- PREFACE, 
"Thus would Spatularia stellaris (below) be a 
Robertsonia, but for its differing filaments—a Mis- 
copetalum, but for its reflected calyx, or a Saxi- 
jraga, but for both these Slarudléri: Yet the 
causes which would give gracility to the base of its 
filaments, as in. Rolertsonia, would probably also 
alter its habit to the petiolated leaves &c. of that 
genus,—those whieh woüld turn up its ealyx, 
might change its cuneated leaves, and clothe its 
naked scape with the rounded ones of 7MMiscopeta- 
lum 5— or the causes which would produce all those 
clüifsstohis or wipe them all away, might leave it 
still a true Saxifraga. In a word, whatever causes 
could alter any one of these pristine generic con- 
formations, would likewise; in all probability, very 
far disturb, or even remodel the appearances of 
others; so that, however trivial or inefficient the 
apparent characters of Spatuíaria, or those of any 
other Genus, may seem as generical ones; they 
are, nevertheless, botanically, very important, 
- Hence it should seem, that nothing short of a 
botanical map, or some distribution resembling a 
genealogical table, can show fairly to any thing but 
the eye of the mind, the real but gradual approxi- 
mations of genera and species towards each other. 
And such a scheme, showing individually the es- 
sential characters, of at least the Genera, will pro- 
bably, ere many ages pass, be appended tothe head 
of many a natural Order of Plants; while the letter 
press details the same longitudinally, and with 
other characters more at large. 
