GROWING IN PENNSYLVANIA. 175 



firft having but one ftamen and the third but two, three 

 being the proper number in the Valeriana. But the plant 

 in queftion is materially different in other refpeds. 1 ft, 

 in the conftantly unequal proportion of its ftamina. 2d, 

 in its corolla, and 3d, in the form of its feed. 



However the moft remarkable chara£ler of all, is to 

 be found in the proportion of its ftamina, always to the 

 number of three, the two fmaller of which are drawn 

 together by a round yellow anthera inferted at the orifice 

 of the tube ; and are always fheltered as it were by a dif- 

 ferent divifion of the larger ones, coloured more internally 

 than the others at its bafe, which may be regarded as a 

 fort of neftarium ; the third ftamen is longer, having the 

 fame point of infertion, but oppofite to the two others. Its 

 anthera is oblong of a dirty white. All the three ftamina 

 are fertile. This very particular charafter has determined 

 me to make a new genus of the plant, at the fame time 

 it has furnifhed me with a name that appears perfedly 

 applicable, Heterandra. I would willingly have conti- 

 nued the name of Bartonia, by which I am told it was 

 fent to England, in honour of Dr. Barton, whofe know- 

 ledge and zeal in the ftudy of nature are already known 

 to you ; but, befides that I have always thought the 

 names of men no ways applicable to plants, it appears 

 to me more proper to give it fuch a name as may clefig- 

 nate the particular character which effentially diftin- 

 guilhes this plant from all others. Formerly, and even 

 now, we are flill in the habit of giving proper names that 

 are void of fignification to plants. If this cuftom had 

 gone no farther than ufing the names of thofe men wha 

 have been ufeful to fcience it might have been tolerated ; 

 but now that pretenders to fcience claim the fame honour, 

 it is unworthy the attention of men renowned for tlieir 

 genius and works. In fad, was it neceflliry that the 

 names of Hippocrates, Tournefort, Linnseus, Juffieu, 



Z 2 and 



