NOMENCLATURE. BOTANICAL ANALYSIS. 1 75 



In nus, no, num; as Erica Linneana, Linnseua' heath; Eosa Lawrenciana, Miss 

 Lawrence's rose. 



913. Rules for the use op capitals. The names of the order, the sub-order 

 or tribe, and of the genus should always commonce with a capital letter. The 

 name of the species should never commence with a capital except in the following 

 cases; (1.) when it is derived from the name of a person or of a country, as Phlox 

 Drummondii, Aquilegia Canadensis ; (2.) when it is a substantive, as Delphinium 

 Consolida. 



914. Synonyms. Very frequently, the same species has been described by differ- 

 ent (or even by tho same) authors, under different names. In such eases it becomes 

 a question, often of difficult solution, which name is to be adopted. Obviously, the 

 prior name, that is, the original one, if it can be ascertained, is entitled to the most 

 respect ; and it is a rule with botanists to adopt this name, unless it had been pre- 

 viously occupied, or be strongly objectionable on some other account. All other 

 names are synonyms. 



915. BOTANICAL ANALYSIS. Tho application of the rules of Systematic 

 Botany to tho natural plant, iu order to ascertain its affinities, place, name, &c, is 

 called botanical analysis. This exercise, whether for pleasure or improvement, is tho 

 constant pursuit of the practical botanist. A more accurate and useful knowledge 

 of a plant can bo acquired in a few minutes, by a careful examination of the living 

 specimen, or even of tho dried, than by committing to memory tho most elaborate 

 description found in books. 



916. During the flowering months, the learner will often in his walks meet with 

 plants in blossom, with which he is yet unacquainted. And he who is duly inter- 

 ested in his pursuit, will by no means fail to seize and analyze each specimen while 

 tho short hour of its bloom may last, and to store his memory with the knowledge 

 of its names, habits, and uses. Thus, in a few seasons, or oven in one, ho will have 

 grown familiar with nearly, or quite, every species of plants in hia vicinity. 



917. Let us suppose tho pupil iu possession of a specimen of an unknown plant 

 in fall blossom. In order to study it by the aid of authors, a point immediately 

 requisito is its name. Now, having learned by examination the organic and physi- 

 ological structure of tho flower, leaves, stem, etc., tho experienced botanist, who 

 has at hia command the characters of all tho Natural Orders, will at onco determine 

 to which of them tho plant belongs. 



9 1 8. But this is not to bo expected of the pupil who i3 supposed to bo yet, in a 

 measure, unacquainted with tho characters of tho orders. He must bo guided to 

 tho place which his specimen holds in tho classification, by a longer course of inquiry 

 and comparison. For tho assistance of the learner, therefore, and for the conve- 

 nience of all, wo aro happy to bo ablo to add a full series of Analytical Tables, 

 which, with proper use, will seldom fail of conducting them almost immediately to 

 the object of their search. 



919. The Analytical Tables which accompany tho present edition of our Flora, 

 are in many respects novel in form, and remarkable, at least, for their simplicity. 

 A dichotomal division, that is, of tho whole into two parts, is tho principle on which 

 they are constructed ; and since those divisions are, each, characterized mainly by a 

 •single character, the tables aro technically artificial. But they aro also natural to a 

 considerable extent, at least so far as tho divisions and sections which they make 

 are in accordance with the natural method. Wo subjoin a few examples of tho analy- 

 sis of particular species by the aid of these tables. If tho exercise be conducted in 

 the class-room, tho successive steps in the process (indicated by tho numbers, 1, 2, 

 3, &c, below) may be assigned, in order, to each pupil in tho class. 



