162 



THE CLASS POLYANDRIA. 



Btamens, and are arranged in the order Pentagynia. The third order has more than five 

 pistils, and is termed indefinitely Polygynia ; and in it are found the Rosa or Hose, 

 Rubus or Bramble and Blackberry, Fragaria or Strawberry, Geum, Dry as, Tormeu- 

 tilla, Potentilla, and Comarum. 



It is thus evident that this class comprehends nearly all our edible juicy fruits, 

 besides the beautiful flowers which precede them, and such others as the Rose. It is a 

 class of plants most readily diagnosed, in whatever part of the world they may be found, 

 and, moreover, are, with few exceptions, healthful as food. A slight medicinal astrin- 

 gent influence is attributable to the Tannin, which is present in small quantities in 

 such plants as the Potentilla, Tormentilla, and the Rose ; and it is not improbable that, 



Fig. 336. 

 Icosandria Polygynia. 



Fig. 337. 

 Icosandria Monogynia. 



in a slight degree, it pervades the whole. This class of plants is, however, of greater 

 use to the horticulturist than to the physician; for none are more susceptible of 

 improvement from culture and admixture of species than the beautiful Rose (Fig. 207), 

 the Strawberry, Apple, and ether juicy fruits. 



CLASS XIII. POLYANDRIA. 



This class differs, in a remarkable degree, from the preceding, especially in the 

 powerful medicinal qualities with which its members are endowed. In this respect it 

 resembles only a part of the heterogeneous class Pentandria, and with that division of 

 plants furnishes many poisonous narcotic and tarcotico-acrid substances. It has nearly 

 double the number of genera, and yet fewer species than those possessed by Icosandria 

 viz., twenty-two genera, and fifty-five species. It is determined by the presence of 

 numerous but an indefinite number of stamens, similar to the class Icosandria ; but the 

 two classes present some difference, the former having the stamens inserted beneath 

 the ovary, and therefore hypogynous (Fig. 225), as in the Poppy. It is divided into 

 three orders, named Monogynia, Pentagynia, and Polygynia. 



The order Monogynia contains eight plants, of which four 

 (viz., thePapaveror Poppy, Chelidonium, Glaucium or Horned 

 - 'PPy an( J Actaea) have only four petals ; whilst two (the 

 Kelianthemum) or Rock Rose, and Tilia Europsea (or the Lime 

 Tree), have five ; and two others, which are water plants (the 

 Nymphaea A1W or the White Water Lily, and the Nuphar 

 L^tea and Putnila or the YeUow "Water Lily), have an indefi- 

 nite number of petals. The above distinctions are, however, 

 somewhat illusory ; since no plants more than these now men- 

 tioned uave the power of multiplying their petals by cultivation at the expense of the 



Fig. 33S.-Polyandrta 

 Monogyida. 



