VI Preface. 



classification of the plants belonging to Corolliflorae (p. 12), we 

 proceed as follows : — 



Quest. Ovary superior or inferior? Am. Superior. Turn then to 53. 

 Quest. Stamens hypogynous or epipetalous ? Ans. The bright blue corollas 

 easily drop off and carry the two stamens with them ; the stamens are there- 

 fore epipetalous. We pass on to 59, and the ovary being all in one piece 

 and therefore syncarpous, and the leaves not being succulent, we come to 60. 

 Quest, Ovary 4-cleft and style basilar, or style terminal? Ans. Terminal. 

 62. Quest. Stamens 5, or 2, 4, or 6? Ans. There are 2 stamens. 63. Quest. 

 A shrub or a herb? Ans. A herb, 66. Quest, Stamens 4 or 2 or 6? 

 Ans. 2. Refer then to 67. Since the stamens are two in number and not 6, 

 we pass on to 69, and lastly, since there are 4 petals we decide that our plant 

 belongs to the Natural Order Scrophulariacese. The next thing is to 

 determine the genus and the species. Turning then to p. 102, we easily see 

 that since there are 2 stamens and not 4 or 5, the plant must be a Veronica. 

 Again, a little attention decides that the flowers are in racemes (422), that 

 the racemes are axillary (424), and this being a land plant wc pass on to 426; 

 and since the racemes are opposite and not alternate, the plant can be no 

 other than VERONICA CHAM^EDRYS. The description agrees with 

 this determination, since the plant under examination has ovate and serrate 

 leaves and bright blue flowers. 



Whilst the arrangement of the Tables is frequently arbitrary, 

 and applicable only to the particular set of plants included in 

 this work, the characters of each Natural Order have been given 

 at some length, and are those of the British plants of the Order 

 considered as a whole. 



It is hoped that most plants may be easily identified with 

 a little patience. The great point is to make sure that the 

 question raised at each step is thoroughly understood ; nothing 

 must be left to guess-work. Oliver's Lessons in Elementary 

 Botany may be consulted for explanation of the botanical terms 

 employed in this work, and for greater convenience a glossary 

 is added at the end of the book. 



In some cases the beginner must be satisfied with knowing 

 the Natural Order to which his plant belongs. The classification 



