C " ] 



that the male mercury which bears the feed, and that 

 the female which is barren. Pliny obferves that natu- 

 ralifts allow the diftindion of fex, not only in trees but 

 in herbs and all plants. Gxfalpinus reformed the errors 

 of former writers, in fuppofing the barren plant to be the 

 male, and that which bears the feed to be the female: 

 but his notion goes no further than to thofe where the 

 organs are placed on feparate roots produced from the 

 fame feed. Zaluzianfki, a native of Poland, firfl: dif- 

 criminated the true fexes of plants, and pointed out the 

 elTential difference between the male, the female, and 

 the hermaphrodite. Dr. Grew, in 1682, fuggefted the 

 idea that the antheras were necelTary to the impregnation 

 of a plant, and plainly delivers it as his opinion, that 

 thefe burft open and Ihed the pollerf^or duft contained in 

 them, which falling on tiie feed-vefTel renders them 

 prolific. Thefe principles were afterwards adopted by- 

 Ray, Camerarius who fpeaks of the number of the fta- 

 mina in flowers, Malphigi who examined the anthcras 

 and pollen by the microfcope, GeofFroy, Juflieu, Vaillant, 

 Morland and others. 



ProfefTor Rudbeck, then in his feventieth year, 

 iiruck with the novelty of the obfervations contained in 

 this fmall eflTuy, not only took him into his houfe, but 

 after a fhort time fi;ffered him to give lectures for him 

 whenever he was prevented by fatigue or other avoca- 

 tions. Under patronage fo dignified and with diftindion 

 To flattering, the mind of the young academician began. 



