PART II. 



GENERAL MORPHOLOGY AND CLASSIFICATION OF 



PLANTS. 



CHAPTER XXII. 



OUTLINE OF CLASSIFICATION. 



342. Morphology* of plants^ is the study of the forms of 

 plants and the form of plant parts. In the study of the life and 

 work of plants we have studied the form of the plant parts (of 

 the higher plants) in their relation to function, i.e., in relation 

 to the work which they perform. A more critical .and minute 

 study of the plant parts would be necessary in connection with the 

 special classification or identification of plants, as for example 

 in the determination of the flowers. In general morphology we 

 study the more general types of form under which the plant parts 

 appear. In comparative morphology we study the form of the 

 same organ or plant part in different plants, even in those of very 

 remote relationship, in order to recognize organs of the same kind 

 under different guises, and to trace the evolution of plant organs 

 in order to acquire a clearer knowledge of the broader relation 

 ships existing among all plants. 



343. Classification. Classification is the arrangement 

 classifying of objects or ideas in an orderly and intelligible manner 

 in such a way that those of one special kind or general kind ar 

 grouped together. The classification of plants, then, is the arrange 

 ment of plants according to the kinds, or according to the rela 

 tionships, into larger or smaller groups according to the grade o 

 relationship and the number of plants of any one kind. Fo 



* jjLop<f>^= form, \6yos = discourse. 

 206 



