DODECANDRIA. 

 CLASS XL 



TWELVE STAMINA. 

 This Class has six Orders. 



This Class is called, in botanical language, by a 

 name (DodecandriaJ which supposes the plants to 

 have twelve stamina j but tlie exact number twelve is 

 so uncommon, that no plant has been found to have 

 that number with unvaiying precision, therefore this 

 Class has been made to include such as have from 

 eleven to sixteen stamina, and in some cases more, 

 though in no instance to exceed nineteen. 



ORDER I. 



PURPLE LOOSE-STRIFE ^rows on the banks moi^'ogy. 



of rivers, ponds, and ditches, and blossoms in July .* 



and August. ^Tum!'^^' 



Some old writers have attributed to this genus the 

 power of taming and reconciling ferocious and dis- 

 cordant animals, by putting it about their yokes or 

 necks 3 in our improved state of knowledge, how this 

 fanciful opinion could have prevailed is difficult to 



