On Ihe Classification of Plants. 



105 



Fig. 4. 



witli lids in wliicli tliej are closely packed awaj. This 

 class of the spore-bearers includes the Liverworts, 

 Mosses, Ferns, Lycopods and Equisetac£e. They are 

 the higher families of the Cryptogams. 



III. The seed-bearing plants we may divide in the 

 same way : first we have the Gymnosperm^, or naked 

 seeds, in the Coniferas, (pines, etc.,) and in the Cycadacece, 

 tropical plants, but little known here. 



In all these plants there are no proper seed ves- 

 sels. They are, therefore, the lowest class of the 

 seed-bearers, Spermifer^. 



IV. Next and last we have the Angiosper- 



Fig. 5. M^, or plants with seeds that are covered, such as 



the pea and most of our familiar fruits. This is the most 



highly organized class of plants, standing at the head of the 



list in all modern botanical works. 



We have, then, two grand divisions and four minor divis- 

 ions or classes of plants, all based upon the reproductive 



organs 



thus 



Sporifer^, 

 Spore-bearing. 



Spermifer^, 

 Seed-bearing. 



GyinnosiJorcB^i 

 Naked spores. 

 Angiosporoe^i 

 Covered spores. 



Oymn osj)erm a, 

 Naked seeds. 

 A7igiospermai^ 

 Covered seeds. 



The beauty and simplicity of this arrangement is apparent, 

 and may be deemed a sufficient proof that it is in accordance 

 with nature, which is always simple, methodical, and progTess- 

 ive ; and yet it differs essentially from any heretofore adopted, 

 in placing the Gymnosperms (conifers, etc.) below all the 

 Angiosperms, whether of exogenous or endogenous structure. 



Fig. 4— theca or capsule of a moss. 



Fig. 5— scale from a pine core showing the two naked seeds. 



