124 CLASS! PICA TION. [chap. 



Poppy, Mustard, Rose, and Melastoma as examples of the 

 Polypetalous Division, and Zinnia, Rose, Periwinkle, and 

 Sweet Basil of the Gamopetalous Division, of the Dichlamy- 

 deous Sub-class ; and so on for each of the principal divisions 

 of Dicotyledons and Monocotyledons. 



These illustrative examples we may regard as representa- 

 tive Types. Each type embodies the characteristics of a 

 large group, the members of which group, though they differ 

 from each other in minor details, such as regularity or irre- 

 gularity of the corolla, and sometimes in the number of 

 stamens and of carpels, generally agree in characters which, 

 from experience, we infer to be important, from their preva- 

 lence through a large number of plants. These important 

 characters are principally based upon adhesion, cohesion, 

 and suppression of the parts of the flower. 



By extending this method, by selecting and carefully 

 studying types representing the principal subordinate groups, 

 called NATURAL ORDERS, of Indian Flowering Plants, we 

 shall lay the sure basis of a thoroughly scientific acquaintance 

 with them. The types which we presently proceed to select 

 from each important Natural Order are not always the best 

 suited to serve as representatives of such Order, because we 

 shall be obliged to make use of plants of which specimens 

 may be easily obtained, and these do not always happen to 

 be best adapted for the purpose. Besides, in some Natural 

 Orders the amount of variation in minor characters is so 

 considerable that we shall find it needful to employ Sub-types, 

 the relation of which to their type we shall endeavour to 

 make clear whenever we find it needful to employ them. 



You must not be content with the examination of those 

 plants only which are employed as types. You must try to 

 refer to its type every flowering pla7it y on 7neet with, and, in a 

 short time, you cannot fail to recognise easily the Natural 



