CHAMBERS'S INFORMATION FOR THE PEOPLE. 



occasionally occurs among plants in a wild state, 

 but is more common in cultivation. Unless per- 

 petuated by artificial processes, they are liable to 

 die out, or revert to their original stock. 



In botanical nomenclature, the name of every 

 plant consists of two words ; the first is the name 

 of the genus, and the second that of the species 

 as, for example, Quercus alba, the white oak. 

 When three names are given, the third signifies 

 that the plant is a variety ; and this is sometimes 

 more strongly marked by using the contraction 

 var. before the third name as, Quercus Ilex var. 

 crispa, the curled-leaved variety of the ever- 

 green oak. The third name is for the most part 

 omitted in botanical catalogues, and the varieties 

 indicated by letters of the Greek alphabet 

 observing that the varieties begin with the letter 

 as, Quercus Ilex & crispa. 



The primary arrangement of plants, according 

 to both the artificial and natural systems, is into 

 those with flowers and those without flowers. The 

 first division, or that which includes the flowering- 

 plants, is distinguished by the name PHANERO- 

 GAM I A, and in them the organs of reproduction 

 are apparent. It comprehends all the trees and 

 shrubs used in the economical arts, as well as the 

 common ornamental plants of our gardens, and, 

 in short, all those that have distinct organs as 

 leaves, branches, flowers, and proper seeds. The 

 second division, known by the term CRYPTOGAMIA, 

 embraces, as the name implies, those plants in 

 which the organs of reproduction are not apparent 

 as the ferns, lichens, mosses, and sea-weeds. 

 They have no flowers or seeds, in the common 

 acceptation of these words, and their fronds or 

 leaves are very different from those of flowering- 

 plants ; instead of flowers, fruit, and seed, they 

 are furnished with little cases or thecce, and in 



CLASSES. 



1. Monandria i stamen 



2. Diandria 2 stamens 



3. Triandria 3 it 



4. Tetrandria 4 



5. Pentandria 5 n 



6. Hexandria 6 n 



7. Heptandria 7 n 



8. Octandria 8 n 



9. Enneandria 9 



10. Decandria 10 it , 



11. Dodecandria, from 12 to 19 n 



12. Icosandria 20 or more n on the corolla or calyx 



13. Polyandria 2oormore M on the receptacle 



14. Didynamia 4 n 2 long and 2 short 



15. Tetradynamia 6 it _ 4 long and 2 short. 



16. Monadelphia, all the filaments united 



17. Diadelphia, filaments united into two bundles 



1 8. Polyadelphia, filaments in three or more bundles 



19. Syngenesia, five stamens united by their anthers 



20. Gynandria, the stamens growing on the pistil 



21. Moncecia, flowers with stam., others with pist. on same plant . . 



22. Dicecia, stamens on one plant, and pistils on another 



23. Polygamia, unisex, or bisex. flowers on same or diff. plants.. 



24. Cryptogamia inconspicuous flowers 



these are lodged the reproductive spores, minute 

 as the particles of the finest dust. Here the 

 resemblance between the two systems ceases 

 their classes and orders being arranged on totally 

 different principles. We shall present, in the first 

 place, an outline of the Linnasan system, both on 

 account of its priority and simplicity, and as an 

 initiatory step to gaining a knowledge of the 

 different forms of flowers. It is true that it is 

 now disused by most men of science ; but for 

 the reasons already stated, as well as from the 

 fact that many excellent works have been arranged 

 on its plan, it is necessary that the general reader, 

 as well as the botanist, should have an acquaint- 

 ance with its leading features. 



THE LINNjEAN SYSTEM. 



The sexuality of plants had been discovered 

 before the time of Linnaeus ; but as far as is 

 now known, he was the first who suggested the 

 adoption of this characteristic as a basis of classi- 

 fication. According to his system, the vege- 

 table kingdom is divided into twenty-four Classes, 

 founded upon the number, the proportionate 

 lengths, the connection, or the situation of the 

 stamens. These classes are again subdivided 

 each into one or more Orders, depending upon 

 the number of the pistils, the presence or apparent 

 absence of a seed-vessel, its shape, or the number 

 and connection of the stamens, or on the arrange- 

 ment of the florets. Terms compounded of the 

 Greek numerals and the word andria, or male, 

 are for the most part used to designate the classes ; 

 and similar compounds of these numerals, and 

 the word gynia, or female, are employed to 

 designate most of the orders. The following 

 synopsis presents an outline of the system. 



ORDERS. 



.has 2 Monogynia and Digynia, or i and 2 pistils. 



. ii 3 Monogynia, Digynia, and Trigynia. 



. ii 3 Monogynia, Digynia, and Trigynia. 



. n 3 Monogynia, Digynia, and Tetragynia. 



. n 6 Mono., Di., Tri., Tetra., Pentagynia, and Polygynia. 



. ii 4 Monogynia, Digynia, Trigynia, and Polygynia. 



. n 4 Monogynia, Digynia, Tetragynia, and Heptagynia. 



. n 4 Monogynia, Digynia, Trigynia, and Tetragynia. 



. n 3 Monogynia, Trigynia, and Hexagynia. 



. n 5 Monogynia, Digynia, Trigynia, Pentag., and Decagynia. 



. n 7 Mono., Di., Tri., Tetra., Penta., Hexa., and Dodecagynia. 



. it 3 Monogynia, Di.-Pentagynia, and Polygynia. 



. n 6 Mono., Di., Tri., Tetra., Pentagynia, and Polygynia. 



. n 2 Gymnospermae and Angiospennai. 



. n 2 Siliculosa and, Siliquosa. 



. i, 8 Tri., Pent., Hex., Hept., Oct., Dec., Dodec., and Polyand. 



. ti 4 Pentandria, Hexandna, Octandria, and Decandria. 



. n 2 Decandria and Polyandria. 



. n 5 Polyg.-jEqualis, Superfl., Necess., Frustranea, Segregata. 



. it 3 Monandria, Diandria, and Hexandria. 



. n ID Mona., Di., Tri., Tet., Pen., Hex., Oct., Icos., Polyan., 



Monadelphia. 

 . n 13 Mo., Di., Tr., Tet., Pen., Hex., Oc., En., Dec., Do., Ic., 



Polyand., and Monadelphia. 

 . n 2 Monoecia, Dioecia. 

 . ii $ Filices, Musci, Lichenes, Fungi, Alga;. 



I. MONANDRIA. The first 

 order of this class contains 

 many highly ornamental 

 exotics, chiefly herbaceous 

 plants, with large leaves and 

 showy flowers. Examples 

 turmeric, arrow - root, and 

 ginger of commerce. Several 

 Monogynia. of the genera are British as 

 Hippuris, or mare's-tail, and 

 Centranthus, or red valerian. The second order, 



82 



Digynia. 



DIGYNIA, contains CallitricJie, the water-star- 

 wort, and Blitum capitatum, the strawberry 

 blite. 



II. DIANDRIA. Flowers with two stamens, and 

 with one, two, or three pistils ; thus constituting 

 three orders, of which there are upwards of sixty 

 genera. The first, MONOGYNIA, contains by far 

 the greater number of the genera. Examples 

 the speedwells, olive, fragrant jasmine, lilac, and 

 many evergreen shrubs. The rosemary, and the 

 numerous species of sage and salvia, are ranked 



