252 



CLASS SYNGENESIA. 



find that the less important facts or ideas, by the natural 

 suggestions of the mind, will readily cluster around the prin- 

 cipal ones. 



LECTURE XXXV. 



CLASS XVII. SYNGENESIA. 



Fig. 121. 



WE have now arrived at a class 

 which contains a large portion of the 

 vegetable tribes, particularly of those 

 plants which blossom in the last sum- 

 ; mer months, and in autumn. 



The term Syngenesia signifies a 

 union of antliers; this circumstance, 

 you can readily conceive, forms a dif- 

 ference between this class, and those 

 which are distinguished by a union of 

 filaments ; hi the one case, the tops of 

 the stamens, or the anthers, are united, 

 while the lower parts are separate ; 

 in the other case, the' tops are separate while the filaments, or 

 lower parts of the stamens are united. 



The number of stamens in plants of this class is mostly 5, 

 distinguished from the fifth class, not only by the union of the 

 anthers, but by the compound character of the flowers ; the 

 latter circumstance is indeed the essential character of the 

 class. In some cases, plants with five stamens have their an- 

 thers united, but having no other resemblance to those of the 

 class Syngenesia, they are retained in the fifth class : the 

 violet and impatiens are examples of this irregularity. This 

 is an instance in which the artificial arrangement is made to 

 bend to natural resemblances. 



The general characters of the compound flowers have al- 

 ready been exhibited to you, in connexion with some of the 

 most important and distinct natural families. The analysis of 

 the daisy, which was illustrated by a dissected plant, must 

 have impressed upon your minds the peculiarities which distin- 

 guish this from all other classes. 



You will recollect that a compound flower is a collection of 

 little flowers or florets, placed upon the same receptacle, and 

 within one common calyx ; add to this description the five 



Class Syngenesia What case is mentioned in which the artificial arrange- 

 ment is made to bend to natural resemblances ? 



