211 
CHARACTERS, &c. 
OF THE 
NATURAL ORDERS OF PLANTS. 
FIRST DIVISION. 
CRYPTOGAMIA.* 
Cryptogamic or Flowerless Plants. 
_ Cryptogamia, lide’ sania Juss.—Inembryonate, Exem- 
bryonate, or Ahriza, Richard—Cellulares, De Candolle—_ 
Agame, Lamarck. oe 
. Caaracrers.—Floral envelope and sexual organs absent 
or not discernible. Reproduced by means of little bodies 
* The term « Cryptogamia” (*gT7, tobe hid, and yas, marriage), 
is here preferred, because it agrees better than any other with the present — 
state of our knowledge in this department of Botany, and is more compre-— 
hensive. The term “ Cellular” is objectionable, because the Ferns are pro- 
vided with a distinct vascular system ; and the appellation ‘* Actoyledonous” — 
implies the constant absence of cotyledons, organs analogous to which have — 
been supposed to exist in Ferns: from which Agardh divided the Crypto- 
gamic plants into the true Acotyledonz, as Algee : and the Pseudo-Cotyledone, — 
as Ferns, &c. The term ‘“ Cryptogamia” signifies that the sexual organs of 
this class, if they have any, are not apparent ; which is an undoubted and ob- 
_ Vious fact. Some botanists have endeavoured to make out something 
sembling sexual organs in the Ferns and Mosses. These attempts, how 
have not been successful; and we might almost be justified in using the 
°game, signifying the total absence of sexual organs. It would seer 
in this instance, there has been an idea that Cryptogamic plan 
: their sporules or seeds formed by means of a sexual apparatus, 
_is the case with flowering plants. But since these two great divisions are 
Very different in structure, functions, form, and ee, why n 
Rot also differ in the mode of forming their seed ? ' 
