somewhat smaller than the corolla.
Corolla. Two valves tapering to a point, 1 Falve larger,

bulging at the base.

Nectarimn, 2 acute leaflets.
Stamina. Filaments, 3, hair-like, longer than the corolla,

Antherte, forked.
Pistilla. Germen, roundish. Styles, 2, reflected, woolly.

Stigmata, set lengthwise widi stiff" hairs.
Pekicarpium. The corolla adheres to the seed without

opening.
Seed. Single, cyhndrical, but tapering towards each end.

TRTANDRIA.

57

*:^*- Scopoli says the Agrostis capiUans has only one DIGYNfA.
petal, but with us it has 2, though the smaller one, from „ „.

its minuteness, might easily be overlooked,
species, the calyx is longer than the corolla.

In all our

FESTUCA.

Calyx. Gluma, 2 valves, erect, containing several flo-
rets collected into a slender spiket. Valves, awl-shaped,
tapering. Inferior Valve the smallest.

CoKOLLA. Two valves. Lower and larger valve the figure
of the calyx, but larger, roundish, tapering, ending in
an acute point.

Nectarium, 2 leaves. Leaflets, egg-spear shaped, acute,
bulging at the base, sometimes of 1 leaf, which is plano-
concave, horizontal, notched at the end.

Stamina. Filaments, 3,- hair-like, shorter than the co-
rolla. Anther iB, oblong.

PiSTiLLA. Germen, turban-shaped. Styles, 2, short, re-
flected. Stigmata, simple.

Pf.ricarpium. None, The corolla closely envelopes the
seed, and does not open again.

Seed. Single, slender, oblong, very acute at each end,
marked with a longitudinal furrow.

DIGYNIA.

Two Pistilla.

HOLOSTEUM.

TRYGYNIA.

Calyx. Perianthium, 5 leaves. Leaflets, egg-shaped, per- '^^''^^ PistilU.
manent.

Corolla. Petals, 5, deeply divided, blunt, equal.

Stamina. Filaments, 3, hair-Hke, shorter than tlie co-
rolla. Anthene, roundish.

Pistilla. Germen, roundish. Styles, 3, hair-like. Stig-
mata, bluntish.

pERiCARPiuM. Capsula, 1 cell, rather cylindrical, open-
ing at the top.
Seeds. Several, roundish.

5S TRIANDRIA.

*^* Hohdeum umlellatum has petals with 2 or 3
teetli, stamina 3 or 5, styles 3 or 4, capsula with 6 valves
at its apex.

TRYGYNIA. MONTIA.

Three PistiUa. Calyx. Perianthium, 2 leaves; leaflets, egg-shaped^ con-
cave, blunt, erect, permanent.

Corolla. One petal, with 5 divisions ; the 3 alternate
segments smaller, and supporting the stamina.

Stamina. Filaments, 3, hair-like, as long as the corolla,
into which they are inserted. Anthers, small.

PiSTiLLA. Germen, turban-shaped. Styles, 3, woolly, ex-
panding. Stigmata, simple.

Pericarpium. Capsula, turban-shaped, blunt, covered,
of 1 cell and 3 valves.

Seeds. Three, roundish.

*^* The perianthium has frequently 3 leaves, and then
there are often 5 stamina. Linn.

TRIGYNIA. POLYCARPON.

Three Pistilla

Calyx. Perianthium, 5 leaves. Leaflets, egg-shaped,

concave, keeled, ending in a sharp point, permanent.
Corolla. Petals, 5, very short, egg-shaped, notched at

the end, alternate, permanent.
Stamina. Filaments, 3, thread-shaped, half the length

of the calyx. Antherce, roundish.
Pistilla. Germen, egg-shaped. Styles, 3, veiy short.

Stigmata, blunt,
Pericarpium. Capsula, egg-shaped, of 1 cell and 3 valves.
Seeds. Many, egg-shaped.

TRTGYNIA. TILLiEA.

Three Pistilla.

Calyx. Perianthium, with 3 divisions, flat. Segments,
egg-shaped, large. (Pointed, concave, approaching.
Rose.)

TRIANDRIA. ^9

Corolla. Petals, 3, egg-shaped, pointed, flat, mostly TRIGYNIA,

smaller than the perianthium. (Concave. Rose.) ^, ~~.,,

, , , 1 M Three Pistilla.

Stamina. Filaments, o, simple, shorter than the corolla.

Antherce, small.
PiSTiLLA. Germina, 3. Styles, simple. Sflgmafa, blunt.
Pericarpium. Capsulee, 3, oblong, tapering, reflected,

as long as the corolla, opening lengthwise upwards.
Seeds. Two, egg-shaped.

* :f* The only species of this Genus indigenous to Great
Britain is the Till^a muscosa, which has 3 stamina and 3
pistilla ; but all the foreign species are said to have 4 sta-
mina and 4 pistilla ; hence this Genus is usually placed in
Class IV. Order 3. When the Till^a muscosa is culti-
vated, its stamina and pistilla are said to be increased, so as
to have 5 stamina, 5 pistilla, and five capsulae.

/

tria:^]D)]ria

MONOGYTSIIA

CLASS in

ORDIR 1

~\A

A.

FAFTRUS

=M

CTFIERUS FAFTRIJS

]ROOT OJF THE IPAFYIRFS

£ulh

v^CimPFS Li

an

\ FSTRIS

r'u^\

■h

CM.OCUS

MdiannaZ Crocus

tr]ea:^Ij)]ria

IRIS T

DIOYXIA
ORDER 2

COMMON §F*G^AK«CANE

! SACCILAIRITM OFFICIRAMJUM

TRIAKJDRIA

DICtVNIA

.Foxtcal-arafs

AJLOIPECUIRU !> F]RATE:^SI 1

TRIANUIIIA

DIGYlStIA

Creep vno 3 mt- profs

,A^B.O^TIS K^TOLONIFERA

{

ji Slcrct in €QV e^r(y ^tate

Olum^.

A Flar^ in a ni^rt adi'eotccd .ftaU

Vivij arozos ■ Fescue

FESTUCA ^TEVIFARA

TJEIANIDIRIA

TRIGYNIA

cjla.s>s hi

oRDv.n y

xj— M

HOILOSTEFM UMBlElLIATirM

TRIGYNIA

I'cia-- leaved- AU-sced

IPO LircliRFi):^ TEnRAFErrLLirM

3p

,\

Mofsv Iilla<ki'

TIlLlLiEA MUSCOSA

TETRANDRIA.

CLASS IV.

FOUR STAMINA.

THIS CLASS HAS THREE ORDERS.

ORDER I.

SCABIOSA SUCCISA.

DeviVs-bit Scabious.

Gen. Ch. General Calyx, of many \ea\es; partial, double,
superior. Receptaadum, chaft'y or naked.

Sr, Ch, Corollcs, 4-cleft, regular. Stem-leaves, tooth-
ed. Heads of flowers nearly globular.

The Scabious abounds in grassy pastures
that are somewhat moist, and blossoms from
August to October inclusively. This plant
has an abrupt root, as if it were cut or bitten
off; and from the notion that formerly pre-
vailed as to the cause of this peculiarity, it
was supposed to have great efficacy in medi-
cine. Gerarde/ in his Herbal, has given this

* John Gerarde was born at Nantwich, in Cheshire, in
1545, and was educated as a surgeon. He lived in Lon-
don, and in Holborn he had a considerable Physic Garden .

G

MONOGY-

NIA.

One Pistillum.

C2 TETRAN'DRIA.

MONOGY- Avhimsical account concernincj it: — " It is
coiTimonlv called Moisus Diaboli, or DcviTs-

One Pistiilum. *'

bit, of the root (as it sccnieth) that is bitten
off: for the superstitious people hold opinion,
that the Devil, for the envy that lie beareth
to mankind, bit it off, because it vould be
otherwise good for many uses."

MONOGY-

NiA. EXACUM FILIFORME.

OnPistilum. Least GeiitiancUa.

Gen. Cii. Calyv, in 4 segments. Corolla, salver-shaped,
with an inflated tube. Capsula, wath 2 fur-
rows, 2 cells, and many seeds, bursting at the
top. Stigma, capitate.

Sp. Ch. Leaves, sessile. Stem, filiform, forked. Flow-
ers, on long footstalks.

This Httle plant is an annual, growing in
boggy situations, where it has been found in
Dorsetshire and Cornwall. It blossoms in
July, and ripens its minute seeds in August.

probably the best at that time in England, for the number
and variety of its productions. In 1597, he published a
General History of Plants, in folio, now known by the
name of Gerarde's Herbal. He died about tlie year I OO/ •

T£TRANDRIA, ^$

CORNUS SANGUINEA. monogy.

NIA.
Wild Cornel-tree, or Dog;-wood.

One Pistillum^

jGen. Ch, Calyx, of 4 teeth. Petals, 4. Derupa, infe-
rior. Nut, of 2 cells.
Sp, Ch. Branches, straight. Leaves, ovate, green on
botli sides. Cymes without involucra.

This shrub is common in hedges, but
most plentiful in a chalk or lime-stone soil.
It blossoms in June, and its berries ripen in
August. With us it grows to the height of
five or six feet, and the wood is hard and
tough.

CENTUNCULUS MINIMUS. monogy.
Chaff-weed. 1

One P.stillum.
Gbn. Ch. Calyx, 4-cleft. Corolla, 4-cleft, inferior, tubu-
lar, limb spreading. Stamina, short, smooth.
Capsula, of 1 cell, bursting all round, with,
many seeds.

This is one of the least of what are called
perfect plants, which, Dr. Smith observes, is
perhaps reckoned more rare than it really is,
from being so easily overlooked. It grows
on watery, sandy heaths, and has been found
in Bedfordshire, and on several heaths to the
west and south of London : it blossoms iu
June and July,

64 TETRANDRIA.

British Plants of this Order.

MONOGY- „ ^ . , ^ . VT

NIA Potanical Generic Names. Common Name*.

4 AtCHEMiLLA 3 Ladies MANTLE

One PmUlum. jj AsPERULA 2 WoODEtJFF

1 Centunculus . . .. .. 1 Chaff-weed

13 CoRNUs 2 Dog-wood

4 DiPSACUs 3 Teasel

1 Epimedium 1 Barren-wort

3 Exacum 1 Gentianella

48 Galium 15 Bed-straw

10 Pakietaria* 1 Pellitory

38 Plantago 5 Plantain

7 RuBiA ............. X Madder

3 Sanguisorua 1 Great Burnet

43 Scabiosa 3 Scabious.

3 Sheraedia 1 Field madder

British Species figured in Sowerbi/*s English Botany.

Alcheniilla, 5Q7, 244, 1011. Asperula, 755, 33, Cen-
tumulus, 531. Cornus, 249, 310. DipsScus, 2080,
1032, 677. Epimedium, 438. Exacum, 235. Gali-
um, 143, 1857, 2206, 815, 1972, 2067, 1641, 74, 660,
1673, 384, 105, 816, 1871, 2173. Parietarm, 879.
Plantago, 1558, i55Q, 507, 175, 892. Ruhta, 851.
Sanguisorhay 1312. Scabiosa, 878, 659, 1311. She-
¥ardiaj 89 1.

• Ths Genus is placed in the Hartus Kewemis in the Class and Order
Polygamla JHonocda,

TETRANDRIA.

65

ORDER IL

BUFFONIA TENUIFOLIA.

Slender Buffonia,

Gen. Ch. Calyx, of 4 leaves. Petals, 4. Capsula, of
1 cell and 2 valves, with 2 seeds.

This plant blossoms in May and June. It
was first noticed in England by Ray.^ Accord-

a John Ray was the son of a blacksmith, born at Black
Notley, near Braintree, in Essex, November 28, 1628,
and educated at Cambridge. He early applied himself to
the study of Natural History. In 1682, he suggested an
idea or plan of arrangement of Vegetables superior to any
then known; and in l686 he published a General History
of Plants, in which he exemplified his system in the de-
scription of 18,655 species, including varieties. His me-
thod was founded upon the general habit or structure of
Plants ; their size and duration, as herbs and trees ; their
greater or less degree of perfection ; the place of growth ;
the number of seed-leaves, petals, capsulae, and seeds ; the
situation and disposition of the flowers; the absence or pre-
sence of the calyx and petals ; and the substance of the
leaves and fruit. From a combination of these circum-
stances, he arranged all vegetables in 33 Classes, which he
subdivided into 125 sections. His method is extremely
elaborate, has more natural classes than any artificial system,
but it is extremly difficult, when applied to practice, and,
therefore, is now more studied for curiosity than use. He
died Januaiy 17, 1704-5. *

Ray was an ornament to learning and every branch of
natural knowledge; and had the singular happiness to de-
vote fifty years of his life to the cultivation of the sciences
he loved. Incited by the most ardent genius, which over-
came innumerable difficulties and discouragements, iiis la-

H

DIGYNIA.

Two Pistilla.

66 ' TETRANDEIA*

DiGYNiA. ing to Dr. Smith, this is the only British plant
TwoPistiiia. of this Order. It was named by Sovage in
honour of the Count de Buffon; and Linnaeus
added the epithet tenuifoUa, appropriate to
the plant, and at the same time expressive
of the slender pretensions of the French na-
turalist to that honour. Unfortunately these
two distino[uished men entertained but little
respect for each other. In France the name
of Tournefort^ held the first place in the de-
partment of Botanical knowledge. Buffon
himself was no botanist; but, as a zoologist,
he was so extolled by his countrymen, that

bours were in the end crowned with success. He reformed
the studies of Botany and Zoology ; he raised them to the
dignity of a science, if under any circumstances they may
be allowed to have that distinction; and his own investiga-
tions added more real improvement to them in England,
than that of any of his predecessors.

•' Pitton de Tournefort was born at Aix. In lOjS he
explored the mountains of Dauphiny and Savoy, and the
year following went to INIontpellier, where -he studied me-
dicine 5 after which he travelled over the Pyrenees, and en-
dured great difficulties and danger in searching for plants.
He afterwards travelled into England, Spain, PloUand, and
other countries, cultivating his favourite science, and form-
ins connections with learned men. In 1 683 he was made
professor of Botany in the royal garden. In iQg'l he be-
came a Member of the Academy of Sciences, and in 17OO
he was sent into Asia by the King to collect plants. H«
died in l/Oa, His works are. Elements of Botany, 3 vols.
8vo. ; Voyage to the Levant, 2 vols. 4to.; History of th«
Plants round Paris, 2 vols. 12mo.; Treatise oa the Materia
Medica, 2 vols, 13mo.

Two Pisti'.la,

TETRANDRIA. 67

a statue was erected to him in his own hfe- digynia.
time, on the pedestal of which w^as an in^
scription, that proclaimed his genius equal
TO THE Majesty of Nature.""

Linn^us named many genera of plants
to commemorate persons who had added to
the stock of botanical knowledge; and some
feeling of his natural character is very dis-
cernible in this exercise of his judgment. One
genus he named after a scholar of his, whose
name was Browal, of obscure birth and hum-
ble fortune, and called it Browallia demissa.
Afterwards, this same man, by a favourable
change of circumstances, became a bishop,
and in this rank he forgot his former condition
and his former friends; Linnaeus then named
another species of the same genus Erowallia
data. A plant, which has twin leaves, he
named Bauhinia, in honour of two brothers,
John and Gaspard Bauhins.'* The name of
Banisteria he gave to a climbing plant, in

«= Count de BufFon was born in Burgundy, September 7,
1707, and died April \6, 1788. He is said to have been
very fond of flattery, and with singular naivete would praise
himself, by obsers'ing, that the works of eminent geniuses
were fewj " They are those of Newton, Bacon, Leibnitz,
Montesquieu, and viy own."' BufFon left one son, who was
guillotined under the despotism of Roberspierre.

•^ John and Gaspard Bauhins wrote a General History of
Plants, in 3 vols, folio, published in J 650, in which are de-
scribed 5266 plants.

H 2

ii

TETRANDRIA.

DIGYNIA.
Two Pistilla.

remembrance of M. Banister, who lost his
life by falling from a rock, which he was
climbing, in a botanical pursuit.

ULMUS CAMPESTRIS.
Common Elm.

Gen. Ch. Calyx, 4 or 5-cleft, inferior, permanent. Co-
rolla, none. Capsula, membranous, com-
pressed, nearly flat, with 1 seed.

Sp. Ch. Leaves, doubly serrated, rough, unequal at the
base. Flowers, nearly sessile, 4-cleft, with
4 stamina. Fruit, oblong, naked.

This Elm is common in England, espe-
cially in a dry and light soil. It has been
never known to produce any perfect seed, so
as to reproduce the tree; it is propagated by
grafts or suckers ; and when by grafts, which
is the common way, it is grafted on the Ulmus
mmiiana^ or Wych Hasel. The Wych Hasel
should be of two years growth, and it should
be grafted about two inches above the root,
so that the clay may be wholly covered, to
guard the graft from the frost.

* This Elm is of the Class and Order Pentandrm digy-
nia, and the Vlmus siiherosa is of the Class and Order Oc-
tandria digynia. — In the Horfus Kewensis, Mr. Aiton has
differently named these Elms ; he calls the Ulmus campes-
tris of Dr. Smith, Ulmus suberosa, and Ulmus montana,
Ulmus cumpestris ; and Dr. Smith's Ulmus suberosa he
makes a variety of this Ulmus campestris, and not a dis-
tinct species, as it is in the Flora Britannica.

TETRANDEIA. ^^

British Plants of this Order*

Botanical Generic Names. Common Namet.

1 buffonia 1 buffonia.

5 Ulmus 5 Elm.

British Species figured in Sowerhyh English Botany,

Buffonta, 1313. Ulmus, 1886, 1887^ 2l6l, 2248,

2542.

ORDER III.

ILEX AQUIFOLIUM. tetragt-

NIA.

Common Holly.

Four Pistilla.

G*N. Ch. Calyx, with 4 or 5 teeth. Corolla, wheel-
shaped. Styles, none. Berry, with 4 seeds.
Some sterile flowers, which are 4-cleft.

8p. Ch. Leaves, ovate, acute, spinous.

The common Holly is a tree of slow growth
and long duration ; the wood is close-grain-
ed, and the bark smooth, and abounds in a
mucilage of which bird-lime is made. It
blossoms in May, the berries ripen in the au-
tumn, and last throughout the winter.

Branches of this tree were sent by the
ancient Romans to their friends with their
new-year's gifts, as emblematical of good
wishes ; and the custom is said to be nearly
as ancient as the building of Rome itself.

Four Pistilla.

70 TETRAKDRIA.

TETRAGY- In Eno'land the houses and churches are de-
corated with it at Christmas, to impart ai^
air of cheerfulness to that festive season.

In the economy of vegetation some trees
preserve their leaves constantly through the
whole year, and are not in the least influ-
enced by the clemency or inclemency of the
seasons ; such trees are called evergreens, of
which the Holly is one. The Fir, Juniper,
Yew, Cedar, Cypress, and many others, are
of the same description. These preserve
their old leaves a long time after the forma-
tion of the new. Linneeus observes, in his
Lapland Tour, that the Pine retains its leaves
for three years; and I believe the Cherry
Laurel, Primus lauro ceracus, retains its leaves
about sixteen months. The leaves of ever-
greens in general are harder and less succu-
lent than those which are renewed annually.
With respect to deciduous trees, the fall-
ing off of the leaves depends somewhat on
the temperature of the atmosphere. In hot
and dry summers the leaves of the Lime-tree
and Horse-chesnut turn yellow about the first
of September; whilst in other years, when
the sun has not been so powerful, the yel-
lowness does not appear till the beginning
of October. Nothing, howcverj contributes

TETRANDRIA.

71

Four PistiUa.

more to hasten the fall of the leaves than ietragy-
immoderate cold or moist weather in autumn :
moderate droughts, on the other hand, serve
to produce the contrary effect.

The following table, respecting the mean
times in which different trees shed thek
leaves, is founded upon observation.

Gooseberry-tree and Bladder- Sena

Walnut and Ash

Almond-tree, Horse-chesnut, and

Lime-tree

Maple, Hazle-nut, Black-poplar,

and Aspen-tree

Birch, Plane-tree, Mountain-osier,

False-acacia, Pear and Apple-tree
Vine, Mulberry, Fig, Sumac, and

Angelica- tree

Elm-tree and Willow

Apricot and Elder- trees •

o

J3

yM<

it

a

<L>

October 1
15

20

25

November 1

10
15
20

T.^.TRAGY-

MOENCHIA QUATERNELLA.

Upright Pearlwort. FouTiilillU.

Gen. Ch, Cali/x, 4-leaved. Peta/s, 4. Capsula, of 1 cell.

This plant grows frequently on dry gra-
velly pastures and heaths, and blossoms in
May.

By its seed it is allied to the Cerasiia. It
has been classed as a Saglna ; and from that

>-»•,

72 TETRANDRIA.

genus, its habits, as well as its seed, differ
so much, that Professor Ehrhart has made it
a new and separate genus.

ETRAGY- RUPPIA MARITIMA,

NIA.
FouTlilua. ^^^ Ruppia.

Gen. Ch. Calyx, none. Corolla, none. Seeds, 4, on
foot-stalks.

This plant is to be found in most of our
British salt-water ditches, especially in the
latter part of the summer, when its pedun-
culated seeds distinsiuish it from all common
pond-weeds.

'O'

British Plants of this Order,

Botanical Generic Names. Common Names-

16 Ilex 1 Holly

1 MoENCHiA 1 Upright Pearl-wort

14 potamoceton 13 pond-weed

1 Radiola 1 All-seed

1 Ruppia I Tassel-grass

4 Sagina 3 Pearl-wort

Brithh Species Jigured in Sowerbys English Botany.

Ilex, 4g6. Potamogeton, 1822, l68, 397, 3/6, 1012,
418, 2253, 215, 323, 1285, 1286, ipSS. Radiola,
893. Ruppia, 136. Sagina, 880, 881, 6O9, 2195.
Tillcea, 11 6.

TETRANDRIA. 73

The different Genera in this Class described by theit
Generic Characters, taken from the seven parts of
fructification, agreeably to the principles of the
Linnaan System,

SCABIOSA. MONOGY.

NIA.

Calyx. Common Perianihium, of many leaves, expand- One Pistillum.
ing, containing many florets. The Leaflets sit upon and
Surround the receptaculum in several rows, the inner
ones of which become gradually smaTjii!^
Proper Calyx, double, superior.
Outer Calyx, shorter, membranaceous, plaited, per-
manent.

Inner Calyx, with 5 divisions. Segments, awl-shaped,
but very slender.
Corolla, general, regular, but mostly composed of irre-
gular florets.

Individuals, of 1 petal, tubular, with 4 or 5 clefts,
equal, or unequal.
Stamina. Filaments, 4, between awl and hair-shaped,

limber, uintherce, oblong, fixed sideways.
PisTiLLUM. Germen, beneath, rolled in a proper sheath,
like a little cup. Style, thread-shaped, as long as the
corolla.

Stigma, blunt, obliquely notched at the end.
Pericarpium. None.

Seed. Solitary, egg-oblong, rolled in a cover, variously
crowned by the proper calyses.

Receptaculiwi common, convex, chaffy, or naked.

*^* Outer blossoms generally larger and more regular,
seeds crowned differently in different species. The florets
having 4 or 5 clefts, afford a primary specific distinction.
Linn,

7*

TETRANDRIA.

MONOGY. EXACUM.

NIA.

One Pistillum. Calyx. Perianthium, 4\ea\es; leaflets, egg-shaTpe6,h\vLnt,

erect, but expanding, permanent.
Corolla. One petal, permanent. Tute, globular, as long

as the calyx. Border, 4-cleft. Segments, roundish, ex-
panding.
Stamina. Filaments, 4, thread-shaped, fixed to the tube,

as long as the border. Anthera, roundish.
Pistillum. Germen, roundish, filling the tube. Style,

thread-shaped, erect, as long as the border. Stigma, a

knob.
Pericarpium. Capsula, roundish, compressed, 2-furrow-

ed, 2-celled, as long as the calyx.
Seeds. Numerous, fixed to the central receptaculum.

