LINDLEY'S NATURAL SYSTEM OF BOTANY. 11 



and the author is well aware " that this part of the work will 

 require many great changes and improvements before it can 

 be considered at all established." Notwithstanding the ob- 

 jections to which it is liable in many particulars, we agree 

 with the author in the opinion, " that even in its present state 

 it will be found to be attended with many advantages, and 

 that every step which may be taken in determining the limits 

 of the natural groups subordinate to the primary classes must 

 be a decided gain to the science. So rapid is the advance of 

 our knowledge of the vegetable kingdom, and so numerous are 

 the new types of structure that present themselves to the sys- 

 tematic botanist, that it is to be feared lest another chaos 

 should be brought on by the masses of imperfectly grouped 

 species with which the science will soon abound." 



The names of natural orders, as first established, do not 

 appear to have been framed in accordance with any uniform 

 rule, as to derivation or mode of termination. They were 

 sometimes intended to express some characteristic feature 

 (Ex. Leguminosce, Labiatce, Cruciferce, Umbellifene, Com- 

 merce, etc.), but more commonly some genus was selected as the 

 type of the family, which was designated either by the plural 

 of the genus simply (as Myrti, Lilia, Irides, Eiiphorhice)^ 

 or with a slight prolongation (as OrcMdece, Jasminece, etc.), 

 or with the termination still further modified (as in Cyper- 

 oidece, Aroidece, Boraginece, or Manunculacece, Itosacece, 

 Cucurhitacece, etc.). The derivation of the name of the order 

 from some prominent genus is now the universal practice ; 

 and for the sake of uniformity as well as to distinguish such 

 names from those of genera in the plural number, the termina- 

 tion acecB is given to orders, and that of ece to suborders, etc. 

 The advantages of uniformity in this respect is manifest, and 

 Dr. Lindley therefore insists upon the adoption of the rule in 

 all cases. In the " Key to Botany," published the year pre- 

 vious to the appearance of the second edition of the present 

 work, the termination in acece is employed, not only in the 

 names of orders formed from those of genera, but also in the 

 few still in use which relate to some peculiarity in the habit 

 of the family. Thus instead of Cruciferce, Umbelliferce., 



