Arrangements of. Plants. 67 
plants of Linnzeus, and forms the first class of Jussieu: the other, 
the monocotyledones, includes the gramineous and liliaceous 
plants, and forms the second, third, and fourth of his classes. 
These distinctions may be admitted to be well founded* ; but 
what are the advantages they afford over those of Linn»us ? who 
has also referred the Cryptogamous Plants to a distinct class by 
a peculiarity equally natural, the inconspicuity of their flowers, 
and witha few exceptions, not perhaps difficult to have been 
avoided, has arranged the gramineous and liliaceous plants in 
orders as natural as those of Jussieu. ' Ma conii | 
. In this respect, then, the two systems are nearly upon an equa- 
lity ; and to say the truth, it was almost impossible for any na- 
turalist, upon a subject where the grounds of distinction were so 
numerous and so manifest, to adopt a different conclusion. But 
if nothing be gained in this instance by Jussieu, can we also say 
that nothing is lost? Is it no disadvantage, on discovering an 
unknown plant, to be under the necessity, before we proceed to 
its further investigation, of ascertaining in what manner it com- 
menced its growth, and whether it rose from the seed with one 
or with two cotyledons, or without any cotyledon whatever? 
To whom are we to apply for this information ? Or are we to be 
turned round to ascertain the primary distinction by the sensible 
* Yetit must be observed that in the numerous tribe of the Orchidece, which Jussieu 
has arranged among his Monocotyledonous Plants, others have not been able to discover 
the slightest trace of a cotyledon. For instance, “ ORCHIS MoRIO. Acotyledoneus, ne 
vel minimo placentz rudimento unquam exserto."—** LIMODORUM VERECUNDUM. Em- 
bryo minutus, acotyledoneus," V. Salisbury in Linn. Trans. tom. vii. pp. 31, 32.—Again, 
some plants have been discovered to have more than two cotyledons, as in Pinus, and 
Dombeya; the cotyledons of the latter of which “ are distinetly four.” Smith’s Introd. to 
Bot. pp. 98. 289. And even the Mosses are said to have numerous seed-lobes, * so that 
these plants are very improperly placed by authors among such as have no cotyledons,” 
IL. p. 190. EU pe du ee TOME Ue 
x 2 appearance, 
