g Limwan Syftem. [Book VI1L 



, . t ' 



itfelf, which contains within it the pollen, and when 

 come to maturity difcharges it for the impregnation 

 of the gerrnen. From the fuppo'fed function of the 

 ftaminaj they afford the chief foundation of the diflri- 

 bution of the vegetable fyftem into clafTes. Such 

 fiowers as want this part are called female; fuch as 

 have it, but want the piftillum, male ; fuch as have 

 them both, hermaphrodite -, [and fuch as have neither, 

 neuter. 



The piftillum or pointal is fuppofed to be the fe- 

 male part of the flower ; it is defined by Linn^us to 

 be an entrail of the plant, defigned for the reception 

 of the pollen. It confifts of three parts, the germen, 

 the ftyle, and the ftigma. The germen is the rudi- 

 ment of the fruit accompanying the flower, but not 

 yet arrived at maturity. The ftyle is the part which 

 ferves to elevate the fligma from the germen. The 

 ftigma is the fummit of the piftillum, and is covered 

 with a moifture for the breaking of the pollen. 



The pericarpium or feed-veflel is the germen grown 

 to maturity. Such are the conftituent parts of the 

 flower ; they are however infinitely varied, and ferve 

 both to diverfify the face of nature, and to intereft 

 and delight the curiofity of man. One curious fact 

 it is neceflary to notice before I difmifs this branch 

 of my fubject, and that is, that every flower is per- 

 fectly 'formed many months before it makes its ap- 

 pearance. Thus the flowers "which' appear in this 

 year are not properly the productions of this year: the 

 mezereon fiowers in January, but the flowers were 

 completely formed in the bud in the preceding au- 

 tumn. If the coats of the tulip-root alfo are carefully 

 feparated about the beginning of September, the naf- 

 cent flower, which is to appear in the following fpring, 

 will be found in a fmall cell, formed by the innermoft 



coats, 



