THE VEGETABLE KINGDOM. 



THE Second great Division of organized bodies comprehends 

 the Vegetable Kingdom, distinguished from the preceding divi- 

 sion by its passive character, by the want of voluntary motion, 

 and of sensation. The alimentary matters necessary for the 

 support of animal life are introduced into an internal cavity, while 

 in vegetables the nourishment is entirely drawn from their sur- 

 face. The food of the one is of various consistence or solid ; that 

 of the other is confined to the absorption of liquids or gases. 

 The branch of science which treats of the characters, phenome- 

 na, and mode of classifying the Vegetable Kingdom is termed 

 BOTANY, from Bora^, an herb. 



Vegetables, like animals, possess a principle of vitality, 

 though in a lower degree. Plants originate from seeds, as ani- 

 mals from ova, and like them increase, reproduce, and die. 

 The parts of vegetables consist, 1. of roots, stems, branches, and 

 leaves ; and, 2. the organs of fructification, though these last 

 undergo great and singular modifications among the more imper- 

 fect plants. The first are necessary to individual existence ; the 

 second to reproduction. 



Three principal tissues are recognized in the vegetable king- 

 dom: 1. The medullary ', or cellular and parenchymatous ; 

 2. the vascular ; and, 3. thejibrous. The cellular tissue com- 

 poses the chief portion of the more imperfect vegetables, of which 

 some are of the consistence of jelly ; the Ulvce are gelatinous ; 

 the Lichens and Algce are foliaceous expansions of cellular tis- 

 sue, or in which this tissue is extended into tubes ; the Fungi are 

 composed of the same tissue, variously felted ; and the Confer- 

 vce are formed of cellular tubes, more or less intermixed and anas- 

 tomosing. In plants of the vascular or fibrous tissue, Mirbel dis- 

 tinguishes six principal forms of the vessels : 1. The Monili- 

 form, composed of superposed cells with strangulations at inter- 

 vals, and cribriform or sieve-like partitions (diaphragmata. ) 

 These vessels are remarked at the origin of the branches or 



