342 SYSTEMS OF CLASSIFICATION. 



(, twining to the right; ), twining to the left; $ , hermaphrodite; 

 J , male; ? , female; 5 $ , monoecious, or the male and female on 

 one plant; J : ? , dioecious, or the male and female on different plants; 

 00 or oo, means indefinite in number. After the description of a 

 plant, its habitat, or the country and locality in which it grows, is 

 given. If the plant has been described by others, reference is given 

 to the work in which the description may be found. If it has re- 

 ceived different names, the synonymes must be carefully detailed, and 

 ought to be arranged in chronological order. 



714. Systems. Various attempts have been made at different times 

 to classify plants. One of the earliest methodical arrangements was 

 that of CaBsalpinus, in 1583. It was entirely artificial, and the same 

 thing may be affirmed of those of Gesner, Morison, Rivinus, and Tour- 

 nefort. The system propounded by Tournefort, was for a long time 

 adopted by the French school, but was ultimately displaced by that 

 of Linnaeus, who must be looked upon as the great promulgator of the 

 artificial method. In 1682, Ray published a system which laid the 

 foundation of the natural method of classification. It was long 

 neglected, and did not receive the attention it deserved, until Jussieu 

 entered the field, and developed his views. Since that tune, the 

 natural method has been advanced by the labours of De Candolle, 

 Brown, Endlicher, Lindley, and many others. 



715. Kiinnaean System. Although the Linnasan system is not in 

 conformity with natural affinities, and does not tend to comprehen- 

 sive views of structure, still it is useful to the student as an index. 

 LinnaBus himself did not consider it as occupying a higher position, 

 and he stated distinctly that a natural method was the great object of 

 scientific inquiry. "When not elevated to a rank which its author 

 never meant it to occupy, this system may, with all its imperfections, 

 be employed as a useful artificial key, and as such may be combined 

 with the natural system. In many works of the present day, as in 

 Babington's Manual of British Botany, the Linnaean system is used 

 as an index to the genera. In the Lmnsean or sexual system, twenty- 

 three classes are founded on the number, position, relative lengths, and 

 connection of the stamens; while the orders in these classes depend 

 on the number of the styles, the nature of the fruit, the number of 

 stamens in the classes where this character is not used for distinguish- 

 ing them, and the perfection of the flowers. The twenty-fourth class 

 includes plants having inconspicuous flowers, and in it the orders are 

 formed according to natural affinities. Under these classes and 

 orders, all the known genera and species were arranged. It is in the 

 higher divisions that the system is artificial, for, as regards genera, 

 the Linnsean rules are followed even in the natural systems of the 

 present day. 



