SYSTEM OF DECANDOLLE. 161 



happen that it is devoid of some particular mark found 

 to exist in those individuals with which, notwithstand- 

 ing, we may discover some affinity. We shall pre- 

 sently notice a few examples in which some characters 

 exist different from those generally met with in the plants 

 with which these are properly allied, and merely re- 

 mark now, that suppose the stem of a plant is so little 

 developed as not to have arrived at a state in which the 

 exogenous structure may be visible, we have then the 

 dicotyledonous embryo to refer to ; or if we cannot be 

 satisfied as to the nature of the stem, we have the quar- 

 ternary or quinary type in the organs of fructification ; 

 should the leaves present a parallel venation, we have 

 still the embryo and floral envelopes to guide us ; or 

 should the nature of the embryo be doubtful, we may 

 have the reticulated venation, and exogenous stem, and 

 so on. 



B 



ENDOGEN^E OR MONOCOTYLEDONE.fi. 



Stems destitute of a central cellular system or true 

 pith, the woody matter existing in the form of more or 

 less distinct and separate bundles, and not forming con- 

 centric compact zones. Leaves with a parallel system of 

 venation, and often sheathing the stem. Floral struc- 

 tures developed upon a ternary type. Embryo with 

 one cotyledonary body, and an endorrhizal mode of ger- 

 mination. 



The same remarks hold as good in this place as they 

 did before, that the deficiency of one of the above cha- 

 racters, or the presence of another foreign to the prin- 

 ciples of the group, does not exclude a plant from its 

 station here, supposing that the general combination of 

 its characters are such as to allow us to establish a ge- 

 neral affinity. 



p 3 



