POLYANDRIA. POLYGYNIA, 61 



E- HisPiDUs. Eli. Very hirsute; leaves deeply 3 parted, segments acutely lobed; calyx appressed. 



JFV. Latter end of May. Fr. mat. 



Jfab. Creek banks: near Hatch's factory: frequent. 1 foot high; flowers greenish yellow, small. 



R. FLUvrATiLis. Big. Fl. Bost. Leaves all dichotomously capillaceous; stem swimming. 



Synon. R. pantothrix. Ell Fw/go— River Crow-foot. 



Fl- Middle of June till August. Fr. mat. 



Sab. Running waters; Brandywine: frequent. About 1 foot long: flowers yellowish white : 



CLxiSS XIL CALYCANDRIA. * 



203. RIBES. Nutt. Gen. 217. 

 [An ancient Arabian name, of uncertain meaning] 



Cal. superior, 5 cleft. Cor. petals 5, small. Stam. 5. Style bifid- Berry many seeded. 

 B- FLORiDUM. Ph. Leaves punctate both sides; racemes pendulous; bractes longer than the pedicels. 

 Fw/g'o— Pennsylvania Black Currant. 



Fl- Beginning of May. F?. mat. Latter end of July. 



Ilab. Roadsides: near Job Darlington's: not common. 2 to4 feet high: flowers greenish yellow; fruit black 



Ohs. As the genus Ribes accords with the essential characto- of this class, I have taken the liberty to 

 transfer it hither, from Pentandria. T cannot help thinking that this is the natural and proper location of the 

 genus, in the Se.vual System; and that nothing but the name, Icosandria, prevented Linnaius himself from 

 arranging it in that class, with its kindred genera. I am strengthened in this opinion by the circumstance, that 

 he did place the genus in his natural orda' of Pomacea;, — which consists exclusively of calycandi ous plants. 

 Names, undoubtedly, have considerable influence on the mind: and when their obvious meaning not only 

 tends to mislead, but produces an actual violation of fundamental principles, in the arrangement of ob- 

 jects, the interests of science would seem to justify an attempt to introduce a more appropriate nomen- 

 clature. 



201. CERASUS. Juss. Gen. PI p. 340. 

 [Lat . CerasuS} a Cherry; the name of a town of Natolia, whence that fruit was derived. ] 



Cal- inferior, 5 cleft, deciduous. Cor. petals 5. Drupe globose. Nut roundish, smooth. 



C. viRGiNiANA. Mr- Arb. Leaves oval-oblong, acuminate, serrate; racemes elongated, erect 



Synon. Prunus virginiana. Nutt- Willd. Ph. Ell. &c. Fu^g-o— Wild Cherry. 



Fl. Middle of May. jFr. mat. Middle of August. 



Hab. Fence-rows; Creek banks, &c, frequent. 30 to 60 feet high; flowers white, fruit purplish black- 



Obs. The wood of this tree is handsomcj and is much used by C;tbinet makers, in the manufacture of 

 household furniture. An infusion of the bark is a valuable tonic— especiiiHy in those cases of debility 

 which often succeed catarrhal affections — as I have abundantl}- experienced, in my practice. Although 

 but few botani.sts have followed Jussieu, in making a generic dislmction between the Cherry and Plum, 

 I incline to think there is quite as much ground for it, in nature, as there is for separating the Hickory from 

 the Walnut, Chimaphila from Pyrola, Castanea from Fagus, and many other instances. The most super- 

 ficial observer cannot fail to be struck with the natural grouping, and family difference, of the Plum and 

 Cherry tribes. 



205. PRUNUS. Nntt. Gen. 431. 



[The latin name for a Plum; very ancient, and of unknown origin.] 



Cal. inferior, 5 cleft, deciduous- Cor. petals5. Drupe mostly oval, large. Nut ovate, subcompressed, acute. 



P. AMERICANA. Marsh. Leaves oblong-oval, acuminate, sharply serrate, veined; umbels 2 to 4 flowered. 



.St/non. P. nigra.' M(f/i?. Ft(/g:o— Red Plum. Yellow Plum. Brandywine Plum- 



Fl. Middle of April. Fr. mat. Last of August. 



Hab. Creek banks, and fence-rows: frequent. 8 to 13 feet high: flowers white; fruit reddish yellow. 



Ohs. This is a rugged, branching little tree. In its wild state, it is frequently sterile, and when it does 

 bear, the fruit is rather small and acerb. But under proper culture, the fruit islarge and lu.scious— though 



* ^j°r^ Kalyx, the flower cup, and Jjier, andros, male; Stamens inserted on the Caly-r.—a name sug- 

 gested for this cfass, (IcosAWDRiA, it«!i.) which seems properly to comprise all plants with hermaphro- 

 dite flowers, ia which the calyx is a one-leavGd staminiferous perianth. See the Preface to this c'a'.alogae. 



