Mo n Dr. GoopzNOUGH's Obfervoations 
but thefe being embraced by the petiolus or vagina of the foliace= 
ous braéteæ, gave occafion to Linneus to ftyle them fubfeffile. But 
the leaít i to the vagina would difcover the footftalk, and per- 
plex the young ftudent Teya defcription. This latter difficulty 
principally induced me to have recourfe to a new mark of difcrimi- 
nation, which appeared to be lefs liable to variety than moft others: 
I mean the proportion which the petiolus or vagina of the foliace- 
ous bractea, in the orders /picis fexu diflinétis, bears to the footítalk 
on which the fpike is fupported. This mark will always hold out 
fomething worthy of obfervation ; for if the footftalk be unufually 
long or fhort, in confequence of the luxuriance or barrennefs of 
the foil, the vagina will be found to be affected fomewhat in the 
fame proportion. 
In general, the proportion between the parts in the animal and 
vegetable kingdoms is lefs liable to variation than moft other. cir- 
cumftances. Obferving, therefore, how conftant the length of the 
vagina was to that of the footftalk, I determined to take my leading 
character from it. Having begun to do fo in fome inftances, I at 
length became compelled to adopt it in all; idem enim in omnibus no- 
tandum of. And I beg leave to offer this principally as my apology 
for conftructing new defcriptions throughout. Spikes being faid 
_to be feffile which were not fo, called neceffarily for new defcriptions: 
this led on to a change in the defcription of their affinities, and 
thence onward, fo that there was no ftopping. 3 
It is not to be expected, neither is it neceffary, or indeed poffible, 
in the fhort fpace of a fpecific defcription, to comprehend all the 
niceties of difcrimination which a more leifure furvey will point 
out; and yet many of thefe muft {trike every obferver, and muft be 
very ferviceable to him in the purfuit of his enquiries. I will beg 
leave to fuggeft a few of them. Although fome Carices are faid to 
have one male fpike only, and others more than one, yet fome c£ 
the 
