SYNOPSIS OF THE NATURAL ORDERS 



(ADAPTED TO THE BRITISH GENERA). 



The arrangement of Dicotyledons here adopted adheres very closely 

 to the Jussieuan as modified by De Candolle, which, notwithstanding its 

 many defects (inseparable from a linear arrangement), is, I think, as good 

 as any of those subsequently proposed,* and has the great advantage of 

 being that most generally adopted in the Universities and Schools of 

 Great Britain and America, and in systematic works everywhere. Its 

 great defect is the necessity of an Apetalous division, embracing a hetero- 

 geneous mass of Orders, which are incapable of being naturally grouped. 

 Some of these are obviously allied to Polypetalous or Monopetalous 

 Orders, but cannot be placed in contiguity with them without interfering 

 with their other and closer alliances ; some again present cross affinities with 

 two or more distant Orders ; and the greater proportion have no recog- 

 nized near affinities. Under these circumstances, and seeing how mucti 

 the retention of the Apetalous division facilitates the often difficult task 

 of finding the Natural Order of a plant, it appears to be premature to 

 depart from the Jussieuan system. 



Sub-Kingdom I. Phsenogamous or Flowering plants. Plants 

 provided with stamens, and ovules which after fertilization become seeds 

 containing an embryo. 



Class I. Dicotyledonous or Exogenous plants. Stem with bark, 

 pith, and interposed wood ; when perennial increasing in diameter annu- 

 ally by a layer of wood added to the outside of the old wood, and another 

 of bark added to the inside of the old bark. Leaves with usually netted 



* Of these the principal are : that of Brongniart, adopted in the Paris Schools ; of 

 Endlicher, in many of the German Schools ; of Fries, by various botanists in Scandi- 

 navia ; and of Lindley ("The Vegetable Kingdom "), which has been partially followed 

 in England and India alone. 