MONOGY-

NlA.

One Pistillum.

CORNUS.

Calyx. Involitcrum, generally 4 leav'es, including several
florets. Leaflets, egg-shaped, coloured, deciduous, 2
opposite, smaller. Perianlhium, very small, 4-toothed,
superior, deciduous.

Corolla. Petals, 4, oblong, acute, flat, smaller than the
involucrum.

Stamina. Filaments, 4, awl-shaped, erect, longer than
the corolla. Anthera, roundish, fixed sidewise.

Pistillum, Germen, beneath, roundish. Style, thread-
shaped, as long as the corolla. Stigma, blunt.

Pericarpium, Drupu, nearly globular, dimpled.

Seed. A heart- shaped or oblong nut, with 2 cells.

MONOGY.

NIA.

CENTUNCULUS,

O.ie Pistillum. Calyx. Peria?ithium, with 4-clefts, expanding, perma-
nent. Segments, acute, spear-shaped, longer than the
eoioUa.

TETRANDllIA.

75

Corolla. One petal. Tz/fe, somewhat globular. Border,
fiat, with 4 clefts. Segments, nearly egg-shaped.

Stamina. Filaments, 4, nearly as long as ihe corolla.
Antherce, simple.

PisTiLLUM. Germen, roundish, within the tube of the
blossom, permanent. Stigma, simple.

Pericarpium. Capsula, globular, of 1 cell, cut round.

Seeds. Several, roundish, very small.

MONOGY-
NIA.

One Pistillum.

BU FFONIA.

Calyx. Perianthium, 4-leaved, erect, permanent. Leaf-
lets, awl-shaped, keeled, membranaceous at the edges.

Corolla. Petals, 4, oval, erect, equal, notched at the
end, shorter than the calyx.

Stamina. Filaments, 4, equal, as long as the germen.
Ant her te, double.

Pi STILL a. Germen, egg-shaped, compressed. Styles, 2,
as long as the stamina. Stigmata, simple.

Pericarpium. Capsula, oval, compressed, of 1 cell, and
2 valves.

Seeds, 2, oval, compressed, but marked with a little pro-
tuberance, convex on one side.

DIGYNIA.

Two Pistilla.

ULMUS.

Calyx. PeriantJdum, I leaf, turban-shaped, wrinkled,
permanent. Border, with 5 clefts, erect, coloured
within.

Corolla. None.

Stamina. Filaments, 5, awl-shaped, twice as long as the
perianthium. Anthera;, with 4 furrows, erect, short.

Pistilla. Germen, roundish, erect. Styies, 2, reflect-
ed, shorter tlian tlie stamina. Stigmata, downy.

Pericarpium. Berry, oval, large, juiceless, compressed,
winged with a membrane, of 1 cell.

Seed. Single, somewhat globular, buc a little compressed.

*^* The number of Stamina in this Genus varies frpra

4 tP §•

DIGYNIA.
Two Pistilla,

76

TZTRANDRIA.

TETRAGY-
NIA.

Four PistiUa.

ILEX.

Calvx. Perianthium, 4-toothcd, very small, permanent

Corolla. One petal, with 4 divisions, wheel-shaped.
Segments, roundish, concave, expanding, rather large,
adhering by the claws.

Stamina. /"//oTOe/z/j, 4, awl-shaped, shorter than the co-
rolla. Anther cB, small.

PiSTiLLA. Germen, roundish. Styles, none. Stigmata,
4, blunt.

Pericarpium. Berry, roundish, with 4 cells.

Seeds. Solitary, hard as bone, oblong, blunt, bellying
on one side, angular on the other.

*^* Great variations take place in flowers of the Ileji
aquifolium ; sometimes the stamina and pistilla are found
on distinct plants 5 sometimes on the same plant, but in
different flowers j sometimes again the flowers have 5 sta-
mina ;, and frequently there are flowers that have stamina
only, and others that have only Pistilla, as well as complete
flowers, on the same, or on different plants.

TETRASY-
NIA.

Four Pistilla.

MOENCHIA.

Calyx. Perianthium, 4-leaved. Leaflets, egg-shaped,
concave, greatly expanded, permanent.

Corolla. Petals, 4, egg-shaped, blunt, expanding,
shorter than the perianthium.

Stamina. Fi/aments, 4, hair-like. Anthers, roundish.

Pistilla. Germen, somewhat globular Styles, 4, awl-
shaped, bent backwards, downy. Stigmata, sinjple.

Pericarpium. Capsula, egg-shaped, straight, with 4 cells
and 4 valves.

Seeds. Numerous, very small, fixed to the receptaculum.

*** This plant has been separated from the Geni\»
Sagina, and now forms a Genus by itself.

TETRANDRIA.

RUPPIA.

«

Calyx. Spntha, hardly any, but what is formed by the
base of the leaves. Sheath, fruit-stalk, awl-shaped, un-
divided, straight, bending when the fruit ripens, beset
with flowers, which point in two opposite directions.
Perianthium, none.

Corolla. None.

Stamina. Filaments, none. Antherce, A, sitting, equal,
somewhat roundish, rather double,

PiSTiLLA. Germina, 4 or 5, somewhat egg-shaped, ap-
proaching. Style, none. Stigmata, blunt.

Pericarpium, None. The seeds are supported upon little
foot-stalks, thread-shaped, and as long as the fruit.

Seeds, 4 or 5, egg-shapedj oblique, terminated by a flat
circular stigma.

TETRAGY-

NIA.

Four PistiUt.

MONOGYNIA

CLASS W

ORDER 1

V

JDEVIES^BIT SCABIOUS

SCABIOSA SrCCISA

MONOGYNIA

J^a<Fn Gentianel^a

]EXA€FM FIMFOIRME

I

TETMAK]D)jRL

MONOGYNIA

w

MONOGYNIA

Cka/i^-weed, or £aotard' TimJbemd'.

DIGYKIA

CLASS W

ORDER 2

-1.

"VI

SILEHBEIR. BITFFOKIA

BUFFONIA TEN1TIF01.IA

TET]RA]K'BRIA

DIGTfKIA

Gmunon £bn,

UJLMUS CAMPJBSTIRIS

2

tetka:^]Ij)]eo:a

TETRAGYNIA

CLASS W

ORDER 3

UOMMOW HOLLT

■/■'ounuiu l.n'lL, ,; HHal^ Catyjt. Vu-.fkrrr .mplric

IILEX AQlTIFOlLIlCrM

V^AAA

i\il\il\f<

TETMAI^BIMA

TETRAGYNIA

[''pna'ht Tearl-woTt

MOEWCHIA QITATEIOTEIJLA

IV

TETHAIK'BMIA

TETRAGYNIA

kz. Ri£p-pia\

]K,FFP]rA MATRlf^A
w

3

PENTANDRIA.

CLASS V.

FIVE STAMINA.

THIS CLASS HAS SEVEN ORDERS.

ORDER L

RHAMNUS LOTUS. monogy-

NIA.

Lotus. ^ „. ;-

One PistiUuni.

Gen. Ch. Calyx, tubular. Corolla, scales defending thq
stamina inserted into the calyx. Berry.

Sp. Ch. Prichles, in pairs, one of them recurved j leaves,
ovate, crenate; fruit, round.

This is a very branching thorny shrub;
it is a native of Africa, where it abounds from
the eastern to the western extremity, and by
the natives held in high estimation ; it is also
found wild in many parts of Asia. It blos-
soms early in the spring, and the fruit ripens
in August.

Among the ancients there were several
different plants of this name, both arboreous

80 PENTANDRIA.

MONOGY- and herbaceous ; but of this, there can be lit-

NIA.

• tie doubt, that it is the Lotus of the Loto-

pne Pistillum.

phagi of Homer, the same as is thus describ-
ed by Herodotus, Polybius, Theophrastus,
and Pliny.

Herodotus. " Lotophagi inhabit the
coast of these Gindenes (an African people),
which stretches to the sea ; who live by eat-
ing the fruit only of the Lotus. This fruit
of the Lotus is in size about as large as that
of the lentisacs; in sweetness it is like the
fruit of the Palm-tree. From this fruit the
Lotophagi also make wine."*

Polybius. " The Lotus is a tree of no
great height, rough and thorny, and bears a
yellowish green leaf, somewhat thicker and
broader than that of the bramble : its fruit
at first is like white myrtle berries, both in
size and colour, but when it ripens it turns to
purple; it is then about the bigness of an
"^ olive ; it is round, and it has, when ripe, a
small stone: it is gathered, and bruised among
bread-corn, put up into a vessel, and kept as

a »,

'Axr^jy iJt- Tfcoi^ncay tf Tov Tiovtov Tstcuv roov Tivol/tuv
vifjiOvToci AwTOfdyoi' o" rov /icc^Ttoy [xsvoy ta Xcjth TouiyovTs^
X,w8si' 6 Ss tS Aiors KX^Ttos, £<rTi y.sycc^os offov re r-^^ cryAvH'
yXvKvtrjra, Ss, rs foivixos Tuj ■kx^tcZ 'Tt20(rslK£Kos' iroievyrat
le £>c ra ■Ao.^'its rara ol Aourofdyoi ko,] olvov. Herodotus,
hb.A, caj>. 177. p.35g.

PENTANDRIA.

H

food for the servants : it is dressed after the ^^jJJ^^^-

same manner for the family, the kernel be-
ing first taken out: it has the taste of a fig,
or date, but a far better scent. Wine is like-
wise made of it, by steeping and bruising it
in water, and has a very relishing taste, like
wine tempered with honey. It is drunk with-
out beinq; mixed v/ith water, but will not
keep more than ten days, therefore it is made
in small quantities for immediate use. Vine-
gar is also made of it." ^

Theophrastus. " Of the Lotus, the par-
ticular kind, is of a considerable size, about as

One Pistilium,

dKXv^cjjSss. B'/ii o\ (b'jW^v yX'jj^l-/ Tta^XTtKria-ioy rf, ^a'/xvo;,
^lY.^oy ^aburs^sv kcc] TTAarurefOv. o Sa y.a.^itoi T^s fz-fiv af-
p^a^ o^oioi h'^ti ytxi rf %foa kx) Tm (Jisye^si Txlis Xbvkou^
ocv^tla-i rati rs}sKsiujij:.svats' (ji-v^xvoij^svos $a ruj jxev ;^f a;/>t,a7t
ylverxi (poivixov;, r'Sj Sh [j-sys^si rxl: a-rooyyuXaig hKxlou?
'rtxoxTtXr^a-iOi' itv^yjvx 8' syst rsKsMs ^ik^ov. kifxv 6s TTSTTav-
Sfr, a"Jvx.yo'jcrtv kx) rov aiv rolg olyJrai; ^ira ^ovS^ov kq-
^xvlsg, <rxrlov(riv si; ayyiix' rlv l\ roTj aXsv^s^oi;, s^sXoy-
rss rov Tfuf^va, (ruvlibsx(riv. wa-x6rujs y.x.) cirsuovlxi rSrov.
sa-ri Sh ro f^aJ/^a ■jrajaTrA^ciciv o-uk'^, kx) (poiviKo'SxXxvaj' r^
8' svouSlx ^sXliOv. ylysrxi $£ kx) oho; s^ dvrS ^^sy^oij.svs hxI
rf jfo[X£V8 S) voxros, y.xrx [^av rr/v ysi(nv rjSvg kx) xr'oXx.va--
TiKOg, olvoij^iXili yori<rfui TracarAijo-jof, cf> yjujvrxt yjv^lg v^a~
hs. 8 oy/x.rxi Sa itXkov Sbkx aavsiv r^u.souJv. Sio kx) ttOiovrt
•aoi/ta. ffa%u fffof t'ijv yj^iixv iroiSii oa y.x) o^o; t^ xurujy.*
Athenaeus, lib. 14. p. G51. D.

• This is an extract preserved in the works of Athensus from the
twelfth book of Polybius, which is lost.

One Pistillam ~ - - J

82 PENTA^NDRIA.

MONOGY- lai'sie as a pear-tree, or somewhat less, having;

NIA. . , 'to

a leaf serrated, like the leaf of the Quercus
Ilex. The >vood is of a dark colour. There are
many kinds, differing in the fruit : the fruit
is like the bean :' as the grape, it changes co-
lour as it ripens; but, like myrtle-berries, it
is produced thick and close upon the shoots.
It is eaten by those people called Lotophagi;
it is innocent, of an agreeable sweetness,
and good for the bowels. There is one kind
"vvhich has no stone, and that is sweeter; of
this, wine is made. The trees of this kind
are plentiful, and the fruit is abundant. The
army of Ophelias, on his march to Carthage,
being short of provisions, is said to have sub-
sisted for many days on this fruit. In the
island of the Lotophagi, called Pharis, it is
plentiful. This island lies at a short distance

from .■* It abounds not only there, but

still more abundantly on the main land; for
this tree and the Paliurus^ grow more abun-
dantly in Africa than any where else, as has

^ That is, in size, like the seed of the Tamara, See
Class XIII. Order I.

* Here the text appears to be corrupt. I have trans-
lated, as if, instead of d'jroy,Etrat xa), the reading were, d-no,
with the name of a place.

« The Rhamnus paliurus of Linnaeus is so called^ from
being supposed to be tliis species.

PENTANDRIA. 83

been said ; insomuch, that in the country of monogy-
the Ilespcricles the tree is used for fuel. This ■ ^. .,.

^ One Pistiilum,

last Lotus is somewhat different from that
of the Lotophagi." ^

Pliny. " That part of the coast of Africa
which borders on the Mediterranean, pro-
duces tliat celebrated tree the Lotus, which
the natives call Celtis; and the same tree is
also common with us in Italy, but not in-
digenous. The chief quantity grow about
Syrtes and the Nasamones, of the size of the
pear-tree, though Cornelius Nepos speaks of
it as a shrub. The leaf is more serrated, other-

^"'EtTti iJe r8 XuoIb, To (X£v l^iov ysvog sv^/Jya^sg, tjA/xov UTfio;
r lum^ov sXaltov. (piiXXov oh, evloixd; lyjiv Tie,] Tf^ivwSsg. To jxlv
^uXoy, fx.fAay ysvrj Sa dvlS TfXslw hafo^ag s^ovla tolg Kcc^itois.
0 hi Tia^itos ■^xUo; KvaiJLOs .ititioclvslai 51 o.'STts^ ol ^or^vsg, iJ.zla.-
^dxXwv fcig •^ooidg' (p'jslat 51 ■K.a.^XTts^ fd jju-j^lo- Ttx^oiXXrjXx.
ifVKvos Ittj tuy ^Xo.ctm' Bir^iof^svos cs Iv rolg Acurotpccyot;
KaXai/^iyoi;' yXuKvg' r^^vg' xa) deriving' Koi an it^lg tijy xoi-
X\xy dyoL^Ov. r/Awv ha aTf^r^yog. aa-ti yd§ k«j toiSfov yavog.
TfoiSgi Sa Kdi oivov J^ dvlS. nroXu os to Sayo^ov Ka) TtoXvua^-
ifoy. TO 8v 'OfaXXa crraVjita^oy rjvl-Ka a^xSt ^ay a\g Ka^')(rfi6vay
%ai rStuj <paT] irXslsg ■rifj.a^a.g diroXaito'Auiy fwy airirr^caiwy
xep^p-^crSaj. acrti j/.ay sv TV vr;<ru) T-^g Xwlofccylacg ^d§i$i y.0L-
X8[j.byr, TToXvg. d'jlrj Ss ditmsilai na) ditayji (x^ikcov a //,)jy
svTxiJ^a ^ovov, dxxd, iroXXJi TfXalcuy sy tv rJTral^uj. 7!'Xa7(rTov
yd^ Ixxg ay Tji Ai^vtj KX^airao aior/Iai, tSto, xdi 6 TtxXl^og
tcTTiv. sv yxfi 'EfTTtaoWi, fsToic alg xxuTiv ypui-Axi. oixfs^ai
Sa iTog 0 XwVog itS itx^d To7g Xculoipxyoig. Theophrastus,
HI'. 4. a' c. 4. S.

I 2

84 • PENTAXDRIA.

MONOGY- wise it Tni2:ht be taken for the leaf of the

NIA. ^

_ evero-reen oak. Of this Lotus there are many

One Pisullum. ^ ''

varieties, and those differences most conspi-
cuous in the fruit. This fruit is of the size
of a bean, and of a saffron colour, but before
it is ripe it undergoes many changes of hue,
like the grape. The fruit is produced in clus-
ters, among branches, like Myrtle-berries,
and not as cherries are with us in Italy. The
fruit affords so sweet a food, that it has given
name to a people and a district. It is said
that those who eat of it are not subject to
pains in the bowels. The better sort is with-
out stone, for there is one kind that has a
bony nut. From the fruit, wine is also ex-
pressed, like mulsof which the before-men-
tioned Nepos says Avill not keep more than
ten days : they take the berries and pound
them with wheat corn, and make food, which
is laid up in tubs : moreover, we have even
heard of an army marching to and fro through
Africa having been fed with it. The wood is
of a black colour, and in request to make pipes
to play upon. Of the root, are made the hafts
of knives, and other things of less account.

' MiJso is usually translated Mead : it was a new wine
mixed with honey, and often used in libations.

PENTANDRIA.

85

This is the nature of the tree in that coun- monogy-

try." ^ One PistiUura.

Amono- modern travellers, Dr. Shaw, de-
scribing the Lotus, says, " It is the same
plant as the Seedra of the Arabs. It is a
shrub very common in the Jereede and other
parts of Barbary, and has the leaves, thorns,
and fruit of the Ziziphus or Jujeb; only with
this diiference, that the fruit is there round,
small, and more luscious, at the same time
the branches, like those of the Paliurus, are
neither so much jointed nor crooked. This
fruit is in great repute, tastes something like

*> Eadem Africa, qua vergit ad nos, insignem arborem
loton gignit, quam vocant celtin, et ipsam Italiae familia-
vem, sed terra mutatam. Praecipua est circa Syrtes atque
Nasamotias. Magnitudo, quae pyro, quanquam Nepos Cor-
nelius brevem tradat. Incisurae folio crebriores : alioquin
ilicis viderentur. Differentiae plures, eaeque maxime fruc-
tibus fiunt. Magnitudo huic fabae, color croci, sed ante
raaturitatem alius atque alius, sicut in uvis. Nascitur den-
5US in ramis myrti modo, non ut in Italia, cerasi : tarn dulci
ibi cibo, ut nomen etiam genti terraeque dederit, nimis hos-
pitali advenarum obllvione patriae. Ferunt ventris non sen-
tire morbos, qui eum mandant. Melior sine interiore nu-
cleo, qui in altero genere osseus videtur. Vinum quoque
exprimitur illi, simile mulso, quod ultra denes dies negat
durare idem Nepos : baccasque contusas cum alica ad cibos
doliis condi. Quin et exercitus pastes eo accipimus, ultro
citroque commeantes per Africam. Ligno colos niger. Ad
tibiarum cantus expetitur. E radice cultellis capulos, bre-
vesque alios «sus excogitant, Haec ibi natura arboris.—
Pliny, lib. xiii. c. Ij. De arbore Loto,

85

PENTANDUTA.

MONOGY- gingerbread, and is sold in the markets all
r^ "TT, over the southern districts of these kino--

One Pistmum, o

doms. The Arabs call it Aneb enta el
Seedra, i. e. the Jujeb of' the iSeedra.'"^

Mungo Park, in his travels in the interior
of Africa, observed two negroes sitting among
some thorny bushes, who had been gathering
tomberongSj of which he gives this account ;
— " These are small farinaceous berries, of a
5'ellow colour and delicious taste, which were
no other than the fruit of the Rhamnus Lotus
of Linnteus. They had gathered two large
baskets-full in the course of the day. These
berries are much esteemed by the natives,
who convert them into a sort of bread, by
exposing them for some days to the sun, and
afterwards pounding them gently in a wooden
mortar, until the farinaceous part of the ber-
ry is separated from the stone. This meal is
then mixed with a little water, and formed
into cakes, which, when dried in the sun, re-
semble in colour and flavour the sweetest
gingerbread. The stones are afterwards put
into a vessel of water, and shaken about, so
as to separate the meal which may still ad-
here to them; this communicates a sweet and
agreeable taste to the water, and with the

i Dr. Shaw's Travels, 4to. p. 143,

PENTANDIilA. , 87

addition of a little pounded millet makes a monogy-i

* NIA.

pleasant ^xnel called fondi, which is the com-

*^ ° . OnePistillum.

mon breakfast in many parts of Ludamar,
during the months of February and March.
The fruit is collected by spreading a cloth
upon the ground, and beating the branches
with a stick.

" The Lotus is very common in all the
kingdoms which I visited, but is found in
greatest plenty on the sandy soil of Kaarta,
Ludamar, and the northern parts of Bam-
barra, where it is one of the most common
shrubs of the country.

" As this shrub is found in Tunis, and
also in the Negro kingdoms, and as it fur-
nishes the natives of the latter with a food
resemblino; bread, and also with a sweet li-
quor which is much relished by them, there
can be little doubt of its beino; the Lotus
mentioned by Pliny as the food of the Libyan
Lotophagi."'*'

Among the adventures of Ulysses on his
return to his native country, after the siege
of Troy, by adverse winds and unmanage-
able currents, he arrived at an island inha-
bited by a people called Lotophagi, where •
he landed to take in water and refresh his

^ Muv^o Park's Travels i7i JJrica, 4to. c. viii. p. 99.

One Pistillum.

88 PENTANDKIA.

MONOGY- crews: after they were refreshed, he sent

NIA. . "

three men into the country to learn some
particulars concerning the natives, and they
found thcni a friendly people, who offered
them to taste of the Lotus, of which he who
had once tasted. Homer says, had no desire
to return, but rather wished to live with
them, and renounce all thoughts of home.
It would seem, however, that they returned
to Ulysses, most probably drunk, for they
were refractory, and he was obliged to use
force to o;et them on board : he then con-
iined them, bouud, underneath the benches
on which the rowers sat, and fearing lest
any more of his men should be induced to
try the fascinating effects of the Lotus, he
immediately ordered them all on board, and
departed.

Pope has thus translated this account

Then to my native country had I sall'd.

But, the cape doubled, adverse winds prevail'd ;

Strong was the tide, which by the northern blast

Impell'd, our vessels on Cythera cast.

Nine days our fleet th' uncertain tempest bore

Far in wide ocean, and liom sight of shore :

The tenih we touch"d, by various errors tost^

The land of Lntos, and the flow'ry coast.

We climb'd the beach, and springs of water foundii,

Then spread our hasty banquet on the ground.

Three men were sent, deputed from the crew>

(An herald one) the dubious coast to view.

One Pistillum.

PENTANDRIA. F9

And learn what habitants possess the place. ^*j^^*^^'

They went, and found an hospitable race.

Not prone to ill, nor strange to foreign guest.

They eat, they drink, and nature gives the feast j

The trees around them all their food produce j

Lotus the name, divine, nectareous juice!

(Thence call'd Lotophagi), which whoso tastes.

Insatiate riots in the sweet repasts.

Nor other home, nor other care intends.

But quits his house, his country, and his friends.

The three we sent, from off th' enchanting ground

We dragg'd reluctantj and by force we bound:

The rest in haste forsook the pleasing shore.

Or, the charm tasted, had return'd no more.

cowper's translation.

