•'LASS DKEC1A. 205 



there is a lower growing species, with a 1-seeded, 

 elliptic legume (G. monospcrma). In the vicinity of 

 the Rocky mountains, towards the sources of the river 

 Platte, Major Long's exploring party collected speci- 

 mens of a very dwarf species, with entire, linear-ob- 

 long leaflets. The G. brachyloba of the Mississippi 

 is almost intermediate with G. monosperma, and the 

 common species, having shorter pods than the latter, 

 disposed commonly in clusters. This genus, and 

 Gymnocladas, which we shall presently describe, pre- 

 sents us with a remarkable anomaly in the regular 

 structure, and deficient number of parts in the flower, 

 compared with the more perfect Leguminosje. The 

 calyx, with its 3 or 4 internal or petaloid divisions, 

 sums up only 6 to 8 parts, in place of 10, and these 

 without any of the irregular or papilionaceous charac- 

 ter. The stamina are equally deficient in number, 

 varying from 5, G to 8, in place of 10. We may thus 

 perceive the small importance of the mere number of 

 parts, and their declension of form from regularity, as 

 all these structures unite here in the same very natur- 

 al family. 



In the order Triandria (formerly in the complex 

 class and order Polygamia tricecia) you will find the 

 genus Ficus, or Fig, of the natural family of the Ur- 

 ticf.je, or Nettles, extremely remarkable for containing, 

 as it appears, the flowers within the fruit. This fruit is 

 then, botanically considered, only a juicy, connivent, or 

 ventricose receptacle, within which are concealed the 

 flowers and seeds of extreme minuteness, but obvious 

 enough through a moderate microscope Within the 

 top-shaped, converging, and fleshy receptacle, the Fig, 

 whose orifice is closed by scales, you will find a multi- 

 tude of little flowers of different kinds, complete and 

 incomplete, sometimes in the same fruit, and sometimes 

 on different plants. — The starmniferous floivers have 

 IS 



