—— 
itum. inveniatur." . ; Swartz. Obs. 9. 
Monandrian Class usually called Scitaminee. 333 
tions on living plants are still requisite, in order to form Dropet 
distinctive characters*.” | 
Such is the brief and i history of those plants : 
but some circumstances have of late occurred more favourable 
to the prosecution of these inquiries. Amidst the great number 
of plants lately brought into this country, those of the Scitami- 
nean tribe have not been neglected. Many of these have pro- 
duced their flowers; from which, and from the accurate figures 
given of others in the excellent botanical works lately pub- 
lished, as well in this country as on. the continent, it seems not 
impracticable. to form an arrangement, which may contribute in 
some degree to remove the i inconveniencies of. which there has 
hitherto been but too much reason to complain, and which are 
the more to be regretted, as they present themselves to the stue 
dent on the very opening of the Linnean system. — 
-From the result of observations made on this subject for. some 
years past, I have been led to conclude, that the true generic 
character of these plants consists in the situation, form and ap- 
pendages of the anthera, and its petal-like or incrassated fila- 
ment. | In several of the genera which compose this. class, the 
the "e ds. “atiro but in the- truly. Scitaminean plants it is 
; double, ani is either more | or less divided to receive the 
benc it closely embraces +. This anthera is supported 
by an erect. pog, Bleed ty which Swartz. contends. is im pro 
* « “Non. [3 Doran Se Uns ; quarum Coen inis f varia à diver- 
sam induxit autorum sententiam de earundem nomine et usu. Ulterius er o 
ferenda in vivis pleraque ordinis genera; ut consimilia in his et illis organa pate: 
conformis omnium character eruatur." 4. L. de Jussieu Gen. Pl. 64. 
+ In omnibus fere Scitamineis, anthera ns minusve mee E ree 
eum tough 
