258 ENGLISH WILD FLOWEB8. 



primary divisions of FLOWERING and FLOWERLESS 

 plants, called in scientific language Phcenogamous and 

 Oryptogamous. These are subdivided into three great 

 classes. 



Class I. Flowering plants with two seed lobes or 

 cotyledons, and are therefore called Dicotyledonous; 

 and as the stem has a distinct pith, round which the 

 fibre is arranged in layers, the class is known also as 

 Exogenous, or outward growing plants. 



Class II. Flowering plants with only one seed-lobe 

 are called Monocotyledons. These have stems com- 

 posed of little bundles of fibres enclosed in a sheath 

 and increase inwards ; hence are called Endogenous, or 

 inward growing. There are but few British plants, 

 none of which are of large growth, which belong to 

 this class. 



Class III. Flowerless plants, or Acotyledons, plants 

 destitute of seed leaves. To this class belong the 

 ferns, mosses, liverworts, lichens, seaweeds, and f uiigi, 

 with which we have nothing to do in this manual. 



The first class is exemplified in nearly every British 

 shrub. The wood is formed in rings, and is increased 

 by internal layers. The leaves have branched and 

 netted veins ; while the leaves of the second class are 



