344 LINN^EUS'S ARTIFICIAL SYSTEM. 



(Gymnospermia Fruit formed by four Achainia) yu^o;, naked. 



XIV. -(Angiospermia Fruit, a two-celled Capsule, > .yycs, a vessel. 



( with many seeds ) <r'^, a seed. 



-y (Siliculosa, Fruit, a Silicula. 



' (Siliquosa, Fruit, a Siliqua. 



XVI.) 



XVII. > Triandria, Decandria, &c. (number of Stamens), as in the Classes. 

 XVIII.) 



fPolygamia JEqualis, Florets all hermaphrodite. 



Superflua,... Florets of the disk hermaphrodite, those of the 



ray pistilliferous and fertile. 



Frustranea,..Florets of the disk hermaphrodite, those of the 



XIX. \ ray neuter. 



Necessaria,.. Florets of the disk staminiferous, those of the 



ray pistilliferous. 



Segregata,...Each floret having a separate involucre. 



f Monogamia, Anthers united, flowers not compound. 



XX.) 



XXI. > Monandria, Diandria, &c. (number of Stamens), as in the Classes. 

 XXII.) 



fMonoecia, 1... Hermaphrodite, staminiferous, and pistillifer- 



XXITI J ous fl wers on tne same plant. 



' j Dicecia, on two plants. 



l/rricecia, on three plants. 



f Filices, Ferns. 



1 Musci Mosses. 



j Hepaticss Liverworts, 



iv - ) Lichenes, Lichens. 



I Algae, Sea-weeds. 



^ Fungi, Mushrooms. 



718. Even as an artificial method, this system has many imperfec- 

 tions. If plants are not in full flower, with all the stamens and styles 

 perfect, it is impossible to determine their class and order. In many 

 instances, the different flowers on the same plant vary as regards the 

 number of the stamens. Again, if carried out rigidly, it would separ- 

 ate in many instances the species of the same genus ; but as Linnaeus 

 did not wish to break up his genera, which were founded on natural 

 affinities, he adopted an artifice by which he kept all the species of 

 a genus together. Thus, if in a genus nearly all the species had both 

 stamens and pistils in every flower, while one or two were monoecious 

 or dioecious, he put the name of the latter in italics, in the classes and 

 orders to which they belonged according to his method, and referred 

 the student to the proper genus for the description. 



719. Natural System. It has been already stated, that a natural 

 system endeavours to bring together plants which are allied in all 

 essential points of structure. It purposes to ascertain the system of 

 nature, and the affinities of plants; and, in doing so, it takes into 

 account all their organs. Every natural method, however, is, to a 

 certain extent, artificial, and is likely to be so. It is impossible to 

 show the affinities of plants in a lineal series; many orders pass insen- 



