42G ICOSANDRIA— POLYGYNIA. TormentiUa. 



plished, without the concurrence of those who ought to be of 

 authority. 

 Notwithstanding the scientific labours of Dr. Nestler, Mr. Haller 

 jun., and Mr. Seringue, who, according to their several oppor- 

 tunities, have greatly illustrated this subject, I perceive the whole 

 genus of Potentilla still requires accurate revision, neither the 

 Linnaean species, nor the synonyms of the earlier writers, being 

 well understood. The British ones, as far as hitherto observed, 

 will now I trust be intelligible j so that if any new species should 

 be found, they may, by competent observers, be distinguished. 



258. TORMENTILLA. Tormentil. 



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

 L 444. 



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, siriiple, 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 TormentiUa, but retained Tillcea, Crassula, Rho- 

 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 settied 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 