And now, all danger pass'd, I had attain'd
'hly native shore, but, doubling in my course
Malea, waves and currents and north winds
Constrain'd me devious to Cythera's isle.
Nine days by cruel storms I thence was borne
Athwart the fishy deep, but on the tenth
Keach'd the Lotophagi, a race sustain'd
On sweetest fruit alone. There quitting ship
We landed and drew water, and the crews
Beside the vessels took their ev'ning cheer.
When, hasty, we had thus our strength renew'd,
I order'd forth my people to inquire
(Two I selected from the rest, with whom
I join'd an herald, third) what race of men
Might there inhabit. They, departing, mix'd
With the Lotophagi ; nor hostile aught
Or savage the Lotophagi devised
Against our friends, but offer'd to their taste
The Lotus; of which fruit what man soe'er
Once tasted, no desire felt he to come
With tidings back, or seek his country more.
But rather wish'd to feed on Lotus siiU

90 PENTANDIUA.

MONOGY- With the Lotophagi, and to renounce

_■ All thoughts of home. Them, therefore, I constrain'd

One Pistillutn. Weeping on board, and dragging each beneath

The benches, bound him there. Then, all in haste,
I urged my people to ascend again
Their hollow barks, lest others aho, fed
With fruit of Lotus, should forget their home.'

' Ka) vu xsv oiffKtfiyiS lKO[J.rjv Ig TtaroiSa youav,
'AXAa ju-e x.ujU.a, poos re, itspiyja^.'jtrovtoL MaAsjav,
Kaj ^o^arjs aitzwrz, itx^BTtXccy^sv Sa KuSijfwy.
*Ev^£v S' svvriixa§ (p£^oiJ.rjv oXoolg dvs^Oigi
TJovrov hit ly^hoevT' a,vta,§ Ss-ndrr/ aTfa^yjiJ^iv
Talrjc Aw'j'ocpdycjijv, o* r' dy^tvov sISsl^ shvfftv.
"EvSa 5' kit TjVet'pou /S^^xsj/, xa) d'l>vcra-d.ix.i^ uSoup'
Al^J/a tJ's Ssl'Ti'voy sKovto Sor^f Tfapa, vrjvcrh etcupoi.
A'Jtd.^ sirs) ffWoio r £'Tta(r(Ta^£b\ vj^e Tforyjroi,
Aij tot' sywv ss'cc^ovg Tr^olrjv Tfsu^sa-^cci Uvta,?,
("Av^fe Svcv K^lvag, r^lrocrov "X-r/Ovy^ af/ oitdcrffa.g,)
OJtivs; dvs^ss slsv eir) p/9ovj tr^rov aoovrsg.
OI 0 al^' o]yJ[j^svoi [/.lysv avJ^aVi AMro(pdyti(riv.
Ouo' a§a AujTofdyoi po^'iJovQ' krd^OKriv oAsQ^oy
'Hy^ers^ois, dXKd (ri^i Socrav AwroTo itdvatr^cii.
TuJv d' o(rris Xwrolo (pdyoi i^^sXirjlaa, xapTTov,
OJx ar ditxyyalKai lidxiv ^^sKbv, oudg visa-Qai'
'AAA' aurou ^ouXovro jw-ir' avS^dcri Acu7'0(pdyoi(ri
AcvTcv a^sTtTOixavoi ^svai/^av, voorrov Ts Xa^aaQai.
T&yj jaav eydjv eV* vrja; dyov xXalovtas dvdyxrj,
Nijuci 3" Evi yXa(pvfn(riv uVo ^uyd Srjcroc s^ucrcug,
Avrd§ T'ouf aXXovs ksXq[j.t)v s^lrj^as ktal^oug
'^Ttaoyo^Avov; vr^MV sti^ccivaixsv wxaiawv,
M^ Ttw Tis Xcoroh (payuiv vofTToio Aa5>;ra;.
O; iJ' ocl^y a'lo-^xivov, xa) sVi KXr/icri xd^it^ov.
't^'^f ^' £^0|U,£voi TtoXirjv dXa, i'v-Kt'ov EfsrjaoTf.

Odys. lib. ix. 79.

PENTAXDRIA. Ql

AZALEA PONTICA. monogy-

NIA.

Pontic Azalea.

Gen. Ch. Corolla, bell-shaped. Stamina, inserted into
the receptaculum. Capsulce, 2 to 5 cells,
many seeds.

Sp. Ch. Leaves, shining, lanceolate, smooth on botli
sides. Racemes, terminal.

This is a shrub growing from four to four-
teen feet high, irregularly branched, with a
slender stem covered with a smooth brown
bark. The flowers appear before the leaves
are fully expanded; of a fine yellow colour,
and an agreeable fragrance. It was first in-
troduced into Enoland bv INIessieurs Lee and
Kennedy, from some seeds sent to them in a
letter from the shores of the Black Sea by
Professor Pallas. He relates, that the honey
of bees frequenting the flowers of this plant
is supposed to be narcotic, and that goats,
kine, and sheep, have been poisoned by eat-
ing its leaves.

He found it on the river Dnieper, in
swampy ground, and by the natives called
the stupitying shrub, and by them consi-
dered to have an intoxicating quality, and
in many cases to be efticacious as a medicine.
Near Oczakow he found thousands of these

One Pistillum.

One Pistillum.

S2 PENTANDRIA.

MONOGY- plants fully blown in a marsh, every spring-
tide overflown by the sea, and saw a Tarta-
rian farmer, who lived entirely by the profits
from the honey which the bees extracted
from their flowers, sold in Constantinople
and other parts of Turkey, for medical pur-
poses. This honey is mentioned by many
ancient authors, and in particular by Xeno-
phon, Strabo, and Pliny. By Xenophon its
effects are recorded in bis famous retreat of
the ten thousand Greeks, when they arrived
in the neighbourhood of Trapezus.""

The Greeks having passed the Colchian
hills in their way toTrebisond, in the numer-
ous villages at the foot of those hills they
found all kinds of provisions. " In general,
however, there was nothing that excited
their wonder, but the quantity of bee-hives,
from which all the soldiers, who tasted the
honeycombs, lost their senses, and were seiz-
ed with vomiting, and not one of them was
able to stand upright: those who had eaten a
little, became like persons very drunk; those
M'ho liad taken much, like madmen; and
some even like dying persons. In this man-
ner nund^ers lay about, as though after a de-
feat ; and there arose a general despondency,

"> Trebizond.

PENTANDRIA. 93

On the morrow, however, no one died ; but monogy-
about the same hour at which they had been ^ „. .„

•^ One PistiUuin.

seized, they recovered their senses ; and on
the third and fourth day they rose up again,
as thouo'h recoverino' from the effects of me-
dicine." ^ The account of the effect of this
honey by Diodorus Sicuhis corresponds ex-
actly with this of Xenophon, and was pro-
bably compiled from it.

Strabo speaks thus concerning it: " These
Heptacometa3*' cut to pieces three cohorts of
Pompey, which had forced their way through
the mountains, by mixing for them in the
ways, goblets of the maddening honey, which
the higher branches of the trees here produce.
For by falling upon the men when they had
drank it, and in consequence lost their senses,
they easily put them to the sword.""

* Ka» T'a a&v aXXoc ovSh TiV, o, ri kx) l^ay^xacrav -rot Sa
rjXTjvTj woAAa t^v ocvro^i, kp.) roov Krj^liov ocroi s(^c/.yov riZv
cr^xtiouTcuv, wavTsg olip^ovsg re aylyvovro, kcc] T/UHv, kxI

ol p-gy (iKlyov i^Tj'Joxorej, (Tfo^occ [Lebuairiv e'jjkstxv ol Ss
"usoXv, y.a.iv'j^svois' ol 5's, xal a'n'o^v^crKSTiv . "Exsivro Ss
stvo •nroAAoi, weir's^ r^oif^g y£ysvYjiJ.svrj;, kcu ■nT0\>.rj ijy >j
dS^vix^ia. Tfi S' vcrrsodia. dirs^avs ^sv sJsif, d[/,ip) Ss TYiV
duT'Tjv Its wfay avs^fo'yay 'foWri os xai Tsrd^rj] dvictacvro,
wo-its^ kx. (pa^^xKOitoo-la;. Xenophon Cyri. Expedit. lib. 4,
p. 337.

^ Inhabitants of the seven villages.

^ 0\ Ss -EitloL yMu.Tjrxi, T^sl^ IIJjW-Trr/js s-ifsi^xs jtarsxa-

One Pistilkim.

91 PENTAXDRIA.

MONOGY. Pliny, in his Natural History, also speaka

of this Honey. " The food (of the bees) is
a matter of so much consequence, that the
honey may even be poisoned by it. At He-
raclca in Pontus, the honey made by the
same bees is in some years of a most destruc-
tive quality. As no authors have told us
from what flowers it is made, we will report
the result of our own discoveries.

" There is a plant which, from its power
of destrojdng cattle in general, but more par-
ticularly goats, is called JEgokthron.^ The
flowxrs of this plant, when they wither in a
wet spring, acquire a noxious poison, whence
it happens that this evil is not equally felt in
all years indiscriminately.

*' The signs of the honey being poison-
ous are, its not thickening properly, its co-
lour being redder, its scent disagreeable, and
producing sneezing, and its being heavier
than when harmless. They who have eaten
it cast themselves on the ground with tlie
hope of cooling themselves; for the effect

i^av, $is^iovcras rrv opsivlrjV, xs^ccTavTB^ Koarrj^af ly ralg oSo7i

Tov; av^^witsg. Stralo, lib. xii. i^fontus) Amsterdam edit.
vol. ii. p. S2Q.

^ Aiyujv o/.e.^fo;, the destruction of goats.

■PENTANDRIA. 9^

of this honey is, that they are melted with ^onogy.

perspiration. one~pi^um.

" There is in the same part of Pontus an-
other kind of honey, which, from the mad-
ness it produces, they call jnenomenon. It is
supposed to be collected from the flower of
the Rhodcdendros, with which the woods
abound. Hence this people (the Sanni or
Maerones), whilst they furnish wax to the
Romans, in part of tribute, do not supply
them with any honey, because it is of a deadly
quality." ^

The figure here represented is the Cha-
yyicerhododeiidros Pontica of Tournefort; the
Azalea Pontica of Linnieus; and, on the most

* Tantumque pabulum refert, ut mella quoque vene-
nata liant. Heraclese in Ponto, quibusdam annis penii-
ciosissima existunt, ab iisdem apibus facta. Nee dixere
auctores, e quibus floribus ea fierent. Nos trademus, quae
comperimus. Herba est ab exitio et jumentorum quidem,
sed praecipue caprarum, appcUata aegolethron, Hujus flores
concipiunt noxium ^irus aquoso vere marcesceiites. Ita
fit, ut non omnibus annis sentiatur hoc malum. Venenati
signa sunt, quod omnino non densatur, quod color magis
rutilus est, odor alienus, sternutamenta protinus movens,
quod ponderosius innoxio. Qui edere, abjiciunt se humi,
refrigerationem quaerentes : nam et sudore diffluunt. — Aliud
genus in eodem Ponto gente Sannorum mellis, quod ab
insania, quam gignit, maenomenon vocant. Id existimatur
contrahi flore rhododendri, quo scatent silvae, Gensque ea,
cum ceram in tributa Romanis praestet, mel (quoniam ex-
itiale est) non vendit. Pliny, Hist. Nat. lib. xxi. c. 13.

q6 pentandria.

accurate investigation, is supposed to be the
same plant which causes that pecuharity in
the honey which produced the effects ascrib-
ed to it by these ancient authors.

^^lONOGY- NICOTIANA TABACUM.

One Pistilliim. TobacCO.

Gen. Ch. Corolla, funnel-form, with a plaited border.

Stamina, inclined. Capsula, 2-valved and

2.celled.
Sp. Ch. Lea-ves, lanceolate - ovate, sessile, decurrent.

Flowers, acute.

This is an annual plant, a native of Ame.
rica, of which botanists make seven species.
The stalk is erect and strong, branched to-
wards the top, and rises to five or six feet in
height, and blossoms in Jidy and August.^
It appears to have been first introduced into
Europe as a medical herb, about the year
1560, of which this account is given by Dr.
IMonardus of Seville, an eminent Spanish
physician of that time.

M. John Nicot,*" the French ambassador
to the king of Portugal, going one day to
see the Royal Prisons, the Governor pre-

* For a good description of the manner of cultivating
Tobacco, see Long's History of Jamaica, vol. iii. p. 71 9.

^ M. Nicot was ambassador in Portugal from the yeir
15.59 to 15S1.

One PistiUum.

PENTANDRIA. 97

sented him with this herb, as a foreio-n plant monogy-
brought from Florida. M. Nicot planted it
in his garden at Lisbon, where it grew well;
after which he was told by one of his pages
that a great cure had been performed on a
young man who had a dangerous excoriating
disease on his cheek, by an external applica-
tion of its bruised leaves. This case was ex-
amined into, and believed to be true, which
gave the plant such celebrity, that it was
called the ambassador's herb ; and afterwards
so many cures were said to be effected by it,
that M. Nicot sent it into France, to Francis
II. From this circumstance it has its bota-
nical name, Nicotiana, to honour M. Nicot.
Among the Indians it was called Picielt, and
its European name, TabaccOy v/as given to it
from the island called TabacOj now Tobago.

The introduction of smoking this herb in
England is ascribed to Sir VV^alter Raleigh, af-
ter his discovery of Virginia, about the year
1586; though before the year 1570 the plant
was cultivated in England, as appears from
Lobel;'' and before the year 1674, when Dr.

* By whomsoever Tobacco was introduced into Europe,
it appears, that from this countrjj the plant w^as first taken to
Italy- Pietro della Valle says, that a certain Don Virginio
Ursino was the first person who introduced Tobacco into
Italy from England, now some years agoj writing in J[6i4,

98 PENTANDRIA.

MONOGY- IMonardus published his book, he had seen
^ -TT" the effects of smokino- in Spain upon some

One Pistillum. & r r

African slaves, who had learned the practice
from the natives of the West Indies; of
which he gives this account:

" The Indians of our Occidental Indies
use the tobacco to take away weariness, and
to make lightsomeness in their labour, for
in their dances they are so much wearied,
and remain so tired, that they can scarcely
stir; and that they may labour the next day,
and return to their foolish exercises, they
receive, at the mouth and nose, the sm.oke
of the Tobacco, and remain as if they were
dead ; and being so, they are refreshed in
such sort, that when the}^ are awakened out
of their sleep, they remain without weari-
ness, and are able to return to their labour as
before ; and so they do always when they
have need of it; for with that sleep they
receive their strength, and be much the
lustier.

" The black people who have gone from
these parts to the Indies have practised the
same custom, and use the tobacco as the In-
dians do ; for, when they feel themselves
weary, they take it at the nose and moutl),
and it happeneth to them as unto cur Indi-

1P EX TAN Dill A. 99

&113 : lyino- as thouo-h they were dead three monogy-
or four hours; and after, they remain ho'ht- - —

' 'J c One Pistillum,

ened without weariness, to labour again; and
they do this Avith great pleasure : and al-
though they be not weary, yet they are very
desirous to practise it, and the habit is be-
come so prevalent, that their masters correct
them for it, and burn the tobacco, that they
may not use it ; whereupon they go to the
deserts and secret places to indulge in these
habits. As they are not permitted to drink
till ihey are drunk, with wine, they are glad
to make themselves drunk Avith the smoke
of tobacco. I have seen them do it here,
and it happened to them as is said. They
say, when they recover from the trance or
dream occasioned by the fumes, they find
themselves very lusty, and rejoice to liave
been after the same sort and manner, seeing
that thereby they do receive no hurt." "^

It is remarkable, that this custom of
smoking, and its effects among the natives
of the West Indies, should be found to cor-
respond to similar habits in remote anti-
quity. Herodotus gives this account of the

"* This extract is made from an old translation of AIo-
nardus.

K 2

100 PENTANDRIA,

NIA,
One PistiUum,

M0N06Y- the inhabitants of certain islands formed bv
the Araxes.

" The river Araxes is differently spoken
of, as being greater and likewise less than
thelster: writers however say generally that
there are numerous islands in it, about equal
in size to Lesbos, and that in these islands
live men who subsist-during the summer on
all kinds of roots, which they dig up, but
who lay up in store the fruits of the trees,
when ripe, and subsist on tliem during the
winter season. By these men, other trees
have been discovered, bearing fruit of a pecu-
liar nature, which, when they assemble on the
same spot in companies, after kindhng a fire,
and seating themselves round it, they cast
into the fire ; then snuffing up the scent of
the fruit thrown in, whilst burning, they
become drunk with the odour of it, as the
Greeks do with wine. In proportion as more
fruit is thrown in, they become more in-
toxicated, until they rise up to dancing, and
from that to singing. Such is reported to
be their manner of living.^

' "O (Jc A^d^TiS Xiysrxi y.x) fi^s^'-'JV xaj Ixdcra-wv sJvai rou
'larr^ov vrj<r8S S' iv dvTtp Airou; y^syd^sa itOL^citX-^frlccs ovyj-
vdi (pam stvai. h'6i avrxa-i avSfwVaf, oi a-irsovtai jxgy pi^af

PENTANDRIA, 101

Kino' James I. is well known to have had ^^^P^'^^-
a particular dislike to the fumes of tobacco, one PistiUum.
and employed his pen, as well as his regal
authority, to suppress the use of it. His
pamphlet, entitled, A counterblast to Tobac-
co, commences by stating the odious pur-
poses to which tobacco is applied as a me-
dical herb, and he concludes the paragraph
with this eloquent apostrophe to those v/ho
take it for an amusement: — "And now, good
countrymen, let us (I pray you) consider what
honour or policy can move us to imitate the
barbarous and beastly manners of the wild,
godless, and slavish Indians, especially in so
vile and stinking a custom — these, who are
the refuse of the world, and as yet aliens from
the holy covenant of God. Why do we not
as well imitate them in walking naked as they
do? in preferring glasses, feathers, and such
toys, to gold and precious stones, as they do?

itQiii roisaSb rtvd; (ps^ovra, roug, sTtsi ta cuv hg tuj'jto ctuveA-
^ujcrt y.ara elXccg, Ka\ iru^ dvay.o(.V(no-/la.i, y-vuXaj ra^ii^O[j.evs;
iiri^aXXsiv sz) to Ttvf oVippajvo/xeva; Ss >iarayi^oij.av8 ts
KO^'rrs rS ETTji^aXXo/XEva, [xs^ufXTjtrS'aj ryj o^y.-r;, xalaTTep ''.EA-
Xyjvxs rcw o]'vcx)' -mXaZvog ha liH^aXXou^avs tov yta^TTOij, [xaXXov
{/.s^ixraair^ar eg o ag o§y<-yjo'lv ts dvifrrxT^ai, kou eg doiSrjv
aTtV/.vaairSixi. rovrcuv pJv autrj Xayatai Slxira alvai. HerO"
dotusj lib. 1, {Clio.) edit. Wesselin, p. 96.

102 TENTAXDRIA,

TsioNOGY- Yea, why do we not deny God, and adore

NIA

Oi-.e Pistillum.

the devil, as they do?" Notwithstanding this
royal declamation, which consists of nine
folio pages, and a tax imposed of six shil-
lings and ten-pence a pound on the importa-
tion of it/ the sovereignty of hahit and sub-

^ Rymer has preseiTed a warrant, dated the l/th of
October, l604, to impose an additional duty of 6s. Sd. per
pound, the preamble of which will serve to shew the griev-
ances of which the King thought he had good reason tQ
complain .

" Wheras tolacco, being a drug of late years found out,
and by merchants, as well denizens as strangers, brought
from foreign parts in small quantity into this realm of Eng-
land, and other our dominions, was used and taken by the
better sort, both then and now only as physic, to preserve
health, and is now at this day, through evil custom and the
toleration thereof, excessively taken by a number of riot-
ous and disordered persons of mean and base condition,
who, contrary to the use which persons of good calling and ©

quality make thereof, do spend most of their time in that '*

idle vanity, to the evil example and corrupting of others,
and also do consume that wages which many of them get
by their labour, and wherewith their families should be
relieved, not caring at what price they buy tliat drug, but
rather devising how to add to it other mixture, thereby to
raake it the more delightful to the taste, though so much
the more costly to their purse j by which great and immo-
derate taking of toLacca, the health of a great numbei of
pur people is impaired, and their bodies weakened and
made unfit for labour, the estates of so many mean persons
so decayed and consumed, as they are thereby driven to
unthrifty shifts, only to maintain their gluttonous exercise
thereof- besides that also a great part of the treasure of our
land is spent and exhausted by this only drug, so licen-
tiously abused by the meaner sort." All whic^i enorniQus

PENTANDRIA. 105

sequent policy still continues to make it one
of the most productive branches of revenue
in every civilized kingdom in Europe.

COFFEA ARABICA. monogy.

NIA.

Coffee.

Gen. Ch. Corolla, salver-shaped. Stamina, upon the
tube. Berry, inferior^ . 2 -seeded. Seeds j
arilled.

Sp. Ch. Flowers, 5-cleft ; lerries, 2-seeded.

The CofFee-tree seldom exceeds twelve
feet in height ; it is slender, the upper part
sending off trailing branches ; the bark is
brown, and almost smooth. It is a native
V of Arabia Felix and Ethiopia, and was first
noticed by Ranwolfius in 1573, but first de-
scribed in 1591 by Alpinus. It was culti-
vated in Britain by Bp. Compton, in I696.
Of this genus there are ten species.

The fruit of this tree is a round fleshy red
berry, containing two seeds, the appearance
of which is well known. The use of Coffee
appears to have originated in Ethiopia, but

mconveniences, as they are stated, the king proposes to
remedy, by laying on an additional duty of six shillings and
eight-pence per pound,* to act as a prohibition to its ini-
portation, except for medical purposes.

* The previous duty was two-pence per pounds

One Pistillum.

One Pisiillu n.

lO-J" PENTANDRIA.

IMONOGY- the practice of drinkins: it in Arabia was in-
troduced from Persia, by the Mufti of Aden,
in the fifteenth century. In 1554 its use first
begun at Constantinople, from whence it be-
came gradually adopted in the western parts
of Europe. In Paris the first coffee-house
established in that city was in the year 1672;
in London, in 1652, the first shop was esta-
bhshed for the sale of coffee, and eight years
after, it contributed to the pubhc revenue by
a duty of four-pence upon every gallon made
and sold.

M. La Ptoque, in his Voyage de V Arable
lieurmse^ has given this account of the cul-r
ture and management of the coffee, as prac-
tised in Arabia Felix : " The coffee-tree is
there raised from seed, which is sown in nur-
series, and the young trees planted out as
there is occasion for them. The Arabians
choose for their plantations a moist and shady
situation on a small eminence, or at the foot
of tlie mountains, and take great care to con-
duct from the mountains little rills of water,
in small channels, to the roots of the trees;
it being absolutely necessary that they should
be constantly watered, in order to produce
and ripen the fruit. When they observe that
there is a good deal of fruit upon the tree,

PENTANDRIA.

105

and that it is nearly ripe, the water is turned monogy-

oif from the roots, to lessen that succulency onelpudUum.

in the fruit which too much moisture would

occasion. In places much exposed to the

south the coffee-trees are planted in regular

lines, sheltered by a kind of poplar tree,

which extends its branches on every side to

a great distance, affording a necessary shade

when the heat of the sun is too intense.

When the fruit is advanced to maturity,

cloths are spread under the trees, the trees

are then shaken, and the ripe fruit readily

drops off. The berries are afterwards spread

upon mats, and exposed to the sun, until

they are perfectly dry, after which the husk

is broken with large heavy rollers, made

either of wood or stone. When the coffee

is thus cleared of its husk, it is again dried

in the sun, and lastly winnowed." '^

Both the outer pulpy part of the berry,
and the inner membrane immediately invest^
ing the seed, are prepared for use by the
Arabians: the former is much esteemed, and
constitutes the coffee a la Sultam; the latter

^ This account is extracted from Mr. Ellis's translatiou
of the " Traite Hlstoriqae de I'Drigine et du progres du
Cafe, tant dans I'Asie que dans I'Europe ; de son introduc-
tion en France, et de Tetablissement de son usage ^ P^vis,"
par M. La Rocjue.

