BAUHIN 13 



Triplici Principio, Bulbosae : 



Flos inferius sedet : bulbous Liliaceae. 



Flos in summo fructus : Amaryllidaceae. 



Bulbaceis ascribi desiderant : other Liliaceae, Iridaceae, Orchidaceae. 



Quaternis Seminibus : Boraginaceae, Labiatae. 



Pluribus Seminibus in communi sede : most Compositae. 

 Lactescentes : Cichorieae. 

 Acanaceae : Cynareae, Dipsacus, Eryngium, &c. 



Pluribus Seminibus Flore communi : 



Semina plene nuda : acheniferous Ranunculaceae and Rosaceae, &c. 

 Aut conjunctis receptaculis : e.g. Aristolochia, Nymphaea, Papaver^ 



Cistus. 



Aut disjunctis receptaculis : e.g. Sedum, Veratrum, Helleborus, Del- 

 phinium, Dictamnus. 



Plore fructuque carentes : Cryptogams. 



In spite of its inherent imperfections and of errors of obser- 

 vation, the method succeeded in bringing together a considerable 

 number of the plants dealt with, into groups which are still 

 regarded as natural. For instance, among the trees and shrubs, 

 the leguminous genera, and the coniferous genera, respectively, 

 are so brought together : and among herbs, the leguminous, 

 umbelliferous, cruciferous and composite genera. Moreover, 

 though many of Cesalpino's sections consist of what seems to 

 be a heterogeneous assemblage of plants, yet they include groups 

 of closely allied genera, representing several of the natural orders 

 of more modern times, which his method was incapable of dis- 

 tinguishing. With all its shortcomings, the method produced a 

 classification of plants which has proved to have been natural in 

 no slight degree. 



The very numerous botanical works which were published in 

 the century after the appearance of Cesalpino's De Plantis afford 

 evidence that his system of classification did not meet with an 

 enthusiastic reception. Though his plant-names were generally 

 quoted, his arrangement was entirely ignored : in fact the very 

 idea of classification seems to have gradually faded out of the 

 minds of botanists, whose attention was more and more engrossed 

 with the description of the new species that the rapid extension of 

 geographical discovery was bringing to light. This condition of 

 the science is well illustrated by the most authoritative systematic 

 work that the I7th century produced, the great Pinax Theatri 



