CLASSIFICATION OF PLANTS. 



There are two main Divisions, viz. : — 



I.— PHANEROGAMS, or flowering plants. 

 II.— CRYPTOGAMS, or flowerless plants. 



Division I. is separated into two Classes, viz.: — 



I.— DICOTYLEDONS, or plants with two seed-leaves. 

 2.— MONOCOTYLEDONS, or plants with one seed-leaf. 



Each Class is divided into Groups which are sub-divided into 

 Families or Orders. Each Order contains several Genera, 

 Each genus one or more Species, each species one or more 

 Variety. 



THE GROUPS OF DICOTYLEDONS are:— 

 (i) POLYPETALOUS FLOWERS— separate petals, 

 (ii) MONOPETALOUS FLOWERS— one compound petal, 

 (iii) APETALOUS FLOWERS— no petals. 



(i) POLYPETALS are: — (a) Hypooynous — petals and stamens arise from 

 under the ovary (seed-vessel), i.e., ovary is superior and free. 



(6) Perigynous — stamens round the ovary, or Epigvnous — stamens 

 upon the ovary. 



In (6) the ovary is sometimes superior sometimes inferior, according 

 as the petals arise from below or above the ovary. 



(ii) MONOPETALS have ovary (a) inferior — below base of petal, 

 or (6) superior — above base of petal. 



(iii) APETALOUS FLOWERS are {a) without a corolla. 



or [fi) without both corolla and calyx. 



THE GROUPS OF MONOCOTYLEDONS are:— 



(i) PETALOID FLOWERS— with a perianth, 

 (ii) GLUME-BEARING FLOWERS —without a perianth, but 

 with dry bracts called glumes instead, as in wheat or oats. 



PETALOIDS have ovary (a) inferior, i.e., below and joined to perianth, 

 or (b) superior, i.e., above and free from perianth. 



Division II. includes (i) Ferns and Horse-tails, and also (2) 

 Fungi, Mosses, etc. The latter group does not appear in our 

 list. 



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