

KXOi : 



Primworta, Nor is it prubable tint characters derived from the 

 calyx and corolla should be of the very highest value ; for in tbo 

 firrt place UioM organ* are physiologically identical, their distinction 

 baring no real existence except in certain special instances ; and in 

 the next place the importance of them to the act of reproduction can 

 hardly be considerable, when we find that plant* are multiplied quite 

 as well in their absence as in their presence, and even that, as in tlio 

 . some Leguminous plants, the common Apple, Ac., which 

 habitually produce them, seeds are matured as freely when they are 

 partially away as when in a state of high development For this 

 reason the calyx and corolla are here rejected as organs suited for 

 distinguishing the primary groups, or the sub-classes of Exogens. We 

 are not however justified in assuming that the calyx and corolla arc 

 never of any high importance in plants, and therefore, while they are 

 objectionable as forming the basis of a classification per se, they are 

 recognised as having a real value in connection with the stamens. 

 If the stamens have no adhesion to either calyx or corolla, then it 

 may be assumed that the latter organs may be dispensed with, and 

 for this reason the first sub-class of hermaphrodite Exogens is chorao 

 terised by the stamens standing entirely clear of the floral envelopes, 

 or being, in the language of Jussieu, hypogynous. But if there ii 

 any adhesion between the stamens and either the calyx or corolla, it 

 may equally bo assumed that the one organ is in some way necessary 

 to the other ; for this reason the perigynous character is admitted as 

 a valid mark of a sub-class ; not however a slight and inappreciable 

 adhesion, but a real and manifest union of the parts ; and it U con- 

 sidered immaterial whether the stamens grow on the petals or the 

 calyx, provided they grow on one of them. 



" Beyond this we have that further degree of adhesion, to which 

 Jussieu gave the name of Epigynous, consisting of a union not only of 

 the calyx or corolla to the stamens, but of all those organs to the 

 sides of the ovary. This, in which it may be supposed that a higher 

 degree of necessity for the incorporation of the floral organs exists 

 than in the former case, is taken as the distinctive mark of a third 

 sub-class of hermaphrodite Exogens, so that the sub-classes are 

 established on the following grounds : 



Flowers absolutely unisexual ... I. DICLINOUS, 



Flowers hermaphrodite : 



Stamens not adhering to either calyx or corolla II. HYPOOYJIOUB. 

 Stamens adhering to either calyx or corolla III. PERIG YSOUS. 



" This it maybe said is essentially the old plan of Jussieu ; but there 

 is this material difference between the method now proposed and 

 that of the great chief of the French school ; that what he treated as 

 a secondary character is made primary ; while his primary distinction 

 of polypetalous, monopetalous, and apetalous structure is treated 

 quite as a subordinate consideration, as it surely deserves to be. If 

 the classification thus obtained be attentively studied it will be found 

 to offer many entirely new combinations, while others of universally 

 recognised truth are not disturbed by it. Of these new combinations 

 there are few to which any serious objection seems to apply, and it is 

 believed that the larger part of them are more opposed to our pre- 

 judices than to truth. Not that I have the presumption to suppose 

 that they will meet the universal approval of botanists. What method 

 of classification ever has or ever can be < So long as there are points 

 of view from which a survey may be taken of the vegetable kingdom, 

 so long will there be conflicting opinions as to the way in which the 

 objects that meet the eye can best be grouped. 



" In former attempts at redistributing the natural orders of Exogens, 

 I had proposed to throw into one sub-class all those in which the 

 embryo U very small, as compared with the albumen in which it is 

 imbedded, and I still think that this peculiarity is of as much 

 importance among plants as the being oviparous or viviparous among 

 animals. But although I do not at present see a reason for retracting 

 my former opinion on that subject, yet I do see that the time is hardly 

 come for carrying out such a principle satisfactorily ; and therefore, 

 instead of employing it for the character of a sub-class, it has only 

 been used as a means of limiting alliances. 



"Although, from tbo complicated nature of the affinities of plants, 

 no hope can be reasonably entertained of securing an unbroken line 

 of transition from one end to the other of the series in which the 

 various groups must necessarily be treated of, yet it will be found 

 that the method bore proposed offers very few considerable gap* in 

 the chain of relationship. 



"Commencing with the A mental Alliance, which seems to stand 

 in near relation to the Joint Firs (Onetacttr), among Uymnospernvv 

 the passage to the Urtical and Euph<>rl>inl is too plain to require 

 explanation ; of the Utter the Querual and Oarryal may be regarded 

 as epigynou*, forming the first without albumen, the second with an 

 abundance of it Nutmegs in the Meniapermal Alliance then fit in ; 

 and the twining Menispermads may be taken as an aticipatiou of 

 CucurbitaU, of which the Papaya! Alliance is an offset a little out of 

 tln> ilirect line of succession. Even to the latter however an analogue 

 is found among Violals, in the form of Bixads and Samrds ; thence 

 Turnerads conduct us directly into the Cistal Alliance. 



