11C 11EV1EW. 



colour. Though not as showy as many of this tribe, yet it is an interesting" 

 and pretty plant. 



19. Teichocentrum fbscum. Brown-flow cicil. (Bot. R«g. 1951.) Orchi- 

 <lew. Gynandria; Monandria. Introduced into this country by Mr. Knight 

 lrom Mexico, with whom it has bloomed in July last year: the flowers are 

 small but pretty ; green, white, red, and yellow intermixed. Neat and 

 pretty. 



REVIEW. 



The science of Botany by Hugo Reid, 24mo. pp. 10S. John Reed Glasgow, 

 1837. Contents, 1st, What is a plant. 2nd, Cells and tubes. Srd, The 

 root. 4th, The stem. 5th, Leaves. 6th, Appendages. 7th, Nutrition. 8th, 

 The flower. 9th, The fruit and seed. 10th, Propagation of plants. 11. 

 Linnoean method of arranging plants. 12. Natural system for classifying 

 plants. This small and neat publication on the interesting science of Botany 

 contaius mnltum in parva. We think it well worth procuring — An extract 

 will shew the nature of the work : 



" The Stem. — The stem is an organ possessed by most plants. It grows up- 

 wards from the root, gives support to the leaves, the flowers, and the fruit, 

 and transmits to them the nutritious fluids absorbed in the earth. 



" With respect to structure, stems may be divided into three great classes 

 which "correspond with the three natural classes into which vegetables are 

 divided, — Cellular, Endogenous, and Exogenous Stems. 



•■ Cellilar Stems, — These consist of a homogeneous mass of cellular 

 vegetable matter, covered by a thin cuticle, Some of them are apparently 

 of a fibrous texture, but arc composed of elongated cells placed parallel to 

 one another. Mushrooms (Fungi,) Lichens, Sea-weeds, the lower orders of 

 plants, make up this class, the leading character of which is to consist of 

 cellular tissue alone. The Ferns, and one or two others, have certain kinds 

 of vascular tissue, but resembling this class in other respects, have generally 

 been included in it. Plants of this kind are Flowerlcss or Cryylogamic and are 

 termed Acro^cnous, growing only by addition at their external points." 



"Endogenous Stems. — These consist of bundles of vessels irregularly 

 dispersed through cellular tissue. The Sugar-cane, Solomon's Seal, the Lily, 

 the Palm, and the Iris, have this kind of structure, the cellular and vascular 

 tissues being blended together through the entire substance of the stem. 



" Stems of this kind are called Endogenous, because the new matter by 

 which they increase in diameter is added interiorly. Their growth is car- 

 ried on by means of the thick cluster of leaves by which they are terminated 

 superiorly. From them the new matter descends along the centre of the 

 stem, and pushes outwards the parts first formed. The upper parts of the 

 leaves perish having performed their functions; their bases remain, are pres- 

 sed together, and form at the top the new external part of the stem. In the 

 middle of the crown of leaves is the terminal bud, which is next to be deve- 

 loped, rise a little above the former, become a cluster of leaves, and in its 

 turn be pushed outwards by a succeeding central bud- 



" The oldest and hardest part of such stems is that nearest to the circum- 

 ference. The more the external parts are pressed by the descent of the new 

 matter, the more close and compact they become, the outer parts being soon 

 incapable of being much farther pushed out, and the whole being thus com- 

 pressed and condensed. The prickly Pole-palm is like whalebone externally, 

 and some palms are so hard there as to resist the stroke of the axe — yet 

 quite soft in the centre. 



" From the mode of growth in this stem it never can attain a great thick- 

 ness, the new matter having to force outwards all the previously formed mat- 

 ter, which is every season increasing in quantity and becoming harder. 



