PRINCIPLES OF VEGETATION. 337 



hypothefis by the many analogies that fubfift between plants and ani- 

 mals. From this circumltance Linnseus's fyftem of botany has got the 

 name of i\\q fexual Jyjlem, The names of his clafles, orders, &c. are all 

 derived from this theory. He calls the (lamina of flowers the males ; 

 the ^\^\\s females. Plants whofe flowers contain both male and female 

 parts, are faid to be hermaphrodites, &c. His clafiTes, orders, and ge- 

 nera, are all derived from the number, fituation, proportion, and other 

 circumftances attending thofe parts. 



Twenty-four clafTes comprehend every known genus and fpecies. 

 It is an eafy m.atter to clafs a plant belonging to any of the firft eleven 

 clafles, as they all depend on the number of ft:amina or male parts, 

 without regard to any other circumfl:ance. The 12th clafs requires more 

 attention. When the ftamina amount to above 20, particular regard 

 muft be had to the infertion of the fl:amina. If they are inferted into the 

 calix or cup, the plant belongs to the icofandria clafs j if to the recep- 

 tacle or balis of the flower, it belongs tothe polyandria. 



The 14th clafs is likewife in danger of being confounded with the 4th, 

 In the 4th, the number of ft:amina is the fame with that of the 14th. Bur, 

 in the 14th, two of the ftamina are uniformly much ftiorter than the 

 other two J at the fame time each particular ft:amen belonging to the dif- 

 ferent pairs ftands direcftly oppofite to one another. 



The 15th clafs may be miftaken for the 6th, as they confifl: of the 

 fame number of ftamina. But in the 15th, four of the ftamina are uni- 

 formly longer than the other two i and thefe two are always oppofite to 

 each other. 



SOME M E 



