CLASSES AND ORDERS. 



699 



TABULAR VIEW OF CLASSES AND ORDERS continued. 



With all its imperfections, the artificial system has this advantage, that 

 the character on which it is founded is sufficiently conspicuous (that is, of 

 course, with the plants in full flower) to render it generally easy to ascertain 

 the class and order of a plant. At all events, it may serve as a useful 

 artificial key, and as such may be combined advantageously with the natural 

 system. 



114. NATURAL SYSTEM QUSSIEU'S). 



Classes. 



I. Acotyleddns 



{Mono-hypogynac (stamens hypogynous) 

 Mono-perigynae (stamens perigynous) 

 Mono-epigynae (stamens epigynous) . 

 Monoclines, flowers hermaphrodite. 



( Epistaminese (stamens epigynous) . 

 { Peristamineae (stamens perigynous) . 

 I Hypostamineae (stamens hypogynous) 

 ( Hypocorollae (corolla hypogynous) . 

 ) Pericorollse (corolla perigynous) 

 ) Epicorollae (corolla J Synantherae (anthers united) 

 I epigynous) ( Chorisantherac (anthers free) 



( Epipetalae (petals epigynous) . . 



j Peripetalas (petals perigynous) .... 

 ( Hypopetalae (petals hypogynous) ... 

 \ Diclines, flowers unisexual, or without a perianth. . . . . 



Apetalae (no petals) 



Monopetalae (petals 

 united). 



Polypetalx (petals 

 distinct) 



This system, being likewise founded partly on individual organs, is also, 

 to a certain extent, artificial ; and, strictly speaking, every natural method 

 of botanic classification must partake more or less of an artificial character, 

 as many orders of plants merge so insensibly into others that their respective 

 limits cannot be accurately or rigorously defined. 



