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FLORA AMERICEH BOREALI-ORIENTALIS. 857 
facies which prevents their being confounded together even at first 
sight i 
The diagrams, or f ftl nT edid 
are of great importance, and very aE executed, shd the positionn in 
relation to the axis of inflorescence is generally described as well as repre- 
sented in the plate ; but we should have wished to have seen it adverted 
to in the text in the case of every natural order or exceptional genus. 
Where, indeed, every flower is strictly terminal, as in the centrifugal 
cyme, there are no really anterior and posterior parts of the flower ; but 
in these cases it is necessary to mention the fact, in order to prevent the 
not uncommon error of mistaking the elongation of a lateral branch for 
the true axis of inflorescence, and describing the position of the parts 
in relation to that supposed axis; whereas in the dichotomous cyme it 
varies, in fact, according to which of the two branches is the one taken 
as the axis. 
Attention has been generally paid in this work to a curious circum- 
stance which has only lately attracted in any degree the observation of 
botanists, that is, the disposition shown by several plants to produce 
two kinds of flowers on the same stem, the one perfect and showy, 
though often sterile, the other minute, and apparently very imperfect, but 
producing seeds with much more readiness. See Helianthemum, t. 87, 
Impatiens, t. 153 (where the minute flowers afford much assistance in 
explaining its morphology), &c. In one instance, however, Viola, t. 80, 
the imperfect fertile flowers have been overlooked in the description ; 
alihough the capsules figured no. 10 and 11, with their short hooked 
styles, «are derived from them and not from the showy flowers with 
elongated styles, figs. 3, 4, and 8. 
ong the important contributions to Systematie Botany in these 
volumes, we would specially refer to Malvacee, many of the genera of 
which are remodelled upon a much more scientifie basis than has yet 
been done, although the labours of Kunth, St. Hilaire, and others, had 
in a great degree prepared the way. The morphology of this, as well 
as of some other orders, is also developed in a much more —— 
manner than usual; although, for our own parts, we cannot coin 
the general adoptiva of the modern theory and name of dedapiicalion, 
to explain what appears to us a variety of ameet however they may 
tend to a common result. 
The term dédoublement originated, we believe, with two Montpellier 
