329 



nienta,' it is evident that in general these were formed on similar 

 grounds." — P. 87. 



As an example, let us take the order Sarmentaceae, to which we 

 have just had occasion to refer. It includes Ruscus and other 

 genera to the number of twenty, now distributed among ten orders, 

 belonging to three distinct classes, as follows. Exogens : — Vitacece; 

 Cissus, Yitis : Araliacece ; Hedera, Panax, Aralia : Hippocrateacece ; 

 Hippocratea : Menispermacea ; Menispermum, Cissampelos : Aris- 

 tolochiace(B ; Asarum, Aristolochia. Endogeus : — LiliacecB ; Ruscus, 

 Asparagus, Convallaria, Gloriosa: MelanthacecB ; Uvularia. Dictyo- 

 gens : — Trilliacece ; Medeola : DioscoreacecB ; Rajana, Dioscorea, 

 Tamus : Smilacece ; Smilax. Now we readily grant that there is 

 considerable resemblance in " the general aspect " of many of the 

 species enumerated above ; but surely Linnaeus, from a consideration 

 of this outward resemblance alone, would scarcely " have brought 

 together in the same order plants so wholly unlike each other" as the 

 " delicate and lowly " lily of the valley, " the hardy and evergreen '' 

 butcher's broom, and the tall, branching asparagus ; his penetrating 

 eye could detect a closer alliance among these plants founded upon 

 their certain characters ; and the very heterogeneous assemblage col- 

 lected under the order Sarmentaceae, is of itself an instructive com- 

 mentary upon the folly of trusting to outward resemblance alone, 

 since it could lead even a Linnaeus to associate such opposite genera 

 as the grape-vine and the Aristolochia. 



At page 18 of his ' Observations,' our author declares that he " can 

 scarcely find a single order of the flowering plants which is not a 

 heterogeneous and incongruous assemblage ;" while at page 87 he 

 admits " that there are groups or tribes of vegetables approaching 

 each other so closely in the general aspect of the species belonging 

 to them, as to be considered not improperly as natural, there can be 

 no doubt, and such have been acknowledged at all times ; as the 

 grasses, the palms, the pine tribe, roses, heaths, narcissuses, pinks, 

 ferns, mosses, peonies, irises, &c." From this admission one would 

 almost suspect that a very similar passage in Sir J. E. Smith's Intro- 

 duction had left some vague impression upon the mind of the writer. 

 Sir James asserts that 



" The most superficial observer must perceive something of the 



classification of Nature. The grasses, umbelliferous plants, mosses, 



sea-weeds, ferns, liliaceous plants, orchises, compound flowers, each 



constitute a family strikingly similar in form and qualities among 



Vol. IV. 2 u 



