EOT A NY. 



601 



and position, the seeds are differently disposed, being 

 contained in a capsule. Many of the plants in this 

 order are veiy beautiful ; for instance, the bignonia, 

 volkameria, antirrhinum, mimulus, &c. The common 

 fox-glove, so conspicuous in our hedge banks, also 

 belongs to this order, and is a good type of the 

 whole. 



The fifteenth class is TETRADYNAMIA, so called 

 because of six stamens four are longer than the other 

 two. There are no orders in this class, the orders 

 siliculosa and siliquosa being exploded ; all the 

 flowers being similar in structure, and is a truly 

 natural association, and forms the order Cruciferce in 

 Jussieu's system. Many of the plants are dietetic, 



Tetradynamia. 



Siliquosa. Siliculosa. 



a 1 ! the cabbage, tunrp, radish, &c. ; and some are 

 finely scented and favourite flowers, as the wall- 

 flower, stock, arabis, rocket, &c. The seeds of seve- 

 ral cruciferous plants yield oil of ercellent quality. 



The sixteenth class is called MONADELPHIA, be- 

 cause the stamens are united in one set. It is divided 

 into seven orders, founded on the number of the sta- 

 mens, not on that of the pistils, as in other classes ; 

 the whole containing one hundred and thirty-nine 

 genera, and one thousand four hundred and thirty-six 



species. 



Monadelphia. 



Octandria. Heptandria. Pentanlria. Triandria. 



The first order, TEIANDRIA, contains all such 

 flowers as have three united stamens. In this we 

 find several beautiful Cape bulbs ; as the Ferraria, 

 Tigridia, Herbertia, &c. The flowers are not only of 

 uncommon forms, but curiously spotted or streaked 

 with dark colours. 



The second order, PENTANDRIA, has five stamens 

 .united in one set. Of this order the passion-flower 

 is the most remarkable type. There is also the 

 Erodium or heron's-bill, a section of plants formerly 

 united with the geraniums. 



The third order, HEXANDRIA, has six stamens 

 united in one set. This order contains but one 

 genus, and is so distinct in itself, that it forms an 

 order in the natural system. It is a bulbous-rooted 

 plant, called GilKesia graminea, having grass-like 

 leaves and curious flowers. This plant was unknown 

 to Linnaeus. 



The fourth order is HEPTANDRIA, plants furnished 

 with seven stamens united together at the base. The 

 order contains the pelargoniums, commonly called 

 geraniums , a genus of plants unequalled for immense 

 variety of forms and colours. Of pelargoniums there 

 are above two hundred and thirty-eight species, and 

 between three and four hundred varieties already 



enrolled in books. They are chiefly natives of the 

 Cape of Good Hope, and have long formed a large 

 majority of our green-house plants. They are, per- 

 haps more than any other tribe, very susceptible 

 of hybridisation, and consequently every day presents 

 new varieties or subvarieties. Many of them have 

 tuberous roots, by which they are easily propagated, 

 but the greater part are under shrubs. 



The fifth order of the class is OCTANDRIA, and 

 contains only two genera, which have eight stamens 

 united in one set or brotherhood. The first genus 

 is Aitonia, named by Linnaeus in honour of the late 

 William Alton, esq., royal gardener at Kew. The 

 second is Comosperma, hairy-seeded shrubs from New 

 Holland. 



Monadelphia. 



Polyandria. 



Dodecandria. Decandria. 



The sixth order is DECANDRIA, plants having ten 

 stamens in one set. Here we find the true geraniums 

 or crane's-bill. These are chiefly herbaceous plants, 

 and found in many parts of the temperate latitudes. 

 The herb-Robert, is a common British plant, and 

 is a good type of the genus. This order is, how- 

 ever, rich in showy plants of very differently con- 

 structed flowers, called Papilionaceous, or butter- 

 fly-shaped, and their seed-vessels being pods. 

 Hence we find here the crotalarias, the common, 

 furze, broom, genista, laburnum, rest-harrow, lupine, 

 and many other beautiful plants, as well trees, shrubs, 

 and herbs. 



The seventh order is DODECANDRIA, containing 

 plants which have twelve stamens in one brother- 

 hood. This order comprises twelve genera, some 

 of them highly ornamental, but they are all tropical 

 plants. 



The eighth order is POLYANDRIA, that is, flowers 

 having many stamens united in one set. Here many 

 of our gayest flowering plants are arranged as ^he 

 althea, lavatera, hibiscus, sida, silk-cotton-tree, the, 

 tea-tree, and its magnificent congener the camellia, 

 now so common an ornamental favourite in British 

 gardens. 



The seventeenth class is DIADELPHIA, that is, all 

 flowers having two sets or brotherhoods of stamens. 

 In general nine are united together, with a single 

 one by itself, which is accounted the second bro- 

 therhood. This class contains one hundred and 

 twenty-nine genera, and one thousand five hun- 

 dred and six species. The flowers are chiefly 

 butterfly-shaped and the whole class has a very 

 distinct character. 



Diadelphia. 



Hexandria. Pentandria. 



The first order is PENTANDRIA, that is, five stamens 

 united in two sets. This order contains only a singly 



