ICOSANDRIA— POLYGYNIA. Tormentilla. 427 

 258. TORMENTILLA. Tormentil. 



Linn. Gen. 256. Jiiss.337. Fl.Br.552. Tourn.t. 153. Lam. 

 t. AAA. 



Nat. Ord. see n. 254. 



Cal. inferior, of 1 leaf, flat, permanent; limb in 8 deep seg- 

 ments ; 4 alternate ones external, and narrowest. Pet. 4, 

 inversely heart-shaped, spreading, opposite to the exter- 

 nal segments of the calyx, and attached by their very 

 short claws to its rim. Filam. 16 or more, from the rim 

 of the calyx, awl-shaped, erect, not half so long as the 

 corolla. Anth. roundish, erect, of 2 cells, bursting 

 lengthwise. Germ, superior, about 8, roundish, small, 

 smooth, collected into a round head. Styles thread- 

 shaped, short, erect, 1 to each germen, lateral, deciduous. 

 Stigmas obtuse. Seeds ovate, naked, very obscurely and 

 partially wrinkled, smooth. Recept. small, depressed, 

 densely hairy, to which the seeds are attached laterally. 



Root perennial. Stems weak, leafy, round, somewhat 

 branched. Leaves digitate, cut; the upper ones sessile 

 and opposite. Fl. yellow, on long, simple, lateral stalks, 

 opposite to the leaves. Qualities astringent. 



The distinction between this genus and the last certainly 

 depends upon number, but the difference is obvious, and 

 as constant as in any other similar instance, of which 

 there are several universally adopted. Schreber abo- 

 lished 7or?7ientilla, but retained Tillaa, Crassula, R/io- 

 diola, and many other such. He is followed, though not 

 quoted, by some recent writers hereafter indicated. To 

 follow up the question as it deserves would require a long 

 and deep inquiry, nor is it to be settled by a hasty opi- 

 nion. Scopoli's argument that " a one-eyed man is no 

 less a man," does not seem to me very apt or ingenious. 

 I would have concealed it, if I could, out of respect to 

 its excellent author. A young student, desirous of judg- 

 ing on points like this, will do well to recollect that if 

 number, or any other character, be used to discriminate 

 genera otherwise apparently distinct, still no character is 

 of itself in all cases absolute. In Gentiana and many 

 others, number is of no consequence at all, and will 

 sometimes hardly distinguish species. In Saxifraga a 

 superior or inferior germen makes no generic difference, 

 though in general the most absolute of all characters. 

 Superficial and partial views are dangerous to science. 