106

PF.NTANDRIA.

^Ki?*^^' ^^ chiefly employed by the common people,
onclSum. ^^^ sold uiidcF the name of Kischer. The
seeds used by us, and which by the Arabians
are thought to be too heating, are principally
imported into Europe from Yemen, where
the coffee is most abundantly cultivated.

Coffee has been cultivated in Batavia and
Surinam by the Dutch, in Cayenne and INIar-
tinico by the French, and in Jamaica by the
English : of these, from mismanagement or
some cause not understood, our colonial cof-
fee is said to be the worst. The JNIocha cof-
fee is superior to all others.

Whether coffee be more or less prejudi-
cial to the human constitution than tea, has
not yet been ascertained ; and its particular
effects must still be left to the experience of
individuals. These two qualities, however,
appear to be common to all constitutions;
that M'hcn the stomach is oppressed with ani-
mal food, strono- coffee afi^brds considerable
relief, and consequently is supposed to pro-
mote digestion, and also, that it suspends the
inclination to sleep.

PENTANDRIA, 107

SOLANUM DULCA^IARA. monogy.

Woody Nightshade. 1-

Oae Pistillum.

Gen. Ch. Corolla, \vheel-shaped. Antherce, slightly con-
nected, opening by two pores at the top.
Berry, superior, 2-celled.

Sp. Ch. Stem, slirubby, zigzag, without thorns. Upper
Leaves, hastate, clusters, cymose.

This plant is common in hedges, parti-
cularly if well supplied with water, and the
flowers appear about the latter end of June.

The roots and stalks of this Nightshade,
on being chewed, first cause a sensation of
bitterness, which is soon followed by a con-
siderable degree of sweetness ; and hence the
plant has obtained the name of Bitter-sweet,
and the specific distinction, dulcamara. It
produces red pendulous berries, which, though
not of so poisonous a quality as those of the
Deadly Nightshade, yet there is no doubt of
their possessing deleterious effects; and as
they may be mistaken by children for red
currants, they should be prevented from eat-
ing them,

lOB PENTANDRIA.

MONOGY- ATROPA BELLA-DONNA.

One pi^um. Deadly Nightshade.

Gen. Cn. Corolla, bell-shaped. Stamina, distant. Berry,
' superior, of 2 cells.

Sp. Ch, Stem, herbaceous. Leaves, ovate^ undivided.

This plant grows in shady and stony
waste grounds, but is no where very com-
mon. The flowers, which are bell-shaped,
are of a dark or brownish purple, and make
their appearance in June or July. The ber-
ries are ripe in September, when they are of
a shining black colour.

Both the leaves and berries of this plant
are a strong narcotic poison ; and there are
many instances of their fatal effects, parti-
cularly on children, who are readily tempted
to eat the fruit, from its alluring appearance
and sweet taste. Sauvages, a learned French
physician, supposes this to be the plant which
produced such dreadful effects upon the Ro-
man soldiers, during their retreat from the
Parthians, under the command of Antony.

Among the Scots, according to their his-
torian Buchanan, the poisonous effects of this
plant were known at a very early time ; and
the instance he records of its use does more

PENTANDRIA. 109

honour to his candour, than it reaects credit ^onogy-
on his country. The root also partakes of o„7p~u„^^
the same quality as the leaves, but less vi-
rulent; and Shakespeare, in his Macbeth,
makes Banquo say,

' Or have we eaten of the insane rootj
That takes tlie reason prisoner ?'

I have introduced this plant with the
Woody Nightshade, to illustrate the im-
portance of scientific botanical names. The
Atropa, Circcea, and Solanunii in English, are
all called Nightshades, but which have very
different characters, and are distinct genera.
In like manner there is a common Nettle
and a dead Nettle, ground Ivy and common
Ivy, different kinds of Thistles and Docks;
which are not at all allied in nature, and
have only obtained their names from vague
resemblance or fanciful associations. Urtica
and Lamium, Glicoma and Hedera, Rumex
and Arctium^ Carduus and Sonchus, Sec. con-
vey at once a precise and distinct character
which shews the importance of a technical
lancuao-e. A familiar idiom is too frequently
confused, or corrupted by accident and ca-
price; and, without clearness and precision,
there is always danger that the truth may
be misunderstood.

110 PENTANDIIIA.

MONOGY. VIOLA TRICOLOR.

NIA.

One PistiUuiTi.

Love-in- Idleness.

Gen.Ch. Cnlyx, 5-leaved, lengthened out at the base.
Petals, 5, irregular J the lowest spurred be-
hind. Anther^s, slightly cohering. Capsula,
superior, of 1 cell, with 3 valves.

Sr. Ch. Stem, angular, spreading. Leaves, oblong,
deeply crenate. Stipulce, lyrate, pinnatifid.

This species is supposed to be the origin
of all our garden varieties : it is very com-
mon in corn-fields, more particularly on a
dry and gravelly soil, and varies very much
in the size and colour of its flowers. Shake-
speare has selected it for a beautiful poetical
allusion in his Midsummer Night's Dream,
which is supposed to have reference to Queen
Elizabeth.

Cupid all arm'd : a certain aim he took

At a fair vestal, throned by the west ;

And loos'd his love-shaft smartly from his bow.

As it should pierce an hundred thousand hearts :

But I might see young Cupid's fiery shaft

Quench'd in the chaste beams of the wafrj' moon.

And the imperial vot'ress passed on.

In maiden meditation, fancy-free.

Yet mark'd I where the bolt of Cupid fell ;

It fell upon a little western flower^ —

Before, milk-white; now purple with loves wound, —

And maidens call it. Love-in-idleness.

Act U. Scene 2,

PENTANDRI^* 111

British Plants of this Order.

Botanical Generic Names. . Common Names- MONOGY-

7 Anagallis 3 Pimpernel ^^^-

10 Anchusa 2 BUGL05S One Pistillum.

1 AsPERUGO 1 German Madwort

8 Atropa 1 Deadly Nightshade

7 Azalea 1 Azalea

78 Campanula 9 Bkll-flower

10 Chironia 3 Chironia

110 Convolvulus 3 Bind-weed

5 Cyclamen 1 Cyclamen

12 Cynoglossum 2 Hound's-tongue

21 EcHiuM 2 Viper's Bugloss

8 EuoNYMUS 1 Spindle-tree

1 Glaux 1 Black Salt-wort

.6 Hedera 1 Ivy

4 Hottonia 1 Water Violet

8 Hyoscyamus 1 Henbane

12 Impatiens 1 Balsam

21 Illecebrum 1 Knot-grass

1 Jasione 1 Sheep's-bit

12 LiTHOSPERMLM 3 GrOMWELL

42 Lobelia 2 Lolelia

19 LoNicERA 3 Honey-suckle

8 Lycopsis 1 Wild Buglos

5 Lysimachia 4 Loose-strife

5 Menyanyhes 2 Buck-bean

7 Myosotis 4 Scorpion-grass

16 Phyteuma 1 Rampion

5 PoLEMONiuM 1 Greek Valerian

20 Primula 4 Primrose

7 PULMONARIA 3 LuNG-WORT

42 RhaMNUS 2 BUCK-THORW

17 RiBES 7 Currant

2 Samolus 1 Brook-weed

93 SoLANUM 2 Nightshade

3 Symphytum., 2 Comfrey

19 TlIESIUM 1 TlIESIUM

112 PENTANDRIA.

AlONOGY- Potanical Generic Names. Common Names,

J '_ 19 Verbascum 6 Mullein

One PisiUlum. 43 Viola 7 Violet

5 ViNCA 2 Pekiwinkle.

British Spedc^figured in Sozcerhy's English Botany.

AnagalUs, 52g, 530, 1823. Anchusa, 662, 45, Aspe-
riigf), 661. Atr6pa, 592. Azalea, 805, Campanula,
866, 42, 283, 302, 1369, 12, 90, 3/5,73- Ckironia,
417, 458, 2305, Convolvulus, 312, 313, 314, Cycla-
men, 548. Cynoglossum, gi\, l642. Echium, 2081,
ISI. Euonymus, 362. Glaux, 13. Hedera, 1265. Hot-
tonta, 364. Hyoscyumus, 5g\. Trnpaficns, QoJ. Ilk-
cebrum, 895. Jasione, 882. Llthospermum, 134, 123,
117, Lobelia, 140, 953. Lonictra, 799, 800, 916.
Lycopsis, 938. Lysimacliia, 76I, 1/6, 527, 528. il/e-
Jiyunthes, 495, 21 7. Myosotis, 4B0, I973, 2558, 2559.
Phyteuma, 142. Polemomum, 14. Primida, 4, 513,
5,6. Pulmonaria, 118, 368, l628. Rhdnnws, l62g,
250. J?FZt>5, 1289, 704 > 1290, 705, 1291, 1292, 2030.
Samulus, 703. Solauum, 565, .'>66. Symphytum, 81/,
1502. Thesium, 247. Verhuscum, 549, 58, 487, 59,
550, 393. rioZa, 894, 610, 444, 621, 445, 1287, 721.
FiHca, 917, 514.

To these Mr. Sowerby has added Burago, 36, and Datura,
1288, from their being common in England, though
they are not allowed to be native plants.

PENTANDRiA.

113

ORDER IL

CICUTA VIROSA.

Water Hemlock. Water Cow-bane.

DIGYNIA.

Two Pistilla.

Gen. Ch. No general Involucrum. Fruit, nearly ovate,
furrowed. Corolla, almost regular.

Sp. Ch. Uinlels, opposite to the leaves. Stipid<B, run-
ning up the leaf-stalks^ blunt.

Water-Hemlock is found in ditches,
in marshes, and on the margins of rivers.,
and is a plant of a very poisonous nature.
Linnaeus, in the journal of his Lapland Tour,
has related a remarkable instance of its fatal
effects to horned cattle, when taken as part
of their food. In 1732, June 24, when he was
at Lulea in West Bothnia, he says, '' Here I
was first informed of a disease which had
made g-reat rava"-es amonost the cattle in
this neighbourhood, and which was of so
pestilential a nature, that, though the ani-
mals were flayed even before they were cold,
wherever their blood had come in contact
with the Imman body, it had caused gan-
grenous spots and sores. Some persons had
both iheir hands swelled, and one his face,
in consequence of the blood coming upon it.

L

114 PENTANDRIA.

DiGVNiA. IMany people lost their lives by it, insomuch
Two Pistiiia, that nobody would now venture to flay any
more of the cattle, and they contrived to
bury them whole. As a preventive, they had
adopted the practice of swimming their cat-
tle once a day, which they believed rendered
the animals proof against the disorder. I was
told that the cattle grazing on a certain de-
clivity atTornoea die to the number of two or
three hundred in the course of the summer."
Vol. I. p. 245. — When he arrived at Tornoea,
August 5, he says, " Every body was conti-
nually talking to me of a distemper to which
their horned cattle are subject, and which
kills many of them in the course of the win-
ter, but especially in the spring, when they
lose from fifty to a hundred head of cattle
almost every vear. On walkinsj to examine
the meadow^ into which they are first turned
out to gras3, I found it a bog or marsh, where
the Water Hemlock grew in abundance, and
had evidently been cropped plentifully by
the animals in feeding. It seemed probable,
therefore, that they eat it most in the spring,
when first turned into this pasture; whence
it proves so much more extensively fatal than
in summer, when perhaps they only pick up
a plant here and there. It grows in all the

PENTANDRIA. H5

moist meadows which are mown for hay; digynia.
consequently the cattle take it likewise in Two Pistuia,
their M'inter food, and therefore perish, more
or less, during that time of the year. No-
thing appeared to me so interesting, during
my visit to Tornoea, as to examine into the
cause and remedy of this evil. If my ideas
be right, the whole might be prevented by
employing a woman for a month to eradicate
all the Cicuta ; by which this town, small as
it is, might save above two hundred silver
dollars." Fol. 11. p, 136.

" In the neio-hbourhood of Ulabors: the
Water Hemlock Avas very plentiful by the
road side: this led me to inquire whether
the cattle ever fed there ; 1 was answered
by the peasants in the affirmative, with a
question in my turn, whether I could give
them any advice on the subject, for they
had lost a great many; adding similar parti-
culars to what 1 had heard at Tornoea." — ■
Fol. 11. p. 9.^1.

In his Flora Lapponka he observes, that
the symptoms of the disease occasioned bjr
eating this Hemlock differed in different
cases, but all the cattle feeding indiscrimi-
nately were seized with a swelling of the ab-
domen, attended with convulsions, and died

L 2

Il6 PENTANDIUA.

with horrid bellowing in the space of a few-
days.*

DIGYNIA.
Two Pistilla.

^THUSA CYNAPIUM.
FooVs Parsley.

Gen. Ch. General InvoJucrum, none.', partial, of 'Slezves,

all on one side, pendulous. Fruit, striated.
Sf. Ch. Leaves, all uniform.

x\mong the advantao-es of Botanv, that
is not the least considerable, which enables
us to avoid using for domestic purposes,
those plants which may be poisonous or pre-

a Stillingfieet is of opinion, that low grounds are nox-
it>u5 to sheep, not from moisture, but from the plants that
grow there. For it is observed by shepherds, that the great
danger to sheep is immediately after they feed upon fresh
spring grass, which he suspects to be owing to their crop-
ping the young and tender shoots of poisonous plants, in
common with their proper food.

This Stillino-fleet was the grandson of the celebrated
Edward Stilllngileet, Bishop of Worcester. He travelled
into Italy, and wrote the Calender of Flora, Miscellaneous
Travels, and other works. He was a man of a highly cul-
tivated education, and distinguished for his literary conver-
sation. His dress was remarkably grave, with blue stock-
ings; and as he frequented the most fashionable circles of
literary ladies of his time, it was common to observe on his
absence, " we have wanted the blue stockings this even-
ing," to denote a dulness in the party ; from which cir-
cumstance blue slockhis was converted into a term to cha- "
racterise any lady who was supposed to belong to th(jse
parties.

PENTANDRIA. 11 f

judicial. This plant, common in every gar- digynia.-
den, so much resembles parsley, that it is '^^'''^ P'^tiih.
easily taken for it; and cases have occurred
where the most dangerous consequences have
been the result of this ignorance: while com-
mon parsley, Apiiim petroseUnum, is a grate-
ful herb, Fools parsley is highly poisonous.
Although these plants have a general resem-
blance, yet they are to be distinguished from
each other by a very little knowledge and
attention. The colour of the leaves of the
common parsley are of a yellowish green, and
when bruised in the hand have a strong but
not disagreeable scent: those of the fools
parsley are of a very dark green, much more,
finely divided, and when bruised have very
little scent. But one character which dis-
tinguishes this herb, not only from Parsley,
but from all other umbelliferous plants, is,
three long narrow pendulous leaflets, which
compose its partial involucrum, and Avhich
grow from the base of each of the small um-
bels: to shew this fact, the figure of the plant
is introduced, that it might be clearly under-
stood. It blossoms in July and August.

Of this order is the Ferula Asa fiTCiida^
from which the Gum Asa fostida is extracted.

Plants of this kind of inflorescence, which

118 PENTANDRIA.

DiGYNiA, by botanists is called 3imimbel, are apt to be
Two pist ilia, poisonous wlicn their native situation is wet
or marshy ; but, on the contrary, if they grow
naturally in a dry soil, they are more often
aromatic and wholesome, as parsley, cara-
way, &c.

CRITHMUM MARITIMUM.

Sea Samphire.

Gen. Ch. Im'olucra, general and partial. Fruit, oval, com-
pressed, striated. Flowers, regular. Calyx,
entire.

Sp. Ch. Leaflets, lanceolate, fleshy.

The native place of this plant is in chalky
cliffs: it grows plentifully on the cliffs at
Dover. In the time of Shakspeare it was
o-athered there at the imminent hazard of
the lives of those who employed themselves
in that occupation.

" Halfway down

Hangs one that gathers Samphire ; dreadful trade !"

King Lear, Act 4- 5c. 6.

It is used as a j)ickle, and has a strong
aromatic flavour; but the almost tasteless
SalicornicL Class I. alrcadv mentioned, is now
generally used in its stead, being more easily
obtained; and when cut into pieces, it suf-
ficiently resembles the Crithmiim in appear-
ance to be mistaken for it.

PENTAXDRIA.

119

GENTIANA VERNA.

Spring Gentian.

Gen. Ch. Corolla, of one petal. Capsula, superior, I-
celled, 2-valved, with 2 longitudinal recep-
tacula.

Sp, Ch. Corolla, 5-cIeft, salver-shaped, crenate ; seg-
ments toothed at tlieir base. Leaves, clus-
tered, ovate.

This plant is found in Teesdale forest, in
the county of Durham, in great plenty; but,
I believe, it has not been found in any other
part of the kingdom. It blossoms in April,
and its root is perennial. The flower is of a
vivid blue colour.

DIGYNIA.

Two PistilJa.

STAPELIA HIRSUTA.

llairt/ Stapelia.

Gen, Ch. Contorted. i\^i?c/a7-iMw, a double little star cover-
ing the genitals.

Sp, Ch, BraJiches, ascending, 4-corucred, flowering at
the base, peduncles, round, the length of the
corolla, which is villose at bottom, with the
segments ovate, sharpish and villose at the
edge.

This plant is a native of Africa, and prin-
cipally found at the Cape of Good Hope. —

This flower is remarkable for emitting a
scent like putrid animal matter; and when

DIGYNIA.
Two Pjstilla.

120 PENTANDRIA,

DiGYNiA. full blown is SO powerfully cadaverous, as to
TwoPistiiia. allure the common Blow-Fly, the Musca vo-
rnitoria of Linnseus,'' to deposit its eggs on
the flower, where they are hatched, and the
young larvae, for want of proper nutriment,
commonly perish.

The Phallus impudicus, when it begins to
decay, emits an odour intolerably foetid, and
furnishes a pabulum for the Blow fly; and
thus nature, in these instances, almost seems
to have deceived herself.

This genus was named Stapelia in honour
of Bodeus a Stapel, the commentator of Theo-
phrastus.

British Plants of this Order.

Botanical Generic Names. Common Names.

1 ^GOPODiUM 1 Gout-weed

4 tEthusa 1 Fool's Parsley

3 Anethum 1 Dill

6 Angelica 2 Angelica

2 Apium 1 Parsley

10 Athamanta 1 Spignel

4 Beta 1 Beet

2 BuNiuM 2 Earth-nut

19 BupLEURUM 3 Hare's-ear

1 Carum 1 Caraway

9 Caucalis 5 Bastard Parsley

10 Ch^rophyllum 3 Cow-Parsley

23 Chenopodium 13 Goosefoot

3 Cicuta 1 Wateisi Hemlock

* Musca carnaria of Dr. Shaw, Vol. VI. part ii. p. 383.

FENTANDUIA.

Botanical Generic Names. Common Names.

5 CoNiUM 1 Hemlock

2 coriandkum 1 coriander

3 Crithmum 1 Samphire

4 CuscuTA 2 Dodder

7 Daucus 2 Carrot

2 EcHiNOPHORA 1 Sea Parsnep

11 Eryngium 2 Er\ngo

53 Gentiana 6 Gentian

6 HeRACLEUM 3 COW-PARSNEP

4 Herniaria 2 Rupture-wort

15 Hydrocotyle 1 Pennt-wort .

1 Imperatoria 1 Master-wort

8 Ligusticum. . , 2 Lovage

1 Meum 1 Meu

11 CEnanthe 4 Water-Dropwort

3 Pastinaca 1 Parsnep

11 Peucedanum 2 Sulphur-wort

2 Phellandrium . 1 Phillandrum

9 Pimpinella 3 Burnet-saxifrage

3L Salsola 2 Saltwort

3 Sanicula 1 Sanicle

11 Scandix 4 Chervil

g Selinum 1 Wild milky Parsley

7 SisoN 2 Hone-wort

19 SiUM 5 Water Parsnep

7 Smyrnium 1 Alexanders

6 Swertia 1 Swertia

7 Tortylium •. . 2 Hart-wort

121

DIGYN[A,

Two Pistilla.

British Species Jigured in Sowerhy^s English Botani/.

Aegopodium, p-JlO. Aethusa, 1 192. Anethum, 1208.

Angelica, 1128. Apmm, 1210. Athamanla, 138.
^£eia,285. Bunium, g88. BupleHrum, gg, 478, 2468.

Cdrum, 1503. Caucalis, igj , I9B, ()87, 1314, I99.

Chaerophyllum, 752, 1521, 2103. Chenopodium, 1033,
•717, 1721, 1722, 1919, 1723, 1724, 1454, 1034,

USO, 633, 1481, 2247. Cicuta, 479. Coritum, II91.

122

DIGYNIA.
Two Pistilla.

PENTANDRIA.

Coriandrum, 67. Critkmum, 8I9. Ciismta, 3ys,55,
Daucus, 11/4, 2560. Echinophdra, 2413. Eryvgium,
71 8, 57. Gentiana, 20, 493, 896, 236, 237, 1594.
Heracleum, 939. Hemiaria, 200, 13/9. Hydroco-
tyle, 227, Imperaloria, 1380. Ligusttaim, 1207, 683.
Mtum,22Ag. OtTHln the, 363,347,348,2313. Pasti-
naca, 556. Peucedimum; 1767, 2142. Phellanduiiw,
684. Pimpinella, \20g. Salsola, 634, 635. Sani-
aila, 98. Scandir, 6Q7, 1397, 818, 1268. Sellnuw,
229. Sison, 954, 228. 5JtWMz, 204, 139, 639, 1431,
395. Smyriiium, 230. Swertta, 1441. Tordylium,
2440, 1173.

ORDER III.

TRiGYNiA. PASS] FLORA C^RULEA.

Thre€ Pistilla. Blue PassioTi Flowcr,

Gen. Ch. Cnlyx, 5-Ieaved. Petals, 5. Nectarium, a ra-
diated crown. Berry, pedicellala.
Sr. Ch. Leaves, palmate, entire.

Of this genus there are thirty-seven dif-
ferent species. This is the common Blue
Passion-Flower, which in a few years may
he trained up to more than forty feet higli,
and the stem will grow to a very consider-
able size. It grows naturally in Brazil, and
is hardy enough to thrive here in the open
air, and is now become the most common
species in England.

This beautiful Genus was unknown till
the discovery of America, and the ditlerent

PENTANDRIA. J23

species are chiefly found in South America trigynia.
and the Islands. It has its name from a fan- ThreTpistuu.
ciful resemblance of the different parts of the
flower to the Passion of Christ. The Jesuits,
who went as missionaries to South America,
thought they discovered in the three pistilla
the representation of the three nails with
which our Saviour Avas nailed to the cross;
the five stamina, the five wounds; and in the
radiant purple nectary, the representation of
the rays that might be supposed to have sur-
rounded his head when he expired on the
cross.

Don Martin de la Barco, in his historical
poem on America, has given this account of
it : " Who is not astonished at the flower of
the Granada, or Granadilla of the Indies, and
the mysteries it encloses! Is it not wonder-
ful to see the twelve Apostles and the crown
of a golden green, and the three nails of a
rusty iron colour, so exact to nature and
to life? While I am recording these facts, I
stand amazed." ^

» La flor de la Granada, 6 Granadina
De Indias, i misterios encerrados,
A quien no causara gran maravilla,
Figuranse los doce consagrados 5
De una color verde, i aniarilla.
La Corona^ i los Clavos tres morados.

