OF THE LINNJEAN SYSTEM. 31 



recede from the rest, and four others are symmetri- 

 cal with the other parts of the flower. 



In the four following classes, the essential circum- 

 stance assumed is the union of the filaments or of the 

 anthers. 



Thus in Monadelphia (or the class of one brother- 

 hood, as the word implies), the filaments are united, 

 more or less distinctly, from their base upwards ; but 

 in some genera this character is far from being as ob- 

 vious as could be desired. In the family of the Mal- 

 lows, which includes the Hollihocfc, this union of the 

 filaments into a column occupying the interior of the 

 flower, is, however, very obvious, and gave rise in 

 former systems to the just application of the term Co- 

 lumniferce to this tribe. Nearly all of them are provid- 

 ed with a double calyx of an unequal number of di- 

 visions ; the corolla, of five inversely heart or wedge- 

 shaped petals, is united together into one piece at the 

 base, where it also coalesces with the column of sta- 

 mens; and through the centre of this column, at 

 length, is seen the projecting thread-like styles, being 

 from five, to an indefinite, or considerable number in 

 each flower ; whatever be the number, there is at the 

 base a similar number of distinct capsules, or so ma- 

 ny united cells forming a single capsule by their ad- 

 herence. In the cotton plant the seeds are envelop- 

 ed in a considerable quantity of that kind of vegetable 

 wool which constitutes so important an article of our 

 clothing. 



In the next class, the seventeenth of Linnaeus, called 

 Diadelphia (or two brotherhoods), the united fila- 

 ments are disposed in two bodies. The flowers have but 

 one pistil ; the fruit is a legume or pod ; and the irre- 

 gular corolla, termed papilionaceous, must at once 

 bring to your recollection a natural group of plants 

 with which you are already acquainted. The Dia- 



