ON 



THE SEXES OF PLANTS. 



It is certain that the Sexes of Plants could not altogether escape the observance of the most 

 ancient investigators of Nature, and even must have struck some philosophers of modern times: 

 for Nature has furnished this phaenomenon to be contemplated in almost every plant; for it 

 must be allowed, that scarce any one can be found devoid of it. 



In the remotest period of time, the Arabians derived their principal support from the Date- 

 bearing Palm, the Persians from the Pistachia Nut, the inhabitants of the Archipelago 

 from the Fig, and those of Chios cultivated the Mastich Tree. In all these it was necessary 

 to attend to the Sexual Distinction, in order to promote the efficacy of the male as respects the 

 female flowers, and hence they could not altogether be ignorant of a circumstance so exceed- 

 ingly evident, certainly, .as far as regards these trees. 



But if truly we contemplate the fate of Botanical Science, we shall easily discover the rea- 

 son why this theory continued so long obscured in darkness. 



The writings of the ancients testify, that Botany was at a low ebb, when Mathematics and 

 Astronomy had made considerable advancement. 



After the regeneration of letters, it was the first endeavour of botanists to separate and in- 

 vestigate amongst the ruins the broken fragments of botanical science; in which endeavour, when 

 they perceived that not much riches were to be collected, at length they turned their researches 

 into Nature herself, and began to describe plants from actual observation, until they were so 

 overwhelmed with their number, that they even despaired to number up the species growing 

 in their own gardens, especially when both Indies poured in daily so great a profusion, that 

 properly to name them all, no memory was sufficient. 



At last, Systematics endeavoured to describe all plants, with regard to their fructification, 

 and to arrange them into their several companies ; nor have they ceased this attention even to' 

 the present time. 



But when these systematic writers were particularly busy about the Corolla, which especially 

 courts the eye, and the Fruit, which has the greatest use, it happened that they paid little 

 attention to the minuter parts of plants, until they perceived that the larger parts ^N^x^ of them- 

 selves insufficient to discriminate so many plants, which daily increased the army of Flora. 



This induced the more modern Botanists to investigate all those parts most minutely, which 

 are to be met with in the fructification, and they esteemed their labours not unrepaid, if from 

 thence they could construct true and convenient characters. 



Amongst these the Staynina and Pistilla, although generally small bodies, and on that ac- 

 count neglected by former persons with contemptuous pride, were found so important, that there 

 is no flower to be met with devoid of these parts. 



^ After- 



