Linnean System of Plants, 



163 



our plant is one of them, we shall have but little difficulty, for 

 we begin with the sixteenth species. " Galium horeale. Leaves 

 four in a whorl," &c. Our plant has eight leaves in a whorl j 

 it is the next species, Galium Aparine^ goose-grass, or 

 cleavers ; so called because the bristles, which cover every part 

 of the plant, cleave to every thing that comes near it, and rend 

 the down from geese as they pass. Some persons refer the 

 name of goose-grass to geese feeding upon the herb. The 

 seeds of this plant, when roasted, are a tolerable substitute for 

 coffee; and, as Sir J. E. Smith justly observes, "if raised for a 

 crop, they might have the additional recommendation of being 

 much dearer." 



We have another plant to study yet : this pretty, delicate, 

 blue flower, so closely buried in coarse, rough, bristly leaves, 

 that they seem as though they must wound its tender sides. 

 {Jig, 46.) We will split open the co- 

 rolla {h\ and within the tube we shall 

 find five stamens, which were before con- 

 cealed from view by five little valves in 

 the mouth (or, as some call it, the throat). 

 The plant is in the class Pentandria, 

 We find one pistil remaining in the 

 calyx : it has four germs ; in the midst 

 of which the style is inserted {c). It be- 

 longs to the first order, Monogynia, The 

 first section of this order contains the 

 Asperifblice before mentioned. The 

 flowers are monopetalous, inferior, with 

 two or four naked seeds : there are ten 

 genera, and to one of these our plant belongs. 



" Echium, Throat of the corolla dilated, naked,*' &c. The 

 throat of this plant is not naked ; therefore it cannot be an 

 ^''chium. 

 . " Pulmonaria, Corolla naked in the throat," &c. 



" LitJwspermum, Corolla naked in the throat," &c. 



" Symphytum, Corolla closed with awl-shaped converging 

 valves," &c. The valves in our specimen are roundish and 

 blunt ; therefore it cannot be a *Symphytum. 



" Borago, Corolla closed with awl-shaped or notched 

 valves," &c. 



** Lycopsis, Corolla closed with concave obtuse valves, 

 funnel-shaped, with a doubly bent tube ; seeds concave at the 

 base." 



^ Yes, these valves answer the description {d), and the tube 

 is bent two different ways [e). Let us compare the plant with 

 the fill! description of the genus iyc6psi3. " Calyx inferior, 



