110 THE NATURAL SYSTEM. 



325. The first and highest division of the vegetable kmgdom, 

 aamely, into the Phcenogamia or Flowering Plants, and the 

 Cryptogamia or Floiverlcss Plants, has already been noticed, 

 and its distinctions explained, in Chapter III, and elsewhere. 

 These grand divisions lie at the foundation of both the System '! 

 of Linnteus and of Jussieu, and are truly founded in nature ; 

 for 



The PlI^BNOGAMIA 



1. Consist of a regular axis of growth with leafy appendages. 



2. They possess a woody and vascular structure. 



3. They devclope flowers, and 



4. They produce seeds. On the otlier hand 

 The Cryptogam I A 



1. Are destitute of a regular axis and of true leaves. 



2. They possess a cellular structure only. 



3. They do not dcvelope flowers, and 



4. They produce spohes (129) instead of seeds. 



326. These distinctive characters must not, however, be regarded as decisive in 

 all cases; for the higher Cryptogamia. as the ferns, give indications both of a regu- 

 lar woody axis and of a vascular stracture, while some of the lower Phrenogamia 

 can scarcely be said to ])roduce flowers. And, universally, so gradual are the 

 transitions from family to family and tribe to tribe, that it is impossible to fi.x 

 upon characters so definite as to completely circumscribe any one group, while at 

 tlie same time, they exclude every member of surrounding and approximating 

 groups. 



327. There is a small and curious order of plants of comparatively recent dis- 

 covery, native chiefly of the East Indies, which appear, from the most authentic 

 accounts of them, to form the connecting link between the Flowering and Flow- 

 crless plants, combining a part of the characters of each, so that Ijotanists are at 

 a loss to which it belongs. They possess a cellular structure, develope flowers 

 immediately from the root, whence they are called Ehizanths {{"f»;, a root, acfli:,-, 

 a flower) ; but their ovaries are said to be filled wth spores instead of seeds, and 

 hence they are also called Sporogens. Ex. Rafflesia. 



328. Again, the Pha?nogamia are very naturally resolved into 

 two subdivisions, depending upon their manner of growth, called 

 ExoGENS and Endogens, whose distinctions are briefly as fol- 

 lows : — ' 



ExOGENS, 



1. Growing by external accretions (196). 



2. Bearing leaves which have reticulated veins (229) and which fall off by 

 an articulation. 



3. Seeds with tATO or more cotyledons (127) or dicotykdonoiu. 