12-1 PENTANDRIA.

TRiGYNiA, CORRIGIOLA LITTORALIS.

Three Pistiila. ^and Strap-woit.

Gen. Ch. Calyx, inferior, of 5 leaves. Petah, 5. Seed,
1, naked, obtusely S-cornered.

This plant is not common, having been
hitherto only found on Slapham sands, near
Dartmouth, Devonshire, and on the beach
near the tin-mine at Helston, Cornwall. It
blossoms in July and August.

TRiGYNiA. VIBURNUM LANTANA.

Three Pistiila. Wai/-farwg Tree.

Gen. Ch. Calyx, superior, of 5 leaves. Corolla, in 5 seg-
ments. Berry, with 1 seed.

Sr. Ch. Leaves, heart-shaped, serrated, veiny, downy
beneath.

This is a thickly-branched shrub, or small
tree, growing to a considerable size in the
north of England. It is found wild in the
woods and hedges in most parts of England,
and blossoms in May.

Tan natural estan, i casi al vivo.
Que Yo me admiro agora, que lo escrivo.
Argento, 0, Rio de la Plata, Canto III. p. Q.

Don Martin de la Barco went out to America in the
expedition with Zarate, 1572.

PENTANDRIA. 125

SAMBUCUS EBULUS. trigynia.

Duarf Elder. Three P^tilk.

Gen. Ch. Calyx, in 5 segmen[.s. Corolla, 5-c\e{t. Berry,

with 3 seeds.
Sp. Ch. Cymes, with three principal branches. Stipula,

leafy. Stem, herbaceous.

This plant is not very common; but
where it grows it is difficult to eradicate, as
its roots are creeping, and spread far.

This dwarf species differs from the com-
mon Elder-tree, Sambucus nigi^a, by being
purely herbaceous, dying down to the ground
every year, but its root is perennial. The
berries give out a violet colour, and are some-
times used by dyers. The green leaves are
said to drive away mice from granaries ; and
the Silesians strew them where their pigs lie,
under a persuasion that they prevent some
of the diseases to which they are liable. It
blossoms in July.

Virgil, in his tenth Eclogue, is thought
to refer to this species, where he makes Pan
stain his face with vermilion or red-lead and
the juice of Elder-berries, when he goes to
console G alius for the infidelity of Lycoris.
" Pan the God of Arcadia came; whom we
ourselves saw stained with vermilion and the
blood-red berries of the Elder."

Pan deus Arcadiae venit: quern vidimus ipsi
Sanguineis ebuli baccis minioque rubentem.

125

TRIGYNIA.

Three Piicilla,

PExXTANDUlA.
British Plants of this Order.

Botanical Generic Names. Common Names.

1 CoRRIGIOLA 1 StRAP-AVORT

5 Sambucus 2 Elder

3 Staphylea 1 Bladder-nut

4 Tamarix* 1 Tamarisk

23 Viburnum 2 Viburnum

British Species figured in Sowerbi/'s English Botany,

Corrigio/a, 663. Sambucus, 475, 476. Staphylea, 1560.
Tamarix, 1318. Fdurnum, 331, 332.

One species of this Genus, Tczmarix germa/iica, has ten stamina.

TETRAGY-
NIA.

Four Pistilla.

ORDER IF.

PARNASSIA PALUSTRIS.
Gi'ass of Parnassus.

Gen. Ch. Calyx, 5-cleft. Petals, 5. Nectaria, 5, heart-
shaped, fringed with bristles, terminated by
little balls. Capsula, with 4 valves.

Of this Geiuis there are only two spe-
cies; and this species is the only English
plant of this Order. It is a native of most
parts of Europe, by the side of bogs and
moors, and in wet meadows. It produces
milk-white flowers in August and Septem-
ber. The petals are veined with pellucid
lines; and that part of the floAvcr which is

PENTANDRIA.

called the nectarium, is set round with nu-
merous yellow glands, supported on foot-
stalks, and is peculiarly constructed.

Sowerhys English Botariy, 62.

127

ORDER V.

LINUM USITATISSIMUM.

Common Flax.

Gbn. Ch. Calyx, 5 leaved. Petals, 5. Capsula, superior,
with 10 valves and 10 cells. Seeds, solitary.

Sp. Ch. Calyx-leaves, ovate, acute, 3-nerved. Petals,
crenate Leaves, lanceolate, alternate. Sta/i,
mostly solitary.

Flax blossoms in June and July; whe-
ther it be a native of England or not, is
doubtful.

Flax appears to have been cultivated as
early as we have any historical knowledge;
it is mentioned in the Old Testament as cul-
tivated in Egypt." It is a tall, slender, annual
plant, with a beautifid blue flower. When it
is ripe, it is pulled up by the roots by hand,
and laid in water to soak till it besrins to rot:
it is then taken out, spread in the air to dry,
and is fit for the operation of breaking, &c. ;
after which it is spun, and by the loom made

* Exodus ix. 31.

PENTAGY-
NIA.

Five PistilU,

Five Pistilla

'4-S PEXTANDRIA,

PENTAGY- into cloth, fiom the coarsest sheetina: to the

NIA, o

finest cambrick.'' From this plant thread is
made so fine, to be afterwards manufactured
into lace, as to be nearly worth its weight in
gold. Thus, by industry and ingenuity, a
simple vegetable is converted to one of the
most ornamental and expensive luxuries of
dress.

Flax not only supplies us with that cloth
called linen, a word derived from Linum, the
classical name of the plant, but the seeds fur-
nish an oil, called linseed oil, of great im-
portance in painting and varnishing; and
after the oil is expressed from them, the re-
fuse, called oil-cake, is applied to the fatten-
ing of cattle, a food profitable to the farmer,
but injurious to the quality of the meat.

'' In the simplicity of former times, when families in
this island provided within themselves most of the neces-
saries and conveniences of life, every garden supplied a
proper quantity of hemp and flax for domestic use. The
necessary preparation of sleeping it in water, previous to
dressing it, was so . ofiensive and detrimental, that in the
reign of Henry VIII. a law was made to prevent any per-
son from watering Hemp or Flax in any stream, river, or
common pond, where beasts were accustomed to drink, on
pain of forfeiting, for every time, twenty shillings j and
this law is still in force ^ yet it is often infringed, as flax
steeped in running water is always of a wliiter colour and
much softer, and is said to be stronger and more durable
than that which has been steeped in pits, or pools, or stag-
nant water.

PENTANDRIA.

U9

STATICE ARMERIA.

Common Thrift.

Gen. Ch, Calyx, of 1 leaf, entire, plaited, filmy. Petals,

5. Seed, single.
Sp. Ch. Sta/k, simple, bearing a round head of flowers.

Leaves, linear.

This plant is found in a wild state both
on the sea-sh' re and upon the summits of the
highest mountains : it is common in Eng-
land, Wales, and Scotland, in both situations,
and even where copper-mines have rendered
the surface of the earth sterile, this plant
is seen to blossom alone. Its habit, as Dr.
i*mith observes, seems to be of a very ac-
commodating nature, for it grows equally
well in any garden ; even in the smoke of
London. It blossoms about Julv and Auirust.

PENTAGY-

NIA.

Five Pistilla.

SIBBALDIA PROCUMBENS.

J^rocumhent Sibbaldia.

Gen. Ch. Calyr, in 10 segments. Petals, 5, standing on
the calyx. Styles, from the sides of the ger-
nicn. Seeds, 5, in the bottom of the calyx.

Sp. Ch. Leaflets, wedge-shaped, 3-toothed.

Tins plant is named in honour of Sir
Robert Sibbald, who first described and fi-

PENTAGY-

NIA.

Five Pistilla,

Five Pistilla,

130 PENTANDRIA.

PENTAGY- o-ured it in his Scotia Illustrata, published
1684. It l)lossoms throughout July. It is
found on ti'c summits of the hiohland moun-
tains, and tlirivcs tljerc in a mouldering mi-
caceous soil. It has been gathered on Ben
Lomond. Linnaeus saw this plant for the
first time July 6, 1732, when traversing the
Lapland Alps, and in his journal, written at
the time, he thus describes it, " Leaves ter-
nate, abrupt and three-toothed at their ex-
tremities. The calyx is of one leaf, very large,
in ten segments, the five alternate ones of
which are smallest, as in the strawberry tribe.
Petals, five, ovate, yellow, shorter, than the
calyx, and inserted betwixt its segments.
The five stamina also proceed from the ca-
lyx. Pistilla from five to ten, capitate at
their summits, afi^ixed laterally to the middle
of the seeds, as in Akhemilla''

British Plants of this Order.

Botanical Generic Names. Common Names.

25 LiNUM . . . , 4 Flax

3 SlBBALDIA 1 SiBUALDIA.

39 Statice 3 Thrift

British Species fi<furecl in Sowerhys English Botany.

Ltimm, \357, 40, 381, 282. SiblaldU, 897. Slaitce,
226, 102, 328.

PENTANDRIA. 131

ORDER FL KEXAGY-

NIA.

DROSERA ANGLICA. Six Pistiiia.

Great Sun-dew.

Gem. Ch. Cfl/y.r, 5-cleft. Petals, 5. Capsula, superior,

of 1 cell, with 3 valves. Seeds, many.
Ps. Ch. Leaves, oblong, obtuse, radical^ erect. Styles,

8. Capsular, with 4 valves.

Of this genus Professor Martvn enume-
rates nine species, three of which are of Eng-
lish growth. These plants are of a small size
and singular structure. The leaves of most
of the species, next the root, are furnished
with gland ulous hairs on the upper surface,
and fringed round the edge; these hairs have
each a small globule of pellucid liquor like
dew, continuing even in the hottest part of
the day, and in the fullest exposure to the
sun; hence the English name 6'im-^er£;. This
species is found wild in Norfolk, and is com-
mon in some other counties. This is the only
English Genus of this Order.

Of this Genus there are three British species figured in
Sou-erly's English Botany, 86/, 86S, SOg,

m2

1;32 PENTANDRIA.

ORDER VII.

POLYGYNIA MVOSURUS MINIMUS.

^^"y ^"""'- Mouse-tail.

Gen. Ch. Calyx, of 5 leaves, each with a spur at the base.
Petals, 5, with a tubular claw. Seeds, nunierous.

This plant is a native of gravelly corn-
fields, not iinfrequent about London. The
flowers are extremely small, and are succeed-
ed by long slender spikes of seeds resembling
the tail of a mouse, whence it has its name.
The plant varies extremely in size, accord-
ing to the luxuriance of the soil. It blos-
soms early in the summer, after which it
soon ripens and sheds its seeds, and then wi-
thers. This is the only English Genus of
this Order, of which there is only this one
species.

Dr. Smith observes, that this plant is a
remarkable instance of few stamina (though
they often exceed five), to a multitude of
pistilla.

Figured in Sowerliy's English Botavy, 435.

PENTANDRIA. 135

T/ie different British Genera in this Class described
bi/ their Generic Characters, taken from the screen
parts of friutijicntion, agreeably to the principles
of the Linnaan System.

RHAMNUS. MONOGY-

NIA.

Calyx. Five-leaved. One PistiUum.

Corolla. Petni, 1, funnel-shaped, closed at the base,
rough outwardly, but coloured wis bin. Tule, turban-
shaped, cylindrical. Border, expanding, divided, acute.
Scales, 5, very small, 1 at the base of each division of
the corolla, approaching inwards.

Stamina. Fdutnents, as many as the segments of the
corolla, awl-shaped, growing upon the corolla under the
scales Antiieres, small.

PisTiLLUM. Gerinen, roundish. Style, thread-shaped, as
long as tne stamina. Stigma, blunt, divided into fewer
segments than the corolla.

Pericarpium. Berry, roundish, naked, divided into fewer
cells than the corolla has sesfments.

Seeds. Solitary, roundish, bulging on one side, compres-
sed on the other.

AZALEA.

Calyx. Perianlhium, with 5 divisions, acute, erect, small,

coloured, permanent.
Corolla. Petal, \, bell-shaped, with 5 shallow clefts.

Segments, with the edges bent inwards-
Stamina. Filaments, 5, thread-shaped, growing on the

receptaculum, loose. Antherts, simple.
PisTiLLUM. Germeyi, roundish. Style, thread-shaped, as

long as the corolla, permanent. Stigma, blunt.

IS-i PINTANDRIA.

Pericarpium. Capsula, roundish, with 5 cells and 5

valves.
Seeds. Many, roundish.

*^* The corolla in some species is funnel-shaped. In
some, the stamina are very long, and declining.

MONOGY- SOLANUM.

NIA.

One Pistillum. Calyx. Perimithiiirn, 1 leaf, with 5 shallow clefts, erect,

acute, permanent.
Corolla. Petal, 1, wheel-shaped. Tule, very short.

Border, large, plaited, with 5 shallow clefts, turned back

and flat.
Stamina. Filaments, 5, awl-shaped, very small. Anthe-

rce, oblong, approaching, a little united, with 2 open

pores at the end.
PisTiLLiM, Germen, roundish. Style, thread- shaped,

lontjer than the stamina. Stis.mn, blunt.

O V... '

Pericarpium. Berry, roundish, glossy, ^vith a hollow dot
at the end, and 2 cells. Receptaculum, convex on both
sides, fleshy.

Seeds. Several, roundish, dispersed among pulp.

MONOGY- -ArROPA.

NIA.

One PistiJlum. Calyx. Periarjhiuw, 1 leaf, permanent, with 5 divisions,
bulging.

Segmcni<;, acute.

Corolla. Pdal, !, bell-shaped. Tw/'c, very short. Bor-
der, inflated, egg-shaped, longer than the perianthium.
Moutk, small, with 5 clefts open. Segments, nearly
equal.

Stamina. Filaments, 5, avvl-shapcd, fixed to the base of,
and as long as the corolla, approaching at the base, but
bowed outwards, and diverging towards the top. An-
thcree, rather thick, rising.

Pistillum. Gcrvien, half egg-shaped. Style, thread-

PENTANDRIA.

13 1

shaped, leaniiio- as long as the stamina. Stigma, knob- MONOOV-

bed, transversely oblong, rising. ;_

Pericarpium. Berry, of 2 cells, globular, sitting upon One Pi»tiiliim

the perianthium, which enlarges. Receptaculum, fleshy,

kidney-shaped, convex on both sides.
Seeds. Numerous, kidney-shaped.

VIOLA.

Calyx. Perumtluum, 5-leaved, short, permanent. LeaJ-
lets, cfTg-oblong, rather acute at the end, blunt at t!ie
base, fixed above the base, equal, but variously disposed,
2, support the upper petals, 2, the tv^-o lateral petals,
and J , supports the two lower petals.

Corolla. Petals, 5, irregular, unequal, the upper, straight,
facing downwards, broader and blunter than the rest,
notched at the end, terminating at the base in a blunt
horn-like Nedarlum, projecting between the leaves of
the calyx.

Lateral Petals, 2, opposite, blunt, straight.
Lower Petals, 2, larger, reflected upwards.

Stamina FUanuvit^, 5, very small, the 2 near the upper-
most petal furnished with little appendages, which nter
the iiectarium. Antherce, generally united, biuiil, \vi;h
membranes at the end.

PisTiLLUM. Germeri, roundish, superior. Style, thread-
shaped, projecting beyond the anlherae. Stigma, oblique.

Pericarpium. Capsula, egg-shaped, 3-edged, blunt, with
1 cell and 3 valves.

Seeds. Many, egg-shaped, furnished with appendages,
flxed to the valves. Jieceptaculum, narrow, running like
a line along each valve.

*^* In some species of this Genus the stigma is a sim-
ple reflected hook^ in others^ a little concave knob, perfo-
rated at the end.

MONOGY.

NIA.

One Piscilium

135

PENTANDUIA.

DIGYNTA.
Two Pistiila.

CICUTA.

Calyx. l7mZe/, roundish, with many equal spokes. Rund-
Icts, roundish, with many equal, bristle-shaped spokes.

General Involucrum, nouej partial, many leaves}
leaflets, like bristles, short.
Calyx, scarcely evident.

CoROi L\, general. Uniform. Florets, all fertile.

Individuals, petals, 5, eog-sha[)ed, nearly equal, bent
inwards.

Stamina. Filaments, 5, hair-hke, longer than the petals.
Anthercs, simple.

PisTiLLA. Geiinen, beneath. Styles, 1, thread shaped,
longer than the petals, permanent. Stigmata, knob-
like.

Pericarpium. None. Fruit, nearly egg-shaped, furrow-
ed, divisible into 2.

Skeds. Two, .somewhat egg-shaped, convex and scored
on one side, fiat on the other.

DIGYNIA.

Two Pis:il a.

.ETHUSA.

Calyx. Umlel, expanding, the inner spokes gradually
' shorter, those in the centre shortest of all. Umlelluloe,
small, expanding.

General Involucrum , nonej partial, going half-way
' round, upon the outer side, leaflets, 3 or 5, trap-shaped,
very long, pendent.

Calyx, hardly perceptible.
Corolla, general. Nearly uniform. Florets, all fertile.
Individuals, petals, 5, unequal, heart-shaped, bent
mwards.
Stamina. Filatnents, 5, simple. Anlhercv, roundish.
PiSTiLLA. Germen, beneath. Styles, 2, reflected. Stig-
mata, blunt,
Pericarpium. None. F/7^i/, roundish-egg-shaped, scored,
divisible into 2.

PENTANDRIA.

137

Seeds. Two, roundish, scored j on the other side, which
is about a third part, flat.

CRITOMUM.

DIGYNIA.

Calyx. L-mi-e/, of many spokes, hemispherical. Umbel- Two PistiUa.

lulcs, the same.

General Involucrum, many leaves ; leaflets, speai-- -
shaped, blunt, reflected.

Partial Involucrmn, spear-strap-shaped, as long as the
umbellula,

Perianthium, hardly perceptible.
Corolla. General, uniform. Florets, all fertile.

Individual, petals, 5, egg-shaped, bent inwards,
neaily equal.
Stamina. Filaments, 5, simple, longer than the petals.

Arithera, roundish.
PiSTiLLUM. Germen, beneath. Styles, 2, reflected. Stig-

mata, blunt.
Pericarpium. None. Fruit, oval, compressed, divisible

into 2.
Seeds. Two, oval, compressed and flattish, scored on one
side.

GENTIANA.

Calyx. FfriV/n/Zzmm, with 5 divisions, acute, permanent.
Segments, oblong.

Corolla. One petal, tubular below. Tube, closed, with
5 clefts upwards, flat, shrivelling, and variously shaped.

Stamina. Filaments, 5, awl-shaped, shorter than the co-
rolla. Anther^e, simple.

PisTiLLA. Germen, oblong, cylindrical, as long as the sta-
mina. Styles, none. Stigmata, 1, egg-shaped.

Pericarpium. Capsula, oblong, cylindrical, tapering,
slightly cloven at the end, of 1 cell, and 2 valves.

Seeds. Numerous, small, fixed to the sides of the capsula
on every part.

DIGYNIA.

Two Pistilla.

138

PEXTANDRIA.

DIGYNIA.

Two PistiUa.

*^* The figiu^e of the fruit is constant, but the flowers
vary in ditferent species, both as to the number and shape
of the parts. In one species, the throat of the corolla is
openj in anothei' it is closed with soft hairs. In some, the
segments of the corolla are fringed, in others, the border is
bell-shaped, erect, and plaited. Some have a starry appear-
ance, with small segments betwixt the larger ; others are
funnel-shaped, &c. Linn. — In Gentiana campestris the
corolla has only 4 clefts.

TRIGYNIA.

Tliree Pistilla.

TRIGYNIA.

Tiuee PistiUa.

CORRIGIOLA.

Calyx. Perianthiuvi, permanent, about the size of the
corolla, of 5 leaves. Leaflets, egg-shaped, concave, ex-
panding, membranaceous at the edge.

Corolla. Petals, 5, egg-shaped, expanding, scarcely
larger than the perianthium.

Stamina. Filaments, 5, awl -shaped, small. Antherce,
simple.

Pjstilla, Gennev, egg-shaped, 3-cornered. Style, none.
Stigmata, 3, bkmt.

Pekicarpium. a dry berry, egg-shaped, but somewhat
3-cornered, within the closed perianthium.

Seed. Single, roundish, but with 3 fiirrows, connected
by a thread, wdiich rises from the bottom of the pericar-
pium.

VIBURNUM.

Calyx. Perianthium, with 5 divisions, superior, very
small, permanent.

Corolla. Petal, 1, bell-shaped, with 5 clefts. Seg-
ments, blunt, reflected.

Stamina. Filaments, 5, awl-shaped, as long as the co-
rolla. Anthers, roundish.

Pistilla. Germen, beneath, roundish. Style, none, but
instead, a turban-shaped gland. Stigmata, 3.

Pericarpium. .Bi'my, roundish, of 1 cell.

Seed. Single^ roundish^ hard as bone.

PENTANDRIA. 139

SAMBUCUS. TRIGYNIA.

Three Pistilla.
Calyx. Perianthium, superior, of 1 leaf, veiy small, with

5 divisions, permanent.

CoaoLLA. Petal, \, wheel-shaped, but concave, with

5 clefts, blunt. Segments, reflected. ,

Stamina. Filaments, 5, awl-shaped, as long as the co-
rolla, Antherce, roundish.

Pistilla. Germen, beneath, egg-shaped, blunt. Style,
none, but instead, an inflated gland. Stigmata, 3,
blunt.

Pericarpium. Berry, roundish, of 1 cell.

Seeds. Three, convex on one side, angiilar on the other.

PA RN ASS I A. TETRAGY-

NIA.

Calyx. Perianthium, with 5 divisions, permanent. Seg-
ments, oblong, expanding.

Corolla. Petals, 5, nearly circular, scored, concave, ex-
panding.

Nectaria, 5, each being a concave heart-shaped sub-
stance, furnished with 13 rays set along the edge, gra-
dually taller, and each terminated by a little globe (or
with 3 divisions, rays equal, each bearing a globule).

Stamina. Filaments, 5, awl shaped. Antliero', depress-
ed, fixed sideways to the filaments.

Pistilla. Germen, egg-shaped, large. Style, none,
but instead thereof an open hole. Stigmata, 4, blunt,
permanent, growing larger as the seed ripens.

Pekicakfium. Capsula, egg-shaped, but with 4 angles,
1 cell, and 4 valves. Receptacidum, in 4 parts, growing
to the valves.

Seeds. Numerous, oblong.

Four Pistilla.

*^e.* The nectarium gives the essential character.

]40 FENTANDRIA.

PENTAGY.
NIA.

Five Pisii.la.

LI NUM.

Calyx. Pcrinnthium, 5 leaves, small, spear-shaped, erect,
permanent.

CoKOLLA. Funnel -.shaped. Petals. 5, oblong, large, blunt,
gradually expanding more, and growing broader upvards.

St..^mina. Filaments, 5, av>i-hhapc-d, eiect, as long as the
perianthium (alternating with these are the rudiments of
5 more). Antherae, simple, arrow-shaped.

PisTiLLA. Gt riven, egg-shaped. Styles, 5, tliread-shaped,
erect, as long as the stamina. Stigmata, simple, re-
flected.

Pericarpium. Capsula, globular, with 5 imperfect angles,
10 cells, and 10 vaKeS; opening at the top. Partitions,
membranaceous, very thin, connecting the valves.

Seeds. Solitary, egg-shaped, but flatted, tapering to a
point, glossy.

* :/.* In many species (perhaps in all?) the filaments
are united at the base. In the Linum radiola there are
only 4 stamina, 4 pistilla, &c.

PENTAGY. STATICE.

NIA.

Five Pistilla. Calyx. Common Perianthium, diflerent in different spe-
cies. Profier Perianthium, 1 \eaf, funnel-shaped. Tube,
narrow. Border, entire, plaited, skinny.

