INTRODUCTION. 



Upon these parts Linneus has founded his celebrated sys- 

 tem of botany, called the Sexual System. To elucidate this, 

 take a Martagon Lily, for instance, class Hexandria order 

 Mono gynia ; which, though deficient in the calix or outer 

 green part, usually consisting of five divisions or small leaves, 

 which embraces and supports the flower, as in the rose, is still 

 the best example ; the largeness of its size allowing all the 

 parts of the flower to be distinctly seen. Before it opens, at 

 the top of the stem we find a long greenish bud, which grows 

 whiter the nearer it is to opening ; and when quite opened, 

 assumes the form of a cup or basin, divided into several parts. 

 These parts, taken separately, are called petals; but as a 

 whole, the corolla; and not the flower, which is composed of 

 various parts, whereof the corolla only is not the principal. 

 The corolla of the Lily not consisting of one entire cup or 

 piece, but of six divisions or petals, is termed a hexapetalous, 

 or six-petalled corolla. Exactly from the middle of the bot- 

 tom of the corolla, or cup of the flower, there rises a sort 

 of little column or pillar, pointing directly upwards. , This is 

 called the pistil or pointal, and is divided into three parts ; 

 1. The swollen base with three blunted angles or corners at 

 the bottom of the corolla, called the germ.cn, pericarp or 

 seed-vessel, or bud. 2. A thread or small stem rising out 

 of this, called the style, or shaft of the column, which, 3. is 

 crowned with a sort of capital or head with three notches, 

 called the stigma. Between the pistil and the corolla of the 

 Lily are six other bodies, entirely distinct from each other, and 

 called the stamina; one part of which is long and thin, and 

 rising from the side of the seed-bud at the bottom of the 

 corolla, is called thefllament; the other part, placed at the 

 top of the filament, is thicker, and called the anther. Each 

 anther is a box, which opens when it is ripe, throwing out a 

 fine yellow dust with a strong smell, called the pollen, farina, 

 or fertilizing dust, which falls upon and impregnates the ger- 

 men or seed-bud, as in the instance of the palm-trees before 

 cited, and without which no young plants can be produced. 

 The parts here described are found in the flowers of most 

 othur plants, but in different proportion, situation, and num- 

 ber. By the resemblance of these parts, and their different 

 combinations, the families of the vegetable kingdom are de- 

 termined : and these analogies or resemblances are connected 

 with others, in those parts of the plant which often seem 

 destitute of all relation to them. Thus, this number of six 

 stamina, sometimes only three, of six petals or divisions of 

 the corolla, and the triangular or three-cornered form of the 

 germen or seed-bud, distinguish the Lily tribe ; the roots 

 whereof are in general bulbous, i. e. round, and many-coated, 

 like an onion ; while that of the above specimen is individu- 

 ally distinguished by being a Squamous bulb, or scaly ball. 



A description of the different parts of a plant, must neces- 

 sarily be obtained before it can be known. It is necessary, 

 therefore, to pursue resemblances and differences through a 

 number of gradations, and to found upon them primary and 

 subordinate divisions ; either ascending from particulars to 

 generals, or descending from generals to particulars. Linneus 

 has employed four principal divisions, Classes, Orders, Ge- 

 nera, and Species; occasionally introducing an intermediate 

 one between the order and the genus, and another between 

 the genus and the species. To illustrate this, no comparison 

 can be more in point than that which considers the vege- 

 tables upon the face of the globe as analagous to the inha- 

 bitants, thus : 



VEGETABLES resemble the INHABITANTS in general; 

 Classes resemble Nations i Orders resemble Tribes; 

 Genera, resemble Families ; Species resemble Individuals. 

 Varieties are the same Individuals, differently apparelled. 



A Class, is an assemblage of orders, having one or more 

 characters in common, but retaining their specific distinc- 

 tions ; and as it stands at the top of the series, it seizes the 

 most general and most widely-diffused resemblances, and 

 comprehends the greatest number of particular differences. 



An Order, is a collection of genera connected together by- 

 one or more common characters ; but, like the classes, still 

 preserving their specific distinctions. 



A Genus, is an assemblage of species, which, as well as the 

 classes and orders, have some one or more characters in 

 common to connect them, and at the same time retain their 

 specific distinctions. 



A Species, consists of individuals, resembling each other in 

 the form, position, proportion, and general appearance, of 

 their several parts, produced from similar individuals, and 

 having a power to produce other individuals of the same 

 kind : or, as it is concisely defined by Jussieu, it is a perennial 

 succession of similar individuals, deriving their origin from a 

 successive generation. These individuals are not indeed like 

 each other in every minute respect; such a perfect confor- 

 mity does not exist in any two individuals, either of animate 

 or inanimate organized nature. But the difference between 

 those of the same species, though sufficiently discernible by 

 the eye, cannot easily be expressed in words. With a strongly- 

 marked resemblance in all their parts, there is a perpetual 

 variation in their outline, and other particulars ; so that no 

 two individuals, lying one upon the other, will entirely corre- 

 spond. They are formed after the same model, not cast in 

 the same mould. In the general, an accurate description of 

 all the parts belonging to any individual, will discriminate the 

 whole species. There are, however, some sensible qualities, 

 of importance enough to be distinguished by proper names, 

 which are, in many cases, too uncertain to enter into any 

 specific character. Of these, size, colour, smoothness, or 

 hairiness of surface, and luxuriance of one part at the expense 

 of another, are the chief; and they are owing either to differ- 

 ence of soil, climate, particular exposure, and other accidents ; 

 or to artificial cultivation, which is the most abundant source 

 of perpetual varieties. 



In the Linnean System , the fructification has been justly con- 

 sideredof the first consequence. The characters of the classes, 

 orders, and genera, are accordingly taken entirely from it. 



In the greater number of plants, the parts of fructification 

 may be readily discerned by the naked eye, or with the assist- 

 ance of a common lens ; but there are also not a few in 

 which they have not been satisfactorily discovered, or are too 

 minute to be described with sufficient accuracy for the pur- 

 poses of systematic arrangement. In most of those whose 

 parts of fructification have been clearly ascertained and dis- 

 tinctly described, the stamina and pistilla are inclosed within 

 the same envelope, or at least are absolutely contiguous; 

 but in some, they are contained in separate flowers, or placed 

 at a distance from each other. In - both cases there is much 

 variety with respect to their number, position, and other 

 circumstances. On these distinctions, the distribution into 

 classes and orders is founded. 



The characters of the classes are taken almost exclusively 

 from the stamina; those of the orders either from the stamina 

 or the pistilla, but most generally from the latter. 



The essential characters, or marks of the genera, are taken 

 from some particulars in the flower before unnoticed ; but 

 generic descriptions are designed to contain an account of all 

 the most obvious appearances in every part of the flower. 



The species are mostly characterized from peculiarities in 

 the stem or leaves; sometimes from certain parts of the flower; 

 and in some instances, though very rarely, from the roots. 



