NATURAL SYSTEM. 245 



Natural Orders : the groups are distinguished by circumstances 

 of infiorescence^ as whether flowers are 07i a sjyadix^ or not sjyor 

 diaceous ; whether with simple ov double^ regular or irregular 

 perianth ; floioers imbricated^ or with glumaceous bracts. The 

 natural orders in the diflerent groups are distinguished into 

 trees or herbaceous plants / aquatic or terrestrial / anthers iii- 

 trorse or extrorse / glumes single or numerous. In this class we 

 find the palm, the type of the natural order Palmace^ ; the 

 Araceje or Arum family, the Arum (wild turnip) being the 

 type ; the Typhaceje or Cat-tail family ; the Okchidace^ or 

 Orchis family ; tlie lEiDACEiE or Iris family ; the Gkaminace^ 

 or Grass family. 



397. Series II. — ^Flowerless or Cryptogamous Plants. 



CLASS rn. 

 AcROGENOus, Flowerless Plants, propagated by spores instead 

 of seeds ; these have a distinct axis growing from the apex, with 

 woody and vascular tissue, and usually distinct foliage. The 

 orders in this class are Eqxdsetum (scouring-rush), type of the 

 Horsetail family ; the fern, the type of the order Filices, divid- 

 ed into many sub-orders ; ground-pine, or club-moss, the type 

 of the order Lycopodiace^. 



class IV. 



398. Anophytes — contains vegetables composed oi parenchy- 

 ma only ; these are of Acrogenous growth, foliage sometimes 

 distinct, often confluent into a frond, as mosses, liverworts, &c. 



class v. 



399. Thallophytes — ;Contains vegetables of cellular tissue 

 only, combined in a thallus, with no distinction of root, stem, 

 or foliage, no distinct axis and leaves ; the Lichens are the high- 

 est order of this lowest of the vegetable series ; from these 

 we descend to Mushrooms, Fungi, and to the green, shining moss 

 which is found in ponds and ditches, consisting of a mere 

 cellular mass, sometimes called brook-silk ; these are of the 

 order Alg^. 



THE POLYPETALOTJS ORDERS. 



400. Tl.\NUNCULACE.E, the Croiofoot Tribe. — Herbs or under- 

 sJirubs with an acrid watery juice. Leaves simple, alternate or 

 opposite, often variously lobed and subdivided, without stipules. 

 Sepals 3-6, usually 5, deciduous. Petals 5-15, sometimes 



