300 Dr. Lindley’s Natural System of Botany. 
Alliance 5. Pittosporales, which strikes us as a singularly hetero- 
geneous assemblage, bringing together into one group the Vitacex, 
Pittosporacez, Clemdoiel; Francoacex, and Sarracenjacez ! 
All the subclasses and groups, both of Exogens and Endogens, 
are subdivided in a similar manner; but we cannot here proceed 
further with our enumeration. It will be borne in mind that the 
chief object of an arrangement of this kind, is to facilitate the study 
of the natural orders, by dividing the extensive primary classes into 
sections of convenient size, and to dispose these groups, and the 
orders they comprise, as nearly in accordance with their respective 
affinities and relationships as a lineal arrangement will allow. — It is 
impossible, in the present state of our knowledge, to say how far the 
views of our author will ultimately be approved. Every attempt of 
the kind must necessarily be very imperfect, so long as the structure 
of only a limited portion of the whole vegetable kingdom has been 
attentively and completely examined ; and the author is well aware 
“that this part of the work will require many great changes and im- 
provements before it can be considered at all established.” Notwith- 
standing the objections 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 numerous advantages, and that 
every step which may be taken in determining the limits of 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 ve- 
getable kingdom, and so numerous are the new types of structure 
‘that present themselves to the systematic botanist, that it is to be 
feared lest another chaos should be brought on by the masses of im- 
perfectly 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 deri- 
— or mode of termination. They were sometimes intended to 
e characteristic feature, (Ex. Leguminose, Labiate, 
pain Umbelliferc, Conifere, &c.) 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, 
orbie,) or with a slight prolongation, (as Orchidea, Jasminee, 
=) or with the termination still further modified, (as in Cyperoidee 
| , Boragince, or Ranunculacee, Rosaceae, Cussrditnece, 
fe.) The derivation of the name of an order from some prominent 
genus is now the universal ] practice ; and for the sake of uniformity, 
