604 



THE SUBDIVISIONS OF THE VEGETABLE KINGDOM. 



of plants, this great variety of specialist opinion is somewhat surprising, and tends 

 to shake his confidence in all botanical systems. But it must be remembered that 

 in the development of a natural system the imagination plays a much more im- 

 portant part than in the elaboration of an artificial one, nor can prevailing currents 

 of thought, or the particular habit of mind of the observer, be without their in- 

 fluence. Very prominently does this appear in the case of the Botanists who came 

 under the influence of what has been termed nature-philosophy during the early 

 portion of this century. Thus Reichenbach and Oken proposed systems which can 

 only appear to us absurd; but it would be wearisome and useless to follow their 

 absurdities in detail. 



The system of classification proposed by Endlicher^ (1805-1849), and published 

 in his Genera Plantarum secundum ordines N'aturales disposita (published 1836- 

 1840) is based on the systems of de Jussieu and De Candolle. In it 6838 genera, 

 arranged in 277 families or orders, are included. Hei-e for the first time are the 

 Coniferae and Gnetaceje distinguished as a special group, and designated as Gymno- 

 sperms. Here also is that group of cellular plants known as the Thallophyta care- 

 fully distinguished into three series, the Algse, Lichens, and Fungi. But we still 

 find these groups treated as equivalent to the Horse-tails, Ferns, Lycopods, &c.; so 

 also with the Gymnosperms, they are not treated as a distinct subdivision, but only 

 as a class of Dicotyledons (Acramphibrya), the other classes of which are the 

 Apetala, Gamopetala ( = Monopetalse), and Dialypetala ( = Polypetalse). 



In fairly recent times Bentham and Hooker,^ in their well-known Genera Plant- 

 arum (published 1862-1883), follow essentially the systems of De Candolle and 

 Endlicher. They assemble all flowering plants (100,220 species) into 8417 genera, 

 and these under 210 families or orders. Of these orders 3 belong to the Gymno- 

 sperms, 35 to the Monocotyledons, 36 to the Monochlamydese, 46 to the Gamopetalse, 

 and 90 to the Polypetalse. 



• ENDLICHER'S SYSTEM. 



L THALLOPHYTA (no opposition of stem and root). 

 Peotophyta. 



AJgae. 



Lichenes. 

 Hysterophtta. 



Fungi. 



II. CORMOPHYTA (opposition of stem and root). 



ACBOBRYA (stem growing at the point only). 

 Anophyta (Liverworts and Mosses). 

 Protophyta (Vascular Cryptogams and 



Cycads). 

 Hysterophyta (certain parasites, Bala- 

 nophoreK, Rafflesiacese, &c.). 



II. CORMOPBYTa— Continued. 



Amphibrya (stem growing at the circum- 

 ference). 

 Includes Monocotyledons. 



Acba-mphibrya (stem growing at both point 

 and circumference). 



Gymnosperma (ovules naked, fertilized 



directly from the micropyle). 

 Apetala (Perianth 0, rudim. or simple). 

 Gamopetala (Perianth double, petals 



united). 

 Dialypetala (Perianth double, petals 

 free). 



>THE MAIN DIVISIONS OF BENTHAM AND HOOKER'S SYSTEM 

 (Fob Flowering Plants only). 



DlOOTTLKDONES. 



Polype talae. 

 Gamopetolea. 



DiCOTYLEDOSES— C0B<inil«t 



Monochlamydeie. 

 Gymno-spermae. 

 MONOOOTYLBDONKS. 



