ORDERS OF THE LINNJEAN SYSTEM. 35 



CHAPTER IX. 



EXPLANATION OF THE ORDERS OF THE SYSTEM OF 



LINNiEUS. 



The orders, or secondary divisions of this system, 

 in the first thirteen classes are founded wholly upon 

 the number ot the pistils; and, like the classes, receive 

 their names from the Greek, as Monogynia or Digy- 

 ■ina the order of one or two styles; the term gynia, 

 indicating the feminine or fruit-bearing part of the 

 flower. 



In the class Didynamia, including two very distinct 

 natural orders, the pistillum, which is single in them 

 both, affords no longer a numerical distinction, and in 

 consequence, the character of the fruit forms the ordi- 

 nal distinctions. In the first order, called Gymno- 

 spermia (or naked seed), there is no capsule ; but a 

 gaping flower, succeeded by four naked seeds within 

 the calyx. In the second order, Angiospermia, the 

 vingent or personate flower is succeeded generally by 

 a two-celled pericarp, containing many seeds. 



In the next class Tetradynamia, there is also but 

 a single pistil ; so that the two sections, or natural or- 

 ders, into which it is divided, are again distinguished 

 by the nature of the fruit. In the first order, Sincu- 

 losa, the pod is short, or nearly as broad as long, and 

 divided commonly by a narrow or transverse partition 

 into two cells, as in the Cress and Shepherd's-purse ; 

 in Lunaria or Moonwort, however, wmere the silicle is 

 very large and quite flat, the valves and partition are 

 all of the same width. There is almost an insensible 

 passage from one order to the other, Siliqjiosa, of 

 this class, which differs from the preceding order by 

 having a long and narrow pod, as in the Cabbage, and 



