of the Stamina of Plants. | 13 
fourteenth class of Jussieu, containing no less than thirteen large 
Orders; and among them the Calycanthemi of Linné, which have 
ever been considered by all Botanists as perigynous. It is with no 
little diffidence, therefore, that I venture publicly to contradict 
this generally received opinion, the absurdities and inconsisten- 
cies of which however are so glaring, that I think, when they are 
demonstrated, it will be given up. Nor is it very wonderful that 
so false a conception, which I imagine first originated from Tour- 
nefort's quaint expression of “ Calyx in fructum abiens," should 
have been held universally: for till Jussiews book actually 
forced Botanists to open their eyes a little wider than they 
had been accustomed, nobody ever thought of scrutinizing the 
connection of the different parts of the flower any further than 
was necessary to find its place in the Linnean System. Most . 
commonly the part taken by authors for Calyx is in fact a very 
magnificent receptacle, upón which the real Calyx as well as all 
the other parts of the flower are inserted: and this whether the 
Pericarpium be inferum as in Pyrus, apparently inferum as in 
Rosa, or superum as in Prunus. The best and shortest way of 
explaining my sentiments will be to describe the Insertion in. 
one genus of each Order. Sempervivum stands first, and whoever 
will give himself the trouble of looking at it, will find the Calyx, 
Corolla, and Stamina all inserted on a shallow cotyliform body, 
which is likewise covered with Honey: that this receptacle is 
completely. distinct from the Calyx, appears from its remain- 
ing in full vigour after the Calyx, Corolla, and Filaments are 
withered. Sarifraga in the next Order is a very useful genus to- 
study on this head, for in some species the Germen is inferum, 
in others only semi-inferum, in others again quite superum ; yet 
in every species, the Calyx, Corolla, and Stamina proceed from a 
thick callous margin, which is persistent. Cactus in the third Order 
I . has 