Corolla. Funnel-shaped. Petals, 5, united, and nar-
rower at the base, broader upwards, obtuse, expanding.

Stamina. Filaments, 5, awl-shaped, shorter than the
corolla, fixed to the claws of the petals. Antherte, fixed
sideways to the filaments.

Pistilla. Germen, extremely small. Styles, 5, thread-
shaped, distant. Stigmata, acute.

Pericarpium. Capsula, oblong, rather cylindrical, mem-
branaceous, with 5 sharp points, I cell, without valves,
enclosed .in the shrivelled corolla, and that again in tlie
closed cup.

PENTANDRIA.
Seed. Single, oblong, hanging to a long thread,

*^* The Statice armeria has its flowers in a roundish
head, enclosed by a triple common calyx. In the Statice
liinonium they are disposed in an oblong form, with an im-
bricated common calyx.

141

SIBBALDIA.

PENTAGY-

NIA

Calyx. Peiianthium, 1 leaf, with 10 shallow clefts, Fwe Pistilla,
erect at the base, permanent. Segments, alternately
narrower, half spear-shaped, equal, expanding.

Corolla. Petals, 5, egg-shaped, standing on the peri-
antliium.

Stamina. Filaments, 5, hair-like, shorter than the pe-
tals, sianding on the pericuithium. Anthers, small,
obtuse.

Pistilla. Germ en, 5, egg-shaped, veiy short. Styles,
as long as the stamina, and standing upon the sides of the
germina. Stigmata, somewhat globular.

Prricarpium. None. The perianthium closes upon the
seeds.

Seeds. Five, longish.

*^* The pistilla sometimes, though very rarely, are
found 10 in number, though other flowers on the same
plant have only 5. Linn.

DROSERA.

Calyx. Perianthium, 1 leaf, with 5 clefts, acute, erect,

permanent.
Corolla. Funnel shaped. Petals, 5, nearly egg-shaped,

blunt, somewhat larger than the perianthium.

Stamina. Filaments, 5, awl-shaped, as lonf as the peri-
anthium. Antherts, small.

Pistilla. Gerwew, roundish. Styles, 5, sim^lo., as long
as the stamina. Stigmata, simple.

HEXAGY-

NIA.

£ix P.sulla,

142 P.ENTANDRIA.

Pericarpium. Capsula, nearly egg-shaped, of 1 cell,

with 3 or 5 valves at the top.
Seeds. Numerous, very small, nearly egg-shaped, rough,

*^* Drosera rotundifolia, and Drosera longifolia, have
6, and Drosera ang/ica has sometimes 8 pistilla.

POLYGYNIA MYOSURUS.

Many Pistilla.

Calyx. Perianthium, 5 leaves ; leaflets, half spear-shap ■
ed, blunt, reflected, coloured, deciduous, joined together
above the base.

Corolla. Petals, 5, very small, shorter than the calyx,
tubular at the base, opening obliquely inwards.

Stamina. Filaments, 5 (or more), as long as the peri-
anthium. Anthcrce, oblong, erect.

Pistilla. Germina, numerous, sitting upon the recepta-
culum, forming an oblong cone. Styles, none. Stig-
mata, simple.

Pericarpium. None, Receptaculuvt, very long, shaped
like a style covered by the seeds, which are laid one over
another, like tiles.

Seeds. Numerous, oblong, tapering to a point.

*^t* The number of stamina are very variable. This
genus is nearly related to the Ranunculus.

MONOGTnsriA
OBJ>ER L

ILOTIJS

V

is

MJHAMKIL^S ILOTUS

iszz:

MOIifOGYNIA

A^AJLEA FO^TI'CA

MONO GYNTI A

WI C OTIAKA T A B ACITM

MONOffiTSriA

£astem Coffee-tree

COFIFEA AMABirCA

T

MOISrOGYNIA

Woody Mu/fitskade

SOIANUM BUILCAMAmA

1

]PE :K'TA.WI:)]K.I A

MOKOCt-SHSTIA.

3eadlv Higktshade

ATM.OFA BIEILILA^DOETKA

V

FEK'TAKBRIA

MOlSrOGYNIA

Zove-m- idlen£/i

TIOILA TRICOLOR

4.

DIGYNIA.

CLASS V

ORDEK, 2

WATER HEMLOCK

rirUrOuU..^

\\Uli( /M:'; ill//^''

CICUTA V1ROS5A

j\.r^j^fi

DIG^STSriA

^THUSA CYIfAIPIHIM

DIGYNIA

Sea, orHodc Sajrvp-ir&

CRITHMUM MAIRITIMUM

Spnii.'y • ' ^nluiJi

C:V iK. >:TIA"X .5^ V ]B ]RIsr A

DIGYNIA

(Mmon. -flo wer

STAjPJEOA hirsfta

FEI^TA:^Ii)]RIA

TRIGYNIA

CLASS V

ORDER 3

i:

BILFIE FA.^SIOW FLOWER

Vl

JvJ

FASSIFILOMA C^.RITLEA

KMWM^H^MIKE

^^-X-^J^'

B

TRICtYNIA

Way- forma Tree

VIBF]R:K'I7M ]LA]?fTA^A

Y

3

^'-^

SAMBrCTS

TETRAG-YNIA

CLASS V

ORDER 4

CtMASS of FAIRRASSITS

F^^^M^ASSIA FAI.USTEIS

^3^^S~

^x.r\^^

PENTAGYNIA

CLASS V

OliDER 5

FJLAX

VI

ILIWUM ^TgiTATISSIIVIITM

^-^^^-^A

PENTA-GYlSriA

Tknft

:STATICE AK.MEM.IA

^Prvaimient Sihbaldico

S IBB ALDI A TR O CFMB E S' S

s

HEXA-GYJsriA

CLASS V

ORDER 6

GREAT SUH^BIEW

M

BMO SERA AI>«^ GJLI C A

'y'sy'V^'syV

^^r./\j<

POtYGYNIA.

CLASS V

ORDER 7

^

MOI[JSE«TAIIL

1/

/i

^

MYO SURFS MINIMUS

^^-^1^1 '

II E X A N D R I A,

CLASS VL

SIX STAMINA.

THIS CLASS HAS SIX ORDEK6.

ORDER 1.

BERBERIS VULGARIS.

Common Sar berry-tree.

GiiN. Ch. Calyx, 6-leaved. Petals, Q, with two glands at
their base. Style, none. Berry, with 2 seeds.

Sp. Ch. Flowers, in clusters. Spines, 3-forked. Serra-
tures of the leaves terminated by soft bristles.

This shrub is common in hedges, blos-
soming in June, and bearing bright red pen-
dulous berries in autumn.

This plant is highly interesting, from the
peculiar property of the stamina of its blos-
soms; they exhibit one of the most remark-
able instances of irritability known in vege-
table life. If the filaments, when lying under
the petals of the flower, are touched at the

MO^fOGY-

NIA.

One PistUlutn.

One Pistillum.

144 HEXANDRIA.

MONOGY- base in the slio'htest deo-ree, tliey immedi-

NIA. _ ^ O ^ J

ately spring and embrace the pistillum ; a
fact extremely curious. The supposed use
of this property is, that when insects go in
search of honey, secreted in glands at the
base of each petal, this irritabihty is excited
to scatter the pollen upon the stigma, that
the seed might be properly fertilized: but
no sooner are we satisfied with this solution,
than we find in another plant a fact that de-
stroys this ingenious theory; for, in the Cis-
tus IlcUanihemum, the stamina in their na-
tural position closely surround the pistillum,
and \vlicn touched, they all recede from it;
so iinperfect is our knowledge of the agency
of nature.

It is commonly said, that the Barberry-
tree prevents the ears of corn in its neigh-
bourhood from being productive. This opi-
nion prevails as well on the Continent as in
Eno-land. Whether there be any truth in it,
I am not able to say; it is very generally
believed ; and therefore, however improba-
ble, ought not to be hastily rejected : but
M. Broussonet, a celebrated French natural-
ist, who has paid particular attention to what-
ever is connected with agriculture, has assert-
ed, that it is a prejudice void of foundation.

HEXANDRIA.

145

HYACINTHUS NON-SCRIPTUS. ^ono^y-

Blue Hare-bell.

Gek. Ch. Corolla, of 6 petals, spreading, deciduous. Fi-
laments, of equal thickness, throughout.

Sp. Ch. Root, solid. Spike, drooping. Floivers, pendent,
bell-shaped, somewhat cylindrical, their tips
. reflexed. Bractece, in pairs, acute. Leaves,
flaccid.

Of this genus there are seventeen spe-
cies. This is an EngHsh plant, commonly
called Blue Hare-bell :' it blossoms in May,
and is the same flower which Shakespeare
alludes to in Cymbeline:

/ Thou shalt net lack

The flower, that's like thy face, pale primrose ; nor
The azur'd hare-bell, like thy veins 3 no, nor
The leaf of eglantine, whom, not to slander,
Out-sweeten'd not thy breath. ^ct 4. s. 2.

The Flyacinth of our garden, or that which
ornaments our sitting-rooms early in the
spring, is the Hyaciiithus orientaUs^ of Lin-
n^us. These flowers have a very sweet scent,
and by the Dutch gardeners are distinguish-

» Dr. Smith makes only one English species of the
Genus Hyacinthus, Hyacinthus racemosus, figured in the
English Botany IpSl; and this Hyacinthus von-scriptus,
in his Flora Britannica, he denominates a Sci/la.

^ There is a good figure of this species in the Botanical
Magazine, fg. Q37.

One Pistillum.

146 HEXANDRIA.

MONOGY- ed into classes by their colours ; the principal
NiA. , -^ ' r r

^ r.- ,. of which are, blue, red, and purple and white

One Pistillum. ^ ^

mixed with yellow ; they are subdivided by
the shades of each colour, as of the blues ;
deep blue, violet blue, blue purple, porcelain
blue, agate blue, sky blue, French grey, &c. :
also by the mixtures of different colours
or shades, as light blue with a deep blue, or
purple eye; white, with a rose-coloured, blue,
purple, or yellow eye; white and red of dif-
' ferent shades, mixed; yellow, with a purple

eye, &c. Some also have their petals tipped
with a paler or a deeper colour; and all these
varieties are found both in single and double
flowers; but the latter onl}- are now esteem-
ed and valued among florists, and their esti-
mation is in proportion as they are large and
double, and the colours various and brilliant.
Among botanists, double flowers are con-
sidered as monsters of nature, and are wholly
disregarded. The Hyacinth was once esteem-
ed in its single state for the regularity and
equality of its petals, and the uniformity of
its colours: and a double Hyacinth was then
no more valued than a double tulip is now/

' Swertius, in his Florilegium, printed in 1620, has
figured about 40 varieties of the Hyacinth, but amongst
them there is not one double flower.

HEXANDRIA.

147

A celebrated Dutch Florist of the name of ^ionogy.

NIA.

Peter Voorhelm, of Haarlem, was accustomed -— —

' ' Unc 1 jstuiuitt.

to throw them out of his collection, till by
accident, at the decline of the season, a bulb
with double flowers attracted his attention,
which he cultivated and increased by off-
sets ; florists became fond of it, and he sold it
for a good price: this encouraged him to cul-
tivate Hyacinths with double tlowers, which
he now preserved with as much care as he
had before rejected them. From this time
the greatest attention has been paid at Haar-
lem to the raising and cultivating this flower;
and such has been the rage for it, that from
one to two thousand Dutch florins has been
given for a single root.

At this day the Haarlem gardeners dis-
tinguish upwards of two thousand Hyacinths
by name, and generally publish catalogues
of them from year to year. New varieties
are annually produced, and whole acres to-
srether are covered with this flower in the
circuit of that town onlv.

These are the principal properties of a
fine double Hyacinth, according to the pre-
sent taste of florists.

1. The stalk should be tall, strong and
upright; the flowers or bells, as the florists

N 2

1-^8 HEXANDRIA.

MONOGY- call them, should be sufficiently numerous,

Oi Pis ilium ^^^^^ suspended by a short strong foot-stalk

in a horizontal position ; the whole having a

compact pyramidal form, with the crown or

uppermost flower perfectly erect.

2. The flowers should be large and well
filled, with broad bold petals, appearing to
the eye rather convex than flat or hollow :
they should extend to about the middle of
the scapus, or stalk.

3. The plain colours, which should be
clear, and bright, and strong, are generally
preferred to pale colours; such as are mixed,
should blend with elcoance.

The soil on which the Hyacinth succeeds
best is a loam}^ fresh rich earth, which is the
character of the land in the neighbourhood
of Haarlem ; but the finest and most healthy
bulbs are now produced in Flanders and the
Netherlands, transplanted from Haarlem ;
fresh soil being more favourable to their
health and vigour.

After a long repetition of the same kind
of crop, cultivated land, however good, seemiS
to tire of the produce. Hyacinth bulbs are
every year brought to England from the Con-
tinent, as with us they are found to degene-
rate; and a skilful gardener can immediately

HEXANDRIA.

149

OnePisuUum.

decide whether the bulbs imported, grew in ^^2^^'
the plantations of Haarlem, or in fresh land;
for under the outermost covering of the Haar-
lem bulbs there is to be perceived, with close
attention, a fine film impregnated with ani-
malcule, which does not exist in those bulbs,
produced in plantations where they have been
only recently propagated.

When Hyacinth bulbs are placed to grow
in water; October and November are consi-
dered the most proper months to put them
into glasses. The bulb glass should be filled
with water so far only, as that the base of the
root may be immersed in it, and the water
chano^ed once in about three weeks.

The Tulip is also of this Order, not less
admired and valued by Dutch florists; the
beauty of which consists in the petals being
rounded at the ends, and in the depth, bril-
liancy, and distinctness of the colours.

Bromelia ananas, P'uie-appk. This de-
licious fruit is of this Class and Order, and
appears to have been cultivated in England
in our hot-houses as early as 1690.

There are many varieties of this fruit; and
if in their native country seeds were sown
frequently, the varieties might be as numer-
ous as those of apples and pears with us. The

One Pisiilluni.

150 HEXAXDR.IA.

MONOGY- variety, called the Queen Pine, is the most

NIA. "^ '

common in Europe; but the sugar-loaf Pine is
preferable, being larger and better flavoured.
It is easily distinguished from the others by
its leaves having purple stripes on their in-
side the whole length. The fruit is of a paler
colour when ripe, inclining to a straw-colour.
It was originally brought from Brazil to Ja-
maica, where it is esteemed far beyond the
others.

The next in goodness is that which is
called the Montserrat Pine. The leaves are
of a dark brown, inclining to purple on their
inside. The protuberances of the fruit are
longer and flatter than those of the others.

The green Pine, at present the most rare
in Europe, is preferred in America.

Agave Americana, American Aloe,^ is
of this Class and Order. This plant was first
known to blossom in England, in the year
1729, in the garden of a Mr. CoM'^ell, at Hox-
ton (near London); another blossomed in

'^ The Aloe and the Agave were formerly considered as
making but one Genus, but now they are separated into
two Genera, from a difference in the arrangement of the
stamina : in the Agave the stamina are inserted in tlie co-
rolla, and in the yV/o.?, in the receptaculum. This genus,
therefore, according to this arrangement, is not an Aloe^
though it still retains in English that appellation.

BEXANDRIAc 151

1737, at Eaton Hall, in Cheshire, of which monooy.
there is a print, and by the inscription on it, qj,? Ptftiiium.
the stem-bud appeared on the 15th of June,
and grew five inches a day for some weeks;
the flower branches were perfected in twelve
weeks, and then ceased to grow for a month,
whilst the buds were forming. It produced
1050 flowers. One that blossomed in Leyden,
in 1760, produced more than 4000 flowers.

It is a common opinion that this Aloe
blossoms only once in a hundred years ; but"^
this is a vulgar error. The time of its flow-
ering depends on its growth ; so that in hot
countries, where it grows fast and expands
many leaves every season, it will blossom in
a few years; but in colder climates, where
the growth is slow, it will be much longer
before its stem shoots up: when the stem
is vigorous, it usually grows to more than
twenty feet in height : in the king of Prus-
sia's garden one grew to forty feet, the high-
est, of which there is any account.

152 ' HEXANDRIA.

MONOGY. ALLIUM OLERACEUM.

NIA.

. Streaked Field Garlick.

One Pistitlum. "

Gen. Ch, Corolla, in 6 spreading segments, Spatha, con-
taining many flowers. Umbel, dense. Cap-
sula, supeiior.

Sp. Ch. Umbel, bearing bulbs. Leaves, roughs channel-
led, ribbed beneath. Stamina, simple. iSpa-
tha, with two long points.

This species is found wild in Norfolk
and Essex, and in many parts in the north of
England, though not very common. The
whole herb has a foetor of garlick, though
th^ bulb has less of that scent than many
other species of this Genus. It blossoms in
July.

MONOGY- JUNCUS GLAUCUS.

NIA,

— : — Hard Rush.

One Pistillum,

Gen.Ch. Calyx, of 6 leaves, permanent. Corolla, none.
Capsula, superior, of three valves, with 1 or
3 cells. Seeds, several. Stigmata, 3.

Sp. Ch. Stem, naked, straight, glaucous. Panicle, la-
teral, erect. Capsula, elliptical, acute.

This is the lead coloured hard-rush which
is every where to be seen in marshy situa-
tions; and the only interesting circumstance
belonging to it, is, that it is supposed, by C.
Bauhin, to be the Carev of Virgil, of Ovid,
and Columella. It is in flower in August.

HEXANDRIA. 1^3

JUNCUS CONGLOMERATUS. ^^mf^''

Common Soft Rush. OneThiiiium.

Gen. Ch. Calyx; of 6 leaves, permanent. Corolla, none.

Capsula, stiperior, of 3 valves, with 1 or 3

cells. Seeds, several. Stigmata, 3.
Sp. Ch. Stem, naked, straight. Panicle, lateral, dense,

and globular. CapsuLe, retuse. Stamiiia, 3.

This Juncus is introduced here to shew
an instance where the artificial system of Lin-
nseus is at variance with the order of nature.
This Rush has never more than 3 stamina,
consequently it should be put into Class Tri-
midria, in strict conformity to the system,
and then it would be separated from all the
other Rushes, which belong to this Class,
Hexandria. Fortunately, however, for the
system, these disagreements do not occur
very often ; but it is well that the young
Botanist should be aware that such varia-
tions do occasionally occur.

Of this Rush, the pith is employed to
make many kinds of toys ; but its more im-
portant use with us is to make wicks for can-
dles, which are called Rush-lights. It is in
flower in July and August.

154

HEXANDRIA.

MONOGY-

NIA.

One Pistilluin.

British Plants of this Order,

Botanical Generic Names. Common Names-

2 ACORUS 1 ACORUS

45 Allium 7 Garlic k

34 Anthericum 1 Antuericum

13 Asparagus^ 1 Asparagus

1 Berberis 1 Barberky

11 CoNVALLARlA 4 SoLOMON's-SEAI<

3 Frankenia 2 Sea-heath

5 Fritillaria 1 Fritillary

1 Galanthus 1 Snowdrop

17 Hyacinthus 1 Hyacinth

29 JuNctJS 23 Rush ^

4 Leucojum 1 Snow-flake

15 Narcissus 3 Daffodil

1 Narthecium 1 Lancashire ASPHODEL

35 Ornithogalum 4 Bethlbhem-star

2 Peplis 1 Water Purslane

22 SciLLA 4 SauiLL

5 TuLiPA 1 Tulip

British Species Jigured in Sowerhif's English Botany.

Acorus, 356. Allium, l657, 1358, 1658, 488, 19/4, 122,
2441. Anthericum, 7Q3. Asparagus, 33Q. Berberis,
49. Convallcrm, 1035, 128, 2S0, 2/9. Frankeriia,
205, 2222. Fritillarm, 622. Galanthus, \Q. Hy-
acinthus, 1931. Juiicus, 1614, 1/25, QQ5, 835, 836,

' Asparagus, Asparagus officinalis, was so much esteem-
ed by the ancient Romans, and so highly cultivated, that in
tJie neighbourhood of Ravenna, Pliny says, three were suf-
ficiently large to weigh a pound : " Ecce altiles spectantur
asparagi. Et Ravenna ternos hbrls rependit.'' Lih. xix. c. 4.

^ Of the twenty-nine species of Rush, aU are of this
Class and Order, except Juncus conglomeratus, which is of
the Class and Order Triandria movcginia.

HEXANDRIA.

1 175, 1482, 933, 238, 801, 934, 802, 898, 899, 9OO,
736, 737, 672, 1176, 1293, 2J43, 2144, 2174. Leu-
cojum, 621. ]>Jarchsus, 275, 276, 17. Nartheciumt
535. Oniithogdlum , 21, 4gg, 130, I997. Peplls^
1211. Scilla, 23,24, 78, 377. Tutipa, CS.

lo5

ORDER II.

No British Plant of this Order.

ORYZA SATIVA,
Rice.

Gen.Ch. Calyx. Gluma, 2-valved, l-flowered. Corolla,
2 valved, almost equal, growing to the seed.

DIGYNIA
Two Pistilla.

The native place of Rice, like the other
sorts of grain in common use, is unknown ;
Linnteus has made it a native of Ethiopia,
but has not given his reason for that opinion.
It is cultivated in great plenty all over India,
where the country will admit of being flood-
ed ; in the southern provinces of China, in
Cochinchina, Cambodia, Siam, in Japan, &c.
In Japan it is very white, and of the best
quality.

In the hilly parts of Java, and in many of
the eastern islands, rice is planted upon the
sides of hills, which can only be watered by

15(5

IIEXANDRIA.

Two PistiUa.

DiGYNiA. rain; it is, however, planted at the beginning
of the rainy, and reaped in the beginning of
the dry season; and is called by the natives
Paddy Gunung, which signifies Mountain
Rice. In the western part of India this kind
is entirely unknown. It is, however, well
known in Cochinchina, where it thrives in
dry light soils, mostly on the sides of hills ;
not requiring more moisture than the usual
rains and dews supply.

Of this Genus there is but one species;
but the varieties of Rice, as of other culti-
vated grain, are innumerable.

TRIGYNIA.

Thi-ee PistiUa.

ORDER III.

COLCHICUM AUTUMNALE.

Meadozo Saffron.

Gen. Ch. Calyx, a spatha. Corolla, in 6 divisions, tube,
arising from the root. Capsidce, 3, con-
nected and inflated.

Sp. Ch. Leaves, plane, lanceolate, and erect.

This plant is produced in great plenty
at Abberley, in Worcestershire, and various
parts of England. It exhibits a mode of fruc-
tification scarcely to be paralleled among Bri-
tish plants. The flowers appear very late in

HEXANDRIA. 157

the autumn; the germen afterwards remains trigynia.
latent under ground, quite close to its bulb- Three PmUk
ous root, till the following spring, when the
seed-vessel rises above the surface, with se-
veral long upright leaves, and the seeds are
ripened about June; so that at first sight the
seed would seem to be ripened before the
flower was produced; but, on more accurate
investigation, it is found to conform, in com-
mon with other plants, to the established
laws of nature, though in a manner unex-
pected, and almost pecuhar to itself. The
juice of the root is so acrid, as to produce
violent effects on the human constitution.

In pastures this plant is peculiarly preju-
dicial, and it is of the utmost importance to
the farmer to eradicate it, which should be
done in the spring of the year, when the
seed-vessel appears above the ground; for if
this part be eaten by cattle, it is certain de-
struction to them ; and if laid in heaps in the
field after it is gathered, to decay, great care
should be taken to prevent any horned cattle
breaking into the pasture, for, in the process
of decay is generated a saccharine quality,
which they seize with great eagerness. In
a field belonging to Mr. Bunce, of the Hun-
drcd-housCj in Worcestershire, a few small

loS HEXANDRIA.

