_ 'THE STUDY OF BOTANY. | a7 
ee EXAMPLE XV. 
aed ALTHA’A. (Marsh- -mallow,) 
Or Wymote. It naturally grows in salt marshes, but upon 
account of its medical uses, it is cultivated in most gardens, 
and is pretty generally known. 
Upon examining the flower, we find the Stamens numerous, 
and the filaments all united atthe base, We recollect that 
this circumstance characterises the flowers of the Clafs Mona- 
delphia. We find the Orders in that Clafs depend upon the 
number of Stamens ; and observing that the flowers before us 
contain more than 10, we must expect to find the plant in the 
OrveR Polyandria. Our plant having many Pistils, we refer 
it to the 3d subdivision. The three Genera contained in that 
subdivision nearly resemble each other; but the outer cup 
being cloven into 9 parts, we must suppose it an Althza. ’ 
Under that. Genus we find only one Species, and as our plant 
agrees both in the Generic and Specific character, we 
nounce it to be the Althea officinalis, or Marsh-mallow, 
EXAMPLE XVI, 
SPAR’TIUM. (Broom.) 
‘Pont the appearance of the Stamens, which are all united 
by the Filaments, we should be at a lofs whether to expect 
this plant in the Monadelphia, or in the Diadelphia Clafs ; but 
the butterfly-shape of the Blofsom determines us to the latter. 
After reading the introduction to that Clafs, we observe that 
the Orders depend upon the number of Stamens, The flowers 
of our plant contain 10; and, as the Filaments are all united, 
we are at no lofs to see that it belongs to the first subdivision 
of the Order Decandria. We now compare it with the cha- 
racters of the different Genera; but, as the Genera of this 
Clafs are a natural afsemblage, and, from their similarity, 
admit of one general NatuRAL Cudsatren, the differences 
between each'Genus must depend upon minute circumstances, 
and therefore demand a good deal of attention. At length we 
perceive, from the hairy Summit, and the Filaments clipping ' 
the Germen coerly, that it must be the SSPE Comparing 
