DICO TYLEDONS. 6 55 



tion however assigns far too great an importance to this particular point of structure, 

 considering that on the one hand flowers occur among the Eleutheropetalse which 

 differ greatly from one another not only in this but also in every other respect ; while 

 on the other hand the most intimate relationship exists between particular sections of 

 Eleutheropetalae and of Gamopetalae. I therefore think it convenient, while retaining 

 the largest sub-divisions of the class, to employ also other characters in the classifi- 

 cation ; and to make use of the character drawn from the cohesion or non-cohesion 

 of the petals in the subdivision of the largest group, that provided with two perianth- 

 whorls. In the following classification Dicotyledons are split up into five divisions of 

 equal systematic and morphological value, which should rather be arranged parallel to 

 one another than in a single linear series. This classification has also, I think, a practical 

 advantage ; since the extraordinarily large number of families and orders can be more 

 easily kept in the memory when they are at once arranged in several comprehensive 

 groups of equal value. 



DICOTYLEDONS. 



I. JuliflorsB : 



A. Piperineae, 



B. Urticineae, 

 G. Amentiferae. 



1 1 . Mon oclilamydesB : 



A. Serpentarieae, 



B. Rhizantheae. 



III. AphanocyclaB : 



h. Hydropeltidineae, 



B. Polycarpae, 



C. Cruciflorae. 



IV. TetraeyclfiB : 



(a) GamopeialcB : 



A. Anisocarpae, 



B. Isocarpae. 

 (/3) EleutheropetalcB : 



C. Eucyclae, 



D. Centrospermae, 



E. Discophorae. 



V. Perigynas : 



A. Calyciflorae, 



B. Corolliflorae. 



The sections designated by capital letters correspond partly to single orders, partly to 

 whole series of orders in the system referred to above. 



I. JULIFLORiE. 



Flowers very small or inconspicuous, crowded in dense inflorescences — spikes, capi- 

 tula, or less often panicles — which are often of very peculiar form ; naked or with a 

 simple sepaloid perianth, and usually diclinous; the male and female flowers often 

 different. Leaves simple. 



A. PiperineoB. Flowers very small, in dense spikes subtended by bracts, without 



book I followed this work with but little deviation. Compare also Grisebach, Gnindriss der 

 systematischen Botanik. 