TRiG\NiA. heaps of this Colchkum had been gathered in
Three p.stiiia. thc Spring, and left during the summer: in
the beginning of August four cows by acci-
dent broke into the pasture, they were in-
stantly attracted to the heaps; and from what
they eat, which appeared to be only a small
quantit}^ they all died in a few hours. This
circumstance I state from my own know-
ledge.

Linnseus observes, that the defoliation of
deciduous trees is announced by the flower-
ing of the Meadow Saffron ; of these, the Ash
is the last that puts forth its leaves, and thg
first that loses them.

TRiGYNiA. TOFIELDIA PALUSTRIS.

Three Pistilla. Scottish AsphocleL

Gex. Ch. Calyx, 3-cleft. Petals, Q. Styles, vertical,
short. Capsuloe, 3, superior, united at the
base. Seeds, many. Antherce, roundish.

Sr. Ch. Petals, ovate, obtuse.

This is an alpine plant, and forms green
patches in the black boggy margins of trick-
ling rills on the highland moors of Scotland,
where it is found in great plenty. It blos-
soms in Au2:ust.

In Lulean Lapland, Linneeus found this
plant, of which he gives this account: " On

HEXANDRIA. 159

the hill named Wollerim, I met with a very trigynia.
rare httle species of Asphodel, with white Three pistiih.
flowers in a roundish spike ; the leaves are
ranged on each others back, as in the Marsh
Asphodel."

British Plants of' this Order.

Fetanical Generic Names. Commoa Names.

3 CoLCHicuM 1 Meadow Saffron

36 RuMEx' 11 Dock

1 SCHEUCHZERIA 1 MaRSH SCHEUCHZEEIA

1 ToFIELDIA 1 TOFIELDIA

3 Trigj-ochin 2 Arrow-grass

British Species figured in Sowerbfs English Botany.

ColcJiicum, 133, 1432. Rumex, 1533, 1998, 724, I999,
1576, 725, 1932, 2104, 910, 127, 1674. Scheuchxe^
rm, 1801. Tqfieldia, 536. Trigldchin, 366, 255.

^ Rumex ascetosa and ascetosella have the stamina grow-
ing on one plant and the pistilla on another, and therefore
these two species strictly belong to the Class Dioeda.

160 HEXANDRIA.

ORDER IF.

No British Plant of this Order.
TETRAGY. PETIVERIA ALLIACEA.

NIA. . '

Pet iter ia.^

Four Pistilla.

Gen. Ch. Calyx, 4-leaved. Corolla, none. Seed, 1, with

reflexed awns at top.
Sp, Ch. Flower's, 8-stamened. ■*

This is a shrubby plant, common in the
low lands in Jamaica, and in most of the
islands in the West Indies, where it thrives
in a dry, gravelly soil, in shad}? situations. It
has the property of enduring much drought,
and remains green when other vegetation is
burnt up; the cattle then feed upon it, and
it gives to their milk the taste of garlick. In
this country it blossoms in June.

a This plant was named by Plumier, in honour of James
Petivier, who spent much of his time in the pursuit of na-
tural knowledge. He was apothecary to the Charter-house,
and died in 1/18, but the time of his birth is not accurately
known. He was Fellow of the Royal Society, and made
so great a collection of rare and curious plants, animals and
insects, that Sir Hans Sloane, who afterwards purchased it,
offered him in his life-time 4000/. for his collection. Peti-
vier published, Musasi Petiverianl Centuriae decern, Svo. ;
Gazophylacii Naturae et Artis decadis decem, folio ; A
Catalogue of Plants found on the Mountains about Ge-
neva J Pterigraphia Americana, folio. He was the author
of several other pieces, and communications, to Ray and
otheis.

HEXANDRIA.

ORDER F.

161

No British Plant of this Order.

STRATIOTES ALLISMOIDES. hexagynia

Water Aloe. Sk Pistilla.

Gen. Ch. Calyx. Spatha, 2-leaved. PeriantJiium, supe-
rior, tvifid. Petals, 3. Berry, 6-celled.
Sp. Ch. Leaves, cordate.

This is an Order in Schreber and Willde-
now. This plant is a native of Egypt and the
East Indies, and is a genus consisting of the
LmuddSin Si7'atiotes alismoides. This species is
called Damasonium indicum by Dr. Roxburg,
from whose work of Coromandel plants the
figure here introduced is copied.

As the arrangement in this work is ex-
pressly made on the principles of Linnaeus,
I have not thought it proper to use any other
name for this plant than the one by which it
is to be found in his works, or I should have
been glad to have adopted Dr. Roxburg' s, to
avoid the appearance of a mistake, as a Stra-
tiotes, is introduced in the Class and Order
Polyandria hexagynia.

162 HEXANDRIA.

ORDER FT.
POLYGYNiA. ALISMA PLANTAGO.

Many Pistilla. Great Water-Plantain.

Gen. Gen. Ca/y.v, of 3 leaves. Petals, 3. Capsules, vsxa.r\y,
aggregate, generally single-seeded.

Sp, Ch. Leaves, ovate, acute. Capsults, obtusely tri-
angular.

Of this plant there are five species, four
of Enghsh growth. This blossoms in July
and August, with numerous white and pur-
plish flowers ; it grows wild in the Lake of
Keswick, and in some lakes in Wales. I
have seen it in the neighbourhood of Ross,
and at Brockleton in Worcestershire. This
is the only Genus of this Order.

The different species of this Genus, that grow wild in
England, are figured in Sowerby's English Botany, 837,
I6l5, 7/5, 326.

HEXANDRIA. 163

The different British Genera in this Class described
by their Generic Characters^ taken from the seven
parts of fructijication , agreeabli/ to the principles
of the Linncean System.

BERBERIS. MONOGY-

NIA.

Calyx. Perianthium, 6, leaves standing open, leaflets, One PistiUum,
egg-shaped, naiTowest at the base, concave, coloured,
deciduous, alternately smaller.

Corolla. Petals, 6, roundish, concave, erect, but ex-
panding, scarcely larger than the perianthium.

Nectariujn, 2, roundish coloured substances, grow-
ing to the base of each petal.

Stamina. Filaments, 6, erect, compressed, blunt, oppo-
site the petals. Antherce, 2, adhering to each side of the
filaments, at the end.

PiSTiLLUM. Germen, cylindrical, as long as the stamina.
Style, none, Stigrna, round and flat, broader than the
germen, encompassed by a thin edged border.

Pericarpium. Berry, cylindrical, blunt, dimpled, with
1 cell.

Seeds. Two or three, oblong, cylindrical, blunt.

*^t* There is a perforation at the top of the berry.

HYACINTHUS. ,.^xt^o^

MONOGY-

NIA.

Calyx. Perianthium, none. _, _,. ...

^ ^ J ,111 iTij .1/-./- On* PutiUum,

Corolla. Petal, 1, bell-shaped. Border, with 0 clefts,

reflected.

Nectarium, 3 pores filled with honey, at the point of

the gennen.

Stamina. Filaments, 6, awl-shaped, rather short. An-
therce, approaching.

PisTiLLUM. Germen, roundish, but with 3 edges, and 3

o 2

164

HEXANDRIA.

MONOGY- furrows. Style, simple, shorter than the corolla. Stig-

^NiA. ,na, blunt.

One Pistillum. PERfCAKPiuM. Capmla, roundish, but with 3 comers, 3
cells and valves.
Seeds. Two, for the most part roundish.

* :f* In the Hyacinthus non-scriptus the blossom is tu-
bular, but expanding at the mouth, and its segments so
deeply divided, that it is not easy to determine whether it
be formed of 1 or of 6 petals; and the three nectariferous
pores are not to be found on the germen ; so that it rather
ranks with the Scilla than with the Hyacinthus, only that
the corolla of tlie Scilla is deciduous, and in this Hyacinth
it is permanent.

MONOGY-

NIA.

ALLIUM.

One Pistillum. Calyx. Spaiha, common to several flowers, roundish,

shrivelling.
Corolla. Petals, 6, oblong.
Stamina. Filaments, 6, awl-shaped, generally as long as

the corolla. Anlkera;, oblong, erect.
Pistillum. Germeii, superior, short, somewhat 3-cor-

nered, the comers marked by a grooved line. Style,

simple. Stigma, acute.
Pericarpium. Capsula, very short, broad, of 3 lobes,

3 cells, and 3 valves.
Seeds. Many, roundish.

*^* In some species of this Genus every alternate sta-
men is broader, forked at the end, and the Anthera fixed
in die fork. Linn.

M )NOGY-
NIA.

On; i'iitiUum.

JUNCUS.

Calyx. Husk, 2 valves. PcriaTiihiuiv, 6 leaves. Leaf-
lets, oblong, tapering to a point, permanent.

Corolla. None. Unless the young and coloured perian-
thium be considered as such.

HEXANDRIA.

165

MONOGY.

NIA,

Stamina. Filaments, 6, hair-like, very short. Anthera,
oblong, erect, as long as the perianthium.

PisTiLLUM. Germen, 3-cornered, tapering to a point. OnePistillum
Style, short, thread-shaped. Stigmata, 3, long, thread-
shaped, woolly, bent inwards.

Pericarpium. Capsula, covered, 3-cornered, with 1 or
3 cells, and 3 valves.

Seeds. Several, roundish.

*^* Husks, brown, or approaching to black, if not ex-
pressed to be otherwise. The Juncus conglomeratus is
the only species that has uniformly only 3 stamina in each
flower, instead of 6.

COLCHICUM.

Calyx. None {except some scattered Spatka:).

Corolla, with 6 divisions. Tube, angular, extending
down to the root. Segments, of the border, spear-egg-
shaped, concave, erect.

Stamina. Filaments, 6, awl-shaped, shorter than the
blossom. Antherce, oblong, with 4 valves, fixed side-
ways to the filaments.

PiSTiLLA. Germen, buried within the root. Styles, 8,
thread-shaped, as long as the stamina. Stigmata, re-
flected, channelled.

Pericarpium. Capsula, of 3 lobes, connected on the in-
side by a seam, blunt, with 3 cells, opening inwards at
the seams.

Seeds. Many, nearly globular, wrinkled.

TRIGYNIA.

Three Pistilla.

TOFIELDIA.

Calyx. None.

Corolla. Petals, 6, awl-shaped, smooth, as long as the

petals. Antherte, small, roundish, fixed sidewise.
Pistilla. Germen, 3-coiTiered. Styles, 3, awl-shaped,

expanding. Stigmata, blunt.

o 3

TRIGYNIA,
Three Pistilla,

166 HEYANDKIA.

Pericarpium. Capsula, roundish, rather 3 -cornered,

•with 3 cells and 6 valves.
Seeds. Numerous, oblong, nearly 3-cornered, small.

*^* This is the Anthericum calyculatum of Linnaeus.

POLYGYNIA.
Many PistiUa. ALISMA.

Calyx. Perianthium, 3 leaves ; leaflets, egg-shaped, con-
cave, permanent.

Corolla. Petals, 3, cuxular, large, flat, greatly ex- "^

panded.

Stamina. Filaments, 6, aw^l-shaped, shorter than the
blossom. Antherie, roundish.

PisTiLLA. Germina, more than 5. Styles, simple. Stig-
jnata, blunt.

Pericarpium. Capsula, compressed.

Seeds. Solitary, small.

*^* The Alisma Damasonium has 6 pistilla and 6 cap-
sulae, tapering to a point. The Alisma natans has gene-
rally 83 the Alisma plan tago has from 12 to 18 capsulac,
and as many pistilla.

%

H]ej:aioj)]ria

MONOGYNIA

CIASSVI

ORDER 1

hT

COMMOI^ IBAHBEJRFvT

"VI

I,

BERBEMI.^ TITILGAIMS

is^^^s"

y's^x^\-r?

MOKOGYNIA.

Mli^ACO

MONO GYNIA.

Strea/ced' Ii^dm XGarUcJc

AILILIIJM OLEEACEUM

Har.^ ]i7^.^-h

J1T:K'€IJS GlAllCITS

VI

CommanJtush

DIGTNIA.

GLASS VI

OEDER 2

INT

VL

RICE

JS

oirts:a

\^\y\y\y\~

c

TRIGYNTA

CLASS VI

ORDER 3

MEABOW SAFFIRO^

JN

COILCHICUM AUTUMI^AILE

TRIGYNIA

Scottish Asphodel

TOIFIEILBIA FAlLirSTMIS

VI

*

NT

TETRAGYNIA
ORDER 4

JPETIVEMJA

PETIVJEmiA AILILIACIEA

<vw?>

>^->^>^-^~

tf

MEXA2f]D]RIA

HEXAGYNIA

CLASS Yl

ORDER 5

'V

WATER ALOJE

STMATIQWIS AILISMOIDEv^

POLYGYNIA

CLAvSSVI

ORDER 6

GMIEAT WATER-FILAKTAIW

AUSMA FLANTAGO

^-■^■^^

HEPTANDRIA.

CLASS VI L

SEVEN STAMINA.

THIS CLASS HAS FOUR ORDERS.

167

ORDER L

TRIENTALIS EUROPiEA.

Chick-weed Winter-green.

Gen. Ch, Calyx, 7-leaved. Corolla, in 7 segments, re-
gular and flat. Berry, dry.

This plant is found in dry woods and turfy
heaths in the north of England, but more par-
ticularly in Scotland. It is chiefly confined
to the most northern regions. I have, how-
ever, seen it grow very flourishingly in a gar-
den at Clapham. It was a favourite plant
with Linnaeus, probably from its being the
only one in his hemisphere, of the seventh
class, which could complete the uniformity
of his system. In his Lapland Tour he found
it growing in the Alps of Lulean Lapland in
moist situations, with obtuse petals.*

* See Fl. Lapp. n. 139, >.

MONOGY-
NIA.

One Pistillum.

l68 HEPTANDRIA.

NIA
One Pistil lum

monogy- This is a very small class, and the Tiienta-
lis is the only Genus we have in it, of which
there is but this one species. The Horse-
chesnut-tree, JEscidus hippostanum, is also of
this class; though now common throughout
England, is a native of Mount Pindus, in
Greece.

Figured in Sowerhy's English Botany, 15.

ORDER II.

No British Plant of this Order.

DiGYNiA. LIMEUM, an African genus, is the only

Two Pistiiia, plant of this Order, but there is no specimen,

nor any figure of it, that I am acquainted

with.

ORDER III.

No British Plant of this Order.
TETRAGY- SAURURUS CERNUUS.

NIA.

Lizard's Tail.

Four Pistiiia.

Gen. Ch. Calyx, amentum, with 1 flowered scale. Co-
rolla, none. Germina, 4. Berries, 4, 1 -seeded,

This plant is a native of Virginia; it is
perennial, generally trailing, and seldom ris-

HEPTANDRTA.

ing more than two feet high. It blossoms
in July, but does not produce seed in Eng-
land. The stalk decays in the autumn.

169

ORDER IF.

No British Plant of this Order,

SEPTAS CAPENSIS.

Round-leaved Septas.

Gen. Ch. Calyx, 7 parted. Petals, 7- Germitia, 7. Cap-
sulcp, y, many seeded.

This plant is a native of the Cape of Good
Hope; it is a perennial plant, the only Genus
of this Order, of which there is only this one
species; it blossoms in August and Septem-
ber. According to Linnseus it is remarkable
for the number seven ; having the calyx in
seven deep segments, seven petals, seven ger-
mina, and consequently seven capsulse. The
English specific name, Rotmd-leaved, is from
the general character of the leaves at the
bottom of the flower- stem, which there was
no room to introduce in the annexed figure.

HEPTAGY-
NIA.

Seven Pistiila.

170 HEPTANDRIA.

MONOGY. TRIENTALIS,

NIA.

Described by its Generic character, taken from the

seven parts of fructijication, agreeably to tht prin-
ciples of the LinntEan Si/stem.

One Pistillum.

Calyx. Perianthium, 7 leaves ; leaflets, spear-shaped^
tapering to a point, expanding, permanent.

Corolla.. Petal, I, stany, flat, with 7 divisions, slightly
adhering at the base. Segments, egg-spear-shaped.

Stamina. Filaments, 7. hair-hke, growing on the claws
of the blossom, standing wide, as long as the perianthi-
um. AnthercB, simple.

Pistillum. Germen, globular. Style, thread-shaped, as
long as the stamina. Stigma, a knob.

Pericarpium. Berry, not unlike a capsula, diy, globu-
lar, of 1 cell, coat very thin, opening by various seams.

Seeds. Several, angular. Receptaculum, large, hollowed
out to receive the seeds.

*^(.* Though 7 is commonly the prevailing number in
this Genus, it is not always so. The fruit is a dry beiry,
not opening at valves, like a capsula. Linn. Stamina,
5, Q, or 7, with as many segments in the calyx. Pallas.

hepta:r?"3])io:a

MONOGYNIA

CLASS W

ORDER 1

IN"

VI

^ M

d

TMIENTALIS ElTROF.iRA

552SSS — ■

'AAJ\}K'

TRiGinsriA

CLA8SVII

ORDER 3

M

JAZAMW^ TAIIL

i^ AFRIT IR IT .^ C E IRI^r F F i^

HEl'TAKDiRIA

HEPTACVYNIA

CjLASS w

ORDER 4-

N

"M

OCTANDRIA.

CLASS VIII.

EIGHT STAMINA.

THIS CLASS HAS FOUR ORDERS.

ORDER I.

VACCINIUM VITIS ID^A.
Red Whortle-herry.

Gen. Ch. Corolla, of 1 petal. Filaments, arising from the
receptaculum. Berry, inferior, with 4 cells,
and many seeds.

Sp. Ch. Clusters, terminal, drooping. Leaves, ever-green,
ob-ovate revolute, finely toothed, dotted be-
neath.

This humble shrub is a native of moun-
tainous countries; plentiful in Northumber-
land on dry stony heaths. It blossoms in
June, and its berries ripen in August. It is
seldom more than a few inches high, and
but little branched ; the figure represents a
plant of the natural size. In an elevated
situation in Lulean Lapland, Linnasus says
it assumes quite a diiFerent appearance from

MONOGY.

NIA.

One Pistillum.

17'i OCTANDRIA.

MONOGY- what is usual; its steins beins: twice as lono-

NIA. ^ o-

« ~;;~T perfectly erect, and not branched. The ber-

One Pjstillum. -^ ^

ries are acid, astringent and bitter, they are
nevertheless often made into pies; and in
Sweden, a rob or jelly made from them is
eaten with all kinds of roast meat, and Dr.
Smith says that it is far preferable to red
currant jelly as a sauce for venison.

MONOGY- ERICA TETRALIX.

NIA.

Cross-leaved Heath.

One PJstillura.

Gen. Ch. Calyx, 4-leaved. Corolla, 4-cleft. Stamina,
inserted into the receptaculum. Jntherce,
with two pores. Co^Wa, superior, of 4 cells.
Seeds, many.

Sp. Ch, Anthers, bearded. Style, nearly concealed. Co-
rolla, ovate. Leaves, in fours, ciliated. Flow-
ers, in round heads.

This is one of the four species of Erica
indigenous to Great Britain,^ and is easily
distinguished from the others by its flowers
growing in pendulous clusters on the tops of
the stalks, and by its leaves, which grow by
fours on the stem, and form a kind of cross ;
they are edged with stiff hairs, each of which
has a small globule at its extremity. Of this

3 The Irish heath. Erica dahoscia, is now classed as a
Menziesia ; and in the Hortus Kewensis is called Menxie-
sia polifolia.

OCTANDRIA. 173

numerous and beautiful o-enus the greater part monogy-

^ ^ ' NIA

are natives of the Cape of Good Hope. Not oj^JT^j^Ju^^,
one is known to be indigenous to New Hol-
land, to Asia, or to the continent of America;
nor are any found between the tropics ; and
what is very remarkable respecting this tribe
of plants, which is so numerous, that they are
found in corresponding latitude, and longi-
tude, in both hemispheres, and no where else.
The heaths, in general, are not fragrant,
but the Erica odor-rosce has a scent like the
Atar of Roses; and the Einca tenu'iflora has
the odour of a carnation.

CHLORA PERFOLIATA. monogy-

NIA.

Yellow Centaury.

One Pistillum,
Gex. Ch. Calyx, 8-leaved. Curolla, in 8 segments. Cap-

sula, with 1 cell, 2 valves, and many seeds.

Stigma, 4-cleft.
Sp. Ch. Leaves, perfoliate.

This plant is common to many parts of
England, especially in open, hilly situations,
on a chalky or lime-stone soil, at Abberley in
Worcestershire, the Hot-wells, Bristol, &c.
Dr. Smith observes, that it does not thrive
well in a garden; and though liable to be
affected by cold, yet if sheltered it becomes
mildewed. The root is annual; the whole

174 OCTANDRIA.

plant is generally very glaucous ; it is here
introduced to convey to the learner a good
notion of that colour, and to give a good ex-
ample of a perfoliate leaf.

MONOGY- FUCHSIA COCCINEA.^

NIA.

rs n 11 Scarlet Fuchsia.

One PistiUum.

Gen. Ch. Calyx, 1 -leafed, coloured, bearing the corolla,
very large. Petals, 4, small. Berry, infe-
rior, 4-celled, with many seeds.

Sp. Ch. Leaves, opposite, ovate, toothletted. Petals,
ob-ovate, obtuse.

This elegant shrub, of which there are
five species, is a native of Chili, and grows
to the height of six or seven feet. It was
first cultivated in England in 1788 by Lee
and Kennedy. It produces rich pendent blos-
soms through most of the summer; the calyx
is of a beautiful red colour, and the petals in
the centre of the flower somewhat resemble
a small roll of the richest purple-coloured
ribbon. It is inserted here as a good exam-
ple of a coloured calyx.

* The plant was named in honour of Leonardo Fuchs,
who was a German physician and botanist, born atWemb-
dingen, in Bavaria, 1501. He was knighted by Charles V.
His chief work is Historia Plantanara, with 5l6 engravings
on wood, printed at Basil in 1542. He also wrote several
medical books. He died in 1560.

One Pistillunru

OCTANDRIA. J 75

AMYRIS GILEADENSIS. ^^^^P.^^'

NIA.
Balm of Gilead.

Gen. Ch, Calyx, 4-toothed. Petals, 4, oblong. Stigma^
4-cornered. Berry, drupaceous. .

Sp. Ch. Leaves, ternate, quite entire] peduncles, 1 -flow-
ered, lateral.

There is an excellent figure of this shrub
given in the last volume of Bruce's Travels.
Its branches are numerous; the wood is white,
soft, and covered with a smooth ash-coloured
bark; the leaves are small, commonly con-
sisting of one pair of pinnae, with an odd one
at the top, and of a bright green colour. The
corolla consists of four petals ; the fruit is of
the drupaceous kind, roundish, opening by
four valves, and containing a smooth nut.

Strabo alone of all the ancients, has given
us the true account of the place of the origin
of this tree. " Near to this, is the most hap-
py land of the Sabeans, and they are a very
great people. Among these, frankincense,
myrrh, and cinnamon grow, and in the coast
that is about Saba the balsam also.'" "

Among the myrrh-trees behind Azab, all
along the coast of the Straits of Babelmandel,
is its native country.

^ Straho, Vol. 11. p. 778.

176

OCTANDRIA.

MONOGY-

NIA

One Pistillum.

It orows to a tree above fourteen feet
high, spontaneously, like the myrrh, the cof-
fee, and frankincense-tree; they are all equally
the wood of the country, and are occasion-
ally cut down and used for fuel.

Josephus,*" in the History of the Antiqui-
ties of his country, says, that a tree of this
balsam was brought to Jerusalem by the Queen
of Seba, and given, among other presents, to
Solomon, to whom it was considered as an
acceptable present, he being studious in the
knowledge of plants.

