METHOD OP EXAMINING PLANTS. 37 



cula, Utricularia, Lycopus, Salvia, Circcea, Lemna, and Cla- 

 dium. He has therefore to find which of these corresponds with 

 his plant. But he observes that there are four divisions marked 

 by asterisks, under which these genera are grouped. He there- 

 fore reads the characters of these divisions, and finds that his 

 plant cannot belong to the first, for although it has the flowers 

 inferior, that is, has the calyx and corolla placed under the ger- 

 men, and monopetalous, yet the corolla is not regular, that is, 

 does not present equal segments. Passing to the next division, 

 he finds it to agree with the plant. He has now to compare it 

 with the characters of the three genera included in this division, 

 and finds it to correspond with those of Veronica, inasmuch as 

 it has a " wheel-shaped, deeply four-cleft corolla," with the 

 " lower segment smaller," and a " two-celled capsule." The 

 plant therefore belongs to the genus of which Veronica is the 

 name. 



In the tables at the head of each class, the genera are placed 

 according to certain circumstances connected with their arti- 

 ficial arrangement, but are numbered with reference to the order 

 in which they are afterwards more fully described, and which is 

 in some degree that of their natural affinity. 



The species is now to be found, and for this purpose he turns 

 over a few leaves, until he comes to the 4th genus of the class, 

 viz. Veronica, where he finds the natural character of the genus, 

 or a particular description of the parts of fructification, which 

 he compares with his plant, and finding them to agree, is sa- 

 tisfied as to the genus. He finds a great number of species 

 described, all of which he would have to compare with his 

 plant until he found one to agree with it, were it not that here, 

 as in the generic table, there are subdivisions, to which asterisks 

 are prefixed, that shorten his labour. To the first of these di- 

 visions the plant does not belong, for its flowers are not in 

 terminal, but in lateral clusters. He therefore passes on to the 

 next division : flowers in lateral clusters or spikes, and as his 

 plant has such flowers, he has only to read the specific characters 

 under that division. 



V. Becca6unga has elliptical leaves; V. Anagallis has them 

 lance-shaped; in V. Scutellata they are oblong, and therefore it 

 cannot belong to these species. In V. Montana, the leaves are 

 egg-shaped, which is the case with the plant in hand, but they 



