13O REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS. CHAP. III. 



Which is But the fact of the perigynous insertion has been 

 lately called in question by Mr. Salisbury,* and 

 subjected to the fiery ordeal of his keen and rigor- 

 ous investigation ; from which he thinks himself 

 entitled to conclude that no such thing exists as an 

 insertion of the stamens or corolla in the calyx, and 

 that no instance of it can be produced throughout 

 the whole extent of the vegetable kingdom thus 

 denouncing and exploding the doctrine entirely ; 

 and demolishing with one stroke of his rough but 

 dexterous hand the whole superstructure of the peri- 

 gynous orders of Jussieu, as well as the primary 

 principle of the class Icosandria of Linnaeus. 



Mr. Salisbury admits, however, that his observa- 

 tions were hastily committed to paper, and so the 

 reader of them will most probably think. He dis- 

 plays, indeed, a very extensive acquaintance with 

 plants, as was to be expected from a botanist of so 

 much experience ; and gives ample proof of his 

 talent for acute and accurate discrimination. But 

 his observations are upon the whole of much less 

 importance than he seems to imagine ; because the 

 insertion in question will still remain perigynous, 

 whether it be regarded as originating in the calyx 

 or receptacle; so that the whole of his long paper is 

 but little better than cavil respecting terms, of which 

 he himself so loudly complains. 



It is of great importance, no doubt, to discriminate 

 all such parts and organs of the plant as are reall; 

 * Lin. Trans, vol. viii. 



