384 IDIOPHYSICS. 



ment of plants in genera, commenced with Gesner ; but the 

 origin of a natural system of classification belongs to Caesalpinus. 

 The description of plants, was much improved by Clusius, (or De 

 1'Ecluse) ; and the nomenclature was relieved of many synonyms by 

 the labors of the younger Bauhin. New systems of classification 

 were proposed, by Ray in England, and by Tournefort in France ; 

 the former founded on the petals and fruit ; the latter on the form, 

 and presence or absence, of the corolla ; but they both preserved the 

 unscientific distinction between herbs, and trees. The first Flora, 

 or description of plants in one locality, worthy of notice, was Ray's 

 Catalogue of Cambridge plants, published in 1660. 



It was reserved for Linnaeus to mark a new era in the science of 

 Botany ; by inventing a complete artificial system, founded on the 

 organs of fructification, as had been suggested by Quirinus Rivinus ; 

 by means of which a given plant might be more readily identified 

 than by any other method. This system was adopted by most of 

 his contemporaries, except Van Royen, the Gmelins, and Haller, 

 who had systems of their own : but it has the defect of often bring- 

 ing together, in the same order, plants which differ most widely in 

 their habits and properties. Of this defect, Linnaeus himself was 

 sensible ; and he endeavoured to remedy it by the addition of a 

 natural system, in which plants should be classed according to their 

 general resemblances. The natural method, to which the artificial 

 may be regarded as subsidiary, is chiefly indebted to the labors of 

 Bernard de Jussieu, and his nephew Antoine, for the degree of 

 perfection and favor which it has since attained. 



To Linnaeus belongs the credit of having studied vegetable physi- 

 ology, or Phytonomy, with great zeal and success ; and this division 

 of Botany has since been pursued by Duhamel, Bonnet, Malpighi, 

 Mirbel, and Knight; whose names are connected with important 

 investigations. Among the most extensive works on descriptive 

 Botany, are Decandolle's Flore Fran9aise, and Willdenow's Species 

 Plantarum ; the latter of which, published continuously, like other 

 periodicals, has become a great storehouse of botanical discoveries : 

 but the Genera Plantarum of Endlicher, according to the natural sys- 

 tem, will probably be the most satisfactory work on this subject, yet 

 undertaken. The plants of Central America, were examined to a 

 great extent by Humboldt and Bonpland ; and those of North Ame- 

 rica, by Kalm, Michaux, and Pursh. Among those who have 

 studied the Flora of the United States, the names of Bartram, Bar- 

 ton, Clayton, Elliott, Bigelow, Eaton, Nuttall, and Torrey, deserve 

 a distinguished place. 



We proceed to give some farther ideas of Botany, under the heads 

 of Terminology; Phytonomy; and Systematic, and Descriptive 

 Botany. 



1. Botanical Terminology, relates to the numerous terms which 

 are used in describing plants, or their different parts. The principal 

 parts of a plant, are the root, the stem or trunk, the leaves, and the 

 organs of fructification, or flowers and fruit. The root, is that part 

 which, descending into the ground, or adhering to some other sub- 

 stance, aids in supporting and nourishing the plant. Roots are 