" At this point we quit the debateable ground of affinities, and 

 passing necessarily through Ualvala, Sapindals, and Quttifmla, we 



reach the Nymphal Alliance through Tutsans. Here however the 

 chain is evidently broken, and probably the sequence is wrong. The 

 Water-Shields (Cabombocea), among Nymphala, pass directly into 

 the Ranal Alliance by way of the Crow-Foots, whence Poppy-Worts 

 join Fume-WorU in the Berbers! Alliance. At this place I'yrilUvls 

 appear to form a connecting link with Hnmiriads among Ericab, and 

 the latter pass directly into the Ktital Alliance by the int<-r\. t,t,..!i ,,( 

 such plants as Coma. From Ratals the passage is easy to the 

 Geranial, Silenal, and Chenopodal Alliances, which suddenly stop with 

 the Peppers ; this is however a doubtful case of affinity, although 

 such a plant as Dalit may teem to justify the approximation. At the 

 point now reached the perigynous sub-class is penetrated by way of 

 the Ficoidal Alliance, which might be almost united with the Cheno- 

 podal. Scleranths, among Ficoidals, seem to present a transition to 

 Salradorads in the Daphnal Alliance, of which again a part of the 

 Itosal Alliance is almost a polypetalous form. From liosals to Saxi- 

 fragals, and then by way of Brcfia to Rhamnada, is but a step. At 

 this point the Qentianal Alliance is entered by way of Holly- Worts, 

 and we quit it by moving from Gentian-Worts into the Solanal 

 Alliance. The Cortusal, Echial, and Bignonial Alliance* may be 

 passed without any obstacle, and thus we reach the end of the 

 perigynous sub-class. Gesner-Worts in the Bignonial Alliance fit 

 on to Gpodeniads, among the Campanala, of the epigynous sub-class. 

 These join Myrtals through Myrobalans on the one hand, and 

 Napoleon- Worts on the other, if rom Myrtals we pass to the Cactal 

 Alliance, which may be theoretically considered a parietal condition 

 of the former, so near do the Onagrads of the former approach the 

 Loasads of the latter group. This brings us to Bnrriugtoniads and 

 other orders collected in the Grossal Alliance. The Cinchonals are 

 entered by way of Bilberry- Worts, and quitted through the Stellate 

 plants, which evidently touch Umbellifers in the Umbellal Alliance. 

 At this point a passage is effected into the last alliance, that of 

 Asarals, by way of Witch-Hazels and Sandal-Worts, till the whole line 

 is finally closed by the Birth-Worts. These singular plants with 

 their ternary flowers seem to have an uncontestable relationship to 

 Yams among Dictyogens, and thus the circle of affinities eventually 

 returns into itself. 



' ' Each of the sub-classes consists of alliances which have also in many 

 instances a strong lateral relation ; so that in order to obtain a clear 

 idea of their mutual correspondence it is necessary to place them side 

 by side as well as in succession. This is very obvious in the following 

 instances : 



Diclinous. 

 L'rticala . , 

 Euphorbialm . 

 Mrnitpermales 

 CuevrMtck'a 



Hrpogynoas. 



Epigynous. 



ifalvala 



7fa>m/<vf 



Vivlalct 



Mi/rlnkt. 

 Campanula. 



Perlgrnous. 

 Ficoidala . 

 J)apl,nnlts . 

 Saxifragala 

 Bignonialtt 

 (Cracentia). 



" This abundantly shows how hopeless it is to express the real affini- 

 ties of plants by any other means than a map or some such contrivance, 

 and that all sequences will of necessity be inadequate to explain in 

 any considerable degree the position in which natural orders really 

 stand with relation to each other." 



An attempt at arranging the orders according to the system then 

 adopted by Dr. Lindley, was made in the ' Penny Cyclopaedia ; ' and 

 we subjoin it on the next page as a specimen of how compl 

 affinities may be expressed upon a flat surface. A series of irregular 

 solid spheres would perhaps express the affinities of the orders better. 



That these groups are all perfect in themselves, or nearly so, is 

 sufficiently proved by Alb>tmino<r, the sequence of whose orders may 

 be expressed as follows; the orders included in the diagram being 

 marked with : 



1. Anonalet. Sfagnoliacex 

 WiMeracea: 



I'' '" '' i 

 *Anonaeea> 

 Monimiacea 

 Alherotptrmaceue 

 Hyritticacea 

 *Sck iiandi-accas 



2. Hanoi ft. Nymphaacea 



JfydropcUidtai 



Ndumbiaceai 



RanmcoLlaccir 



Podopkyllta 



Papaveracca 



ftanariea 



Pratuoacta (?) 



SarractHtacea; 



Cephalotacecc 



Drottraeta 



3. Primulaltt, Primulacea: 



i-iinacta 

 tbtnacea(t) 

 A '/uifoliacttt (!) 

 i. (j'tntianala, Apocynotta 



Gentianac&s 



5. Loganiaiet. Loganiactai 



Potaliacea: 



6. Cinchonaltt. Caprtfoliacea 



i, .,/,,,,.. i 



7. Umbellalei. *Apiaeea 



Araliaceif 



8. Pitlotporala. * Vilacea; 



Pittotpoi-acea; 

 9. Groaaltt. OmttUaceas 

 Jlruniacm 

 Eicalloniactas 



10. Lalhrtealei. Pyrolaeea 



'Monolro; I 



Orolanc/i" 



O (') 



11 ..... 'Garryacets 



\-l ..... "AritlolocUacea: 



13. Piperald.'Piperacecc 



'ruratett 

 Ckhranlhacea 