Bruce says that this tree is a native of
Abyssinia, and grows behind Azab, all along
the coast to the Straits of Babelmandel. Theo-
phrastus, Dioscorides, Pliny, and even the
Arabian physicians, supposed this Balsam to
be the produce of Judea ordy, and hence it
seems to have received the name of Balsa-
mum Judaicum, or Balm of Gilead. The Bal-
sam is collected from the tree by making an
incision with an axe,** when this secretion is
in its strongest circulation in July and Au-
gust and the beginning of September, and

■^ Joseph. Antiq. III. 5.
<i Tacitus says, this tree was so averse to iron, that it
trembled upon a knife being laid near it ; and therefore it
was pretended, that the incisions should be made with ivory
shells, glass, or stone.

One Pistillura.

OCTAXDRIA. )7/

collected into small earthen bottles suspend- monogy-
ed to receive it. The quantity to be obtained
from each tree is so small (three or four drops
daily on the average, the most fertile tree
never yielding more than sixty in that time)*
and the coUectino; it is so tedious and trou-
blesome, that the genuine Balsam is very
scarce, and rarely if ever exported as an ar-
ticle of commerce. Lady Mary Wortley
Montague says, that Mhen she resided in
Constantinople, it M^as not then to be pro-
cured without difficulty.

The best balsam, according to Alpinus,
is at first turbid and white, of a very strong-
pungent scent, like that of turpentine, but
much sweeter and more fragrant, and of a
bitter, acrid, astringent taste: on being kej^t
for some time, it becomes thin, limpid, light,
of a greenish hue, and then of agolden yellow,
after which it grows thick like turpentine,
and loses much of its fragrance. Bruce says,
that the odour at first is violent, and strongly
pungent, giving a sensation to the brain like
that of volatile salts, when rashly drawn up
by an incautious person.

On the authority of scripture it would

^ See Gerlach's Tagebuch's Reise nach Constantinopel,
p. 21/.

Q

One Pistillum.

17S OCTANDRIA.

MONOGY- seem, that the estimation of this Balsam is

NIA.

of the highest antiquity, for Bahn and Myrrh
were carried by the Ishmaelites to Egypt/
and the high opinion entertained of its vir-
tues may be inferred from this verse in Je-
remiah— " Is there no balm in Gilead? is
there no physician there: why then is not
the health of the daughter of my people re-
covered?"^ Among: the Eastern nations it is
still in the highest repute for its medical pro-
perties; but in Europe it is not beheved to
possess any miraculous power, except now
and then to enable an impostor to amass a
large fortune from the poor, the illiterate,
and the credulous.

British Plants of this Order.

Botanical Generic Names. Common Names.

20 Acer 2 Maple

-1 Chloka I Yellow Centaury

2S Daphne 2 Mezereon

14 Epilobium 9 Willow-herb

314 Erica 4 Heath

3 Menziesia 2 Menziesia

15 QiNOTHEKA 1 TrEE-PRIMKOSE

27 Vaccinium 4 Whortle-befry

British Species Jignred in Sowerbifs English Botany.

j^cer, 303,304. Chlorn, 60. Daphne, \38l, lig. Epi-
Mhim, 1947, 838, 7()5, MJ?, 6()3, ig48, 346, 2001,
2000. Er'ic^i, 1013, 1014, 1015, 3. Menziesia, 35,
2469. Oenothera, 153-1. Faccintum, 45Q, 581, 59S,
319.

^ Genesis xxxvii. v. 25, f Jeremiah viii. v. 22.

OCTANDKIA. 179

ORDER H.

No British Plant of this Order

G ALEXIA A FR I CAN A. digynia.

Upright Galeuia. Two Pistiiia.

Gen. Ch. Calyx, 4-cleft. Corolla, none. Capsula, round-
ish, 2-seeded.
Sp. Ch. Erect, shrubby ; Leaves, linear, fleshy.

This plant was named by Linn^us to
commemorate the celebrated physician Ga-
len, who flourished in the second century.*
It is a shrubby plant, a native of the Cape of
Good Hope, and flowers from June till Au-
gust.

ORDER in.
POLYGONUM CONVOL\a^LUS. trigynia.

Climbincr Bl(ck-wheat. Three Piitilla.

Gen, Ch. Calyx, coloured, in 5 segments, permanent.
Seed, solitary, superior, angular, invested with
the calyx. Stamina and Stigmata, uncertain
in number.

Sp, Ch, Z/mt-e^, heart-arrow-shaped, 5/e???, twining, an-
guhir. Segments of the calyx bluntly keeled.

This plant is commonly known by the
name of Black Bind- weed, probably from the

" Claudius Galen was a native of Pergamus, in Asia,
He died A. D. 140^ in the seventieth year of his age.

Q 2

ISO OCTANDRIyV.

TRiGYNiA. dark colour of its seed. It is a very com-
Tiuee Fistiia. 111011 plant anioDg corn and in garden hedges.
This is the only English Genus of this Or-
der, of which Professor Martyn enumerates
thirty-six different species, of which ten are
indigenous.^ It blossoms from June till Sep-
tember; the stem tvv^ists round every thing
in its way. It is a genus whose species dif-
fer in the number of their stamina and pis-
tilla; yet, as Sir James Edward Smith ob-
serves, no species can be more naturally al-
hed; therefore the Linngean system here, as
in many other cases, claims the indulgence
of the scientific botanist, whose principles
are founded on natural affinities.

A plant that grows with a twining and
spiral stem, invariably turns in the same di-
rection. The Kidney-bean and the Convol-
vulus turn with the apparent motion of the
sun, while the Hop and the Honeysuckle take
a contrary direction ; and any act that can
be employed to change this law of nature, is
injurious to the plant, and, if persevered in,
destructive. '1 he Marsh-mallow-leaved Her-
mannia is a curious instance of two flowers
Q;rowin<>' on the same stem, which have a

' These species are figured in Sowerly's English Batany,
436, 756, 1362, 989, 1043, 6O9, 6Ql), 1252, 1044, 941.

OCTANDUTA.

181

spiral character, but whicli are invariably
twisted in opposite directions to each other.

ORDER IF.

ADOXA MOSCHATELLINA. tetragy-

NI\.

Tuberous Moschatell.

Four Pistilla.

Essential Generic Character.

Gen. Ch. Calyx, 2 or 3-cleft, partly inferior. Corolla,
4 or 5-cleft, superior. Cupsula, of 4 or 5
cells, invested with the calyx.

This curious plant, with green petals, of
which there is but this one species, has been
found wild in many parts of the kingdom.
At Bockleton, in VV^orcestershire, it has been
found by Miss M. in great plenty. On the
side of a high mountain, called Norby Kny-
len, in Sweden, Linnseus, in his Lapland
Tour, found it in greater perfection than he
had ever seen it; but probabl}; he had not
often seen it before, as, in his journal, he de-
nominates it an uncommon plant. In Eng-
land it blossoms at the end of March, or the
beginning of April, and the berries ripen in
May, soon after which the leaves decay.
The leaves and the flowers smell like musk^

J8'i OCTANDRIA.

from which circumstance it has been some-
times called Musk Crow-foot.

TF.TRAGY-

PARIS QUADRIFOLIA

NIA.

Herb Paris.

Four Pisti'la.

Essential Generic Character.

Gen. Ch. Calyx, 4-leavecl. Petals, 4, tapering. Berry,

4- celled.

Few plants are more readily distinguished
than this, by the proportion and regularity
of all the parts. The leaves are usually four in
a cross, or sort of whorl. The Calycine leaf-
lets, four, Petals, four, Stamina, eight, Pis-
tilla, four, and a berry obscurely four-groov-
ed, dark purple when ripe, containing six or
eight seeds. It is a good and conspicuous
example of a flower with grass -green petals.
It is a native of shady woods, rare in some
countries, and said not to be very frequent
in any. In Worcestershire, in the neighbour-
hood of Bockleton and Kyre, it is not un-
common. LinuiFus found this plant in Lap-
land, in a marsh in the neighbourhood of
Lycksele.

OCTANDRIA.

183

ELATINE HYDROPIPER. tetragy-

NIA.

Small Water-zcort. Four Pistiiia

Essential Generic and Specific Characters.

Gen. Ch. Calyx, of 3 or 4 leaves. Petals, 3 or 4. Cap-
sula, superior, of 3 or 4 cells, and as many
valves ; the partitions opposite to the fissures.
Seeds, many.

Sp. Ch. Leaves, in pairs.

This plant was first found in England in
1798, about the eastern shore of Bomere
Pool, near Condover, Shropshire, in a loose
sandy soil, flowering in August.

British Plants of this Order.

Botanical Generic Names. Common Names.

1 AdOXA 1 MOSCHATELL

2 Elatine 1 Water-wort

2 Paris I Herb Paris

British Species Jigured in Sotoerbys English Botany.
Adoxa, 453. Eladne, 955. Paris, 7-

184.

OCTANDRIA.

The different British Genera in this Class described
hy their Generic Characters, taken from the seven
parts of fructification, agreeably to the principles,
of the Linnaan System.

MONOGY-

NIA.

One Pistillum.

MONOGY-
NIA.

VACC[NIUM.

Calyx. Perianthium, very small, superior, permanent.

Corolla. Petal, \, beU-shaped, with 4 clefts. Segments,
rolled backwards.

Stamina. Filamejits, 8, simple, fixed to the receptacu-
luni. Anthera, with 2 horns, opening at the point, and
furnished with 2 expanding arms fixed to the back,

Pistillum. Gervien, beneath. Style, simple, longer than
the stamina. Stigma, blunt.

Pericarpium. Berry, with 4 cells, globular, with a hol-
low dimple.

Seeds. Few, small.

*^* In some species all the parts of fructification are
increased one fourth in number. The Calyx in Faccinium
myrtillus is very entire ; in most of the other species the
Calyx has 4 clefts. The new blown blossom is hardly di-
vided j but in the Vacc'mium oxy coccus it is rolled back to
the base, or rather 4-petalled, and the stamina are some-
times 10.

ERICA.

One Pistillum. Calyx. Periauthium, with 4 leaves ; leaflets, egg-oblong,
permanent.

Corolla. Petal, I, bell-shaped, with 4 clefts, often in-
flated.

Stamina. Filavients, 8, hair-hke, standing on the re-
ceptaculum. Anthera, cloven at the point.

Pistillum. Germen, roundish. Style, thread -shaped.

OCTANDRIA. 185

straight, longer than the stamina. Stigma, resembling MONOGV-
a little crown, with 4 clefts, and 4 edges. "

Pericarpium. Capsula, roundish, covered, smaller than One Pistillum.
the perianthium, with 4 cells and 4 valves.

Seeds. Numerous, very small.

*^* In some species the calyx is double. The figure of
the blossom varies between egg-shaped and oblong. The
stamina in some species are longer, and in others shorter
than the blossom. The antherae in some are notched at the
end, in others they are furnished with 2 awns. The stigma
also is different in different species.

CHLORA. MO^OGY-

N!A.

Calyx. Perianthium, 8 leaves, permanent. Leaves, strap- One Pist...uin

shaped, standing open.
Corolla. Petal, 1, salver-shaped. Tule, shorter than

the perianthium, enclosing the germen- Border, with S

divisions. Segments, spear-shaped, longer than the tube

(lapping over each other).
Stamina. Filaments, 8, awl-shaped, very short, fixed to

the mouth of the tube. Antherce, strap-shaped, erect,

shorter than the segments of the blossoms.
Pistillum. Germen, egg-oblong. Style, thread-shaped,

as long as the tube. Stigmata, 4, oblong, cylindrical.
Pericarpium. Copsida, egg-oblong, of 1 cell, somewhat

flatted, with 2 furrows, 2 valves ; the sides of the valves

bowed inwards.
Seeds. Numerous, very small.

*^* Nearly allied to the Gentians. Linn. In Chlora
perfoliata, our only indigenous species, the segments of the
corolla lap over each other ; the filaments are awl-shaped,
sometimes 9 in number, with C) leaflets to the perianthium,
and the stigmata are shaped like a horse-shoe.

186

OCTANDRIA.

TRIGYNIA.
Three Pistilla.

POLYGONUM.

Calyx. Perianthium, turban-shaped, with 5 divisions, co-
loured witliin.

Segments, egg-shaped, blunt, permanent.

Corolla. None, unless the perianthium be so called.

Stamina. Filaments, generally 8, awl-shaped, veiy short.
Antherce, roundish, fixed sideways.

PisTiLLA, Gei-men, 3- cornered. Styles, generally 3,
thread-shaped, very short. Stigma, simple.

Pericarpium. None. The ca/yar wraps round the seed.

Seed. Single, 3-cornered, acute.

*:f* In some species there are 6 or 7 stamina, and in
otliers only 5. In some, the pistiUum is cloven.

lETRAGY-
NIA,

Four Pistilla.

ADOXA.

Calyx. Perianthium, beneath, flat, cloven, permanent.

Corolla, Petal, 1, with 4 clefts, flat. Segments, egg-
shaped, acute, longer than the perianthium.

Stamina, Filaments, 8, awl-shaped, as long as the peri-
anthium. Antherce, roundish.

Pistilla, Gevjnen, beneath the receptaculum of the
blossom. Styles, 4, simple, erect, as long as the sta-
mina, permanent. Stigmata, simple.

Pericarpium. Berry, git bular, between the perianthium
and the blossom, the perianthium being connected with
the under side of the berry, of 4 cells, dimpled at the
end.

Seeds. Solitary, compressed,

*^* Such are the characters of the terminating flow-
ers j but the lateral flowers have blossoms with 5-clefts, lO
stamina, and 5 pistilla.

OCTANDRIA. 187

PARIS. TETRAGY-

NIA,

Calyx. Perianthium, 4-leaves, permanent; leaflets, spear- Four PistiUa.

shaped, acute, as large as the blossom, expanding.
Corolla. Petals, 4, expanding, awl-shaped, resembling

the calyx, permanent.
Stamina. Filaments, 8, awl-shaped, short, beneath the

antherae. Anthene, long, growing to the middle of the

filaments, and on each side of them.
PiSTiLLA. Gcr/Hc/i, roundish, but with 4 angles. Styles,

4, expanding, shorter than the stamina. Stigmata,

simple.
Pericarpium. Berry, globular, with 4 angles, and 4 cells.
Seeds. Several, lying in a double range.

ELATINE. TETRAGY.

NIA.

Calyx. Perianthium, 4 leaves; Zeo^e/^, roundish, flat, as Four Pistill'.
large as the corolla, permanent.

Corolla. Petals, 4, egg-shaped, obtuse, sitting, expand-
ing.

Stamina. Filaments, 8, as long as the corolla. Anthevts,
simple.

Pi STILL A. Germen, large, round, globular, but depress-
ed. Styles, 4, erect, parallel, as long as the stamina.
Stigmata, simple.

Pericarpium. Capsula, large, round, globular; but de-
pressed, with 4 cells and 4 valves.

Seeds, Several, crescent-shaped, erect, surrounding the
receptaculum like a wheel.

MONOGYNIA

CIASS ^IH

ORDER 1

^1

B_EID WH©]RT_LE«BE]R1RY

YACCIKIUM VITIS IB^IEA

<;ys/YS

i^^./^y<

OCTANE) KIA

MOK^OGY^IA

Crofs-leaved' Heath

EMICA TIETMAILIIX

©CTATTDRIA

MONOGYNIA

ScarleC Fzocfwi^

FUCHSIA COCCIWIA

MONOCtYNIA

liubam. of GUead-tree

Tm.% GILEAJDEMSIS

DIGYNIA

CLASS ^m

ORDER 2

UP3K.ie]HT aAlLlEKIA

r

i&A]LE]^IA A]FRICA:K'A

^yvAyy

TRIGYNIA

CLASS IM

ORDER 3

f\r-

"M

TETRA.GYNIA

CIASS "^IB

ORDER. 4

IN M

ABOXA MOSCHATEULII^A

TETRAOTTNIA

Hai Fari^

FAJRIS QFABIRIFOMA

TETRAGTTNIA

Small Wat^rwoit

ElLi^TiNE, BTYDIiOlPiFEB.

ENNEANDRIA.

CLASS IX.

NINE STAMINA.

THIS CLASS HAS THREE ORDERS.

ORDER I.

No British Plant of this Order.

LAURUS CINNAMOMUM.

Cinnamon Tree.

Essential Generic and Specific Characters.

Gen. C'h. Calyx, none. Corolla, calycine, 6- parted. Nec-
tariiim, of three 2-bristled glands, surround-
ing the germ. Filaments, inner, glandulifer-
ous. Drupe, 1 -celled.

Sp. Ch. Leaves, 3-nerved, ovate-oblong, nerves disap-
pearing towards the end.

This valuable tree grows to more than

twenty feet in height; the trunk extends

about six feet, and is one foot and a half in

diameter; it sends off numerous branches,

which are covered with a smooth bark, of a

brownish ash colour; the leaves, which are

11

MONOGY-

NIA

One Piscillum.

190 ENNEANDRIA.

MONOGY- a bright green, stand in opposite pairs upon
• short foot-stalks: somewhat of an oval shape

One Pis:illum. ^

obtusely pointed, entire, firm; from three to
five inches long, marked with three longitu-
dinal nerves of a lighter colour. The blos-
som contains one pistillum and nine stamina
shorter than the corolla, and consists of six
petals of a greenish white or yellowish co-
lour ; the fruit is a pulpy pericarpium resem-
bling a small olive, of a deep blue colour,
inserted in the corolla, and containing an
oblong nut.

The true Cinnamon-tree is a native of
Ceylon, m here, according to Ray, it grows
as common in the woods and hedges, as the
hazel with us, and is used by the Ceylonese
for fuel and other domestic purposes. There
are many varieties, or different species, of
this tree, which grow also in Sumatra and
the coast of Malabar, as w ell as in the island
of Ceylon itself, where Seba has described
no less than ten kinds; but whether these
different kinds are so many species, or only
varieties, does not seem at present to be
clearly ascertained.

The Cinnamon of Ceylon is more highly
flavoured than that of any other country. It
is the inner bark of the tree, in the knguagc

One Pistillum.

ENNEANDRIA. 191

of botany called the Liber, which is used as monogy-
a grateful aromatic spice. This bark is pro-
duced in the most perfect state when the
tree is about six or seven years old; but this
varies according to circumstances. Seba
says, that those trees which grow in the val-
lies where the ground is a fine whitish sand,
will in five years time be fit to have the bark
taken ofi: Others, on the contrary, \vhich
are in a wet- slimy soil, must have seven or
eight years time to grow, before they are fit
to peel. When the tree is consideied to be
sufficiently mature for this purpose, it is first
stripped of its outer greenish coat, and is
then cut longitudinally from the tree, and
dried in the sand, till it becomes fit for the
market, when it is of a reddish yellow, or
pale rusty iron colour, very light, thin, and
by the heat of the sun curled up in quills or
flakes. The outer part of the bark, when
taken ofi* from the tree, diff^'ers very little in
taste from that of other trees ; but after be-
ing dried in the sun, the oily and agreeable
sweetness of the inner bark is diffused throush
the whole. If the trees are more than fifteen
or sixteen years old, the bark by degrees loses
its aromatic quality, and has more the taste
of Camphor. When the j^ark is stripped off,

192 ennp:andria.

MONOGv- the tree is cut clown, and new shoots put

NIA

forth from the stool.

One Pistillum.

The use of the Cinnamon-tree is not con-
fined to the bark ; the leaves, fruit, and
root, all yield oils of different qualities, and
of considerable value. That produced from
the leaves is called Oil of Cloves; that from
the fruit is extremely fragrant, and of a thick
consistence, and at Ceylon is said to be made
into candles for the sole use of the king. The
bark from the root of the tree not only af-
fords an aromatic oil, which has been called
Oil of Camphor, but also a species of Cam-
phor which is purer and whiter than common
Camphor.

The Cinnamon-tree is also cultivated in
the islands of the West Indies.

EXNEANDRIA.

193

ORDER II.

No British Plant of this Order.

t ■ I r

RHEUM PALMATUM.

Rhubarb.

Essential Generic and Specific Characters.

Gen. Ch. Calyx, none. Corolla, 6-c\eft, permanent. Seed^
I, three-sided.

Sp, Ch. Leaver, palmate, acuminate, somewhat rugged.
The sinus at the base dilated, petioles, ob-
scurely grooved, above, rounded at the edge.

Tins plant is a native of Tartary and
China, near to the great wall. It blossoms
in April and May. Of this genus there are
many species, but the root of this Rheum Pal-
matum has been supposed to be the drug that
is sold in the shops ; but it is now doubted,
and a species witli a round leaf, not yet de-
scribed in our botanical works, is thought to
be the genuine species.

The Rheum palmatujn was first introduced
into England in 1734; but it was not till
many years afterwards generally believed to
be the medicinal Rhubarb as imported from
Russia and the East. This plant is an example
of remarkably quick vegetation; the stem of
it in three months has been knowm to o-row

s

TRIGYNIA.

Three Pistilla.

li}4

KNNEANDRIA.

TRiGYNiA. upwards of eleven feet, and some of the leaves
Three Pisuiia. to five fect in their longest extent. The root,
which remains in the ground during the win-
ter, grows also to a very large size; some
have been produced in this country, of five
years old, that have weighed more than se-
venty pounds in their fresh state.

From the best experiments that have been
made upon the British Rhubarb, it appears
to be of the same medicinal quality with that
which is imported, but not so active in its
operation.

In the month of April the tender foot-
stalks of the leaves of this plant are some-
times used in pastry as a substitute for green
gooseberries ; but for this purpose the Rheinn
undulatiim, anotlier species of this genus, is
preferred.

ENNEANDRIA.

155

ORDER III.

BUTOMUS UMBELLATUS.

Flowering Rush.

Essential Generic Character.

Gen-. Ch. Calyx, none. Petals, 6. Capsule, 6, superior,
with many seeds.

This is the only British plant in the ninth
Class in the Linntean System ; and the only
plant of this Order, of which there is but
this one known species ; it grows in ditches,
and on the margins of rivers and ponds,
chiefly in a gravelly soil, and blossoms in
July. Like several of our aquatic flowers,
it may be reckoned amongst the most orna-
mental. If vegetables were classed accord-
ing to their natural affinities, this would rank
among the Lilies. It is sufficiently hardy to
bear the cold of Lapland.

Figured in Sowerly's English Botany, 651.

HEXAGY-

NIA.

Six Pistilla.

196

ENNEANDKIA.

HEXAGY-
NIA.

Six PUtilla.

BUTOMUS,

Described by its Generic character, taken from the
seven parts of fructification, agreeably to the prin-
ciples of the LinncBan System.

Calyx. Invohicrum, simple, of 3 leaves, short.

Corolla. Petals, 6, circular, concave, shrivelling, every
other petal standing on the outside, smaller and more
acute.

Stamina, Filaments, g, awl-shaped, 6 of them on the
outside of the others. Antherce, composed of 2 plates,

PisTiLLA. Gormen, 6, oblong, tapering to a point, end-
ing in styles. Stigmata, simple.

pERiCARPiuM. Capsules, 6, oblong, gradually tapering,
erect, of I valve, which opens at the inner side.

Seeds. Many, oblong -cylindrical, blunt at each end,
fixed to the side of the capsula.

MONOGYNIA

CLASS K

ORDER 1

CIHHAMO:^

ILAlirM-nS CINHAMOMUM

',A/^>.X"'

c

TRIGTTNIA

CIASS 3X

OKDER 2

MMFBAIK^B

HHEITM TPAILMATUM

\r

HEXAGYTMIA

CLASS IX

ORDER 3

v

FILOWJEIRIi:^^^ RlUSH

IBUTOMFS UMBIEILLATTUS

H

i

I

1

A

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^

n^

r

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ns