PLANT-LIFEGENERATION. 57 



reached what we may call a federal flower, 

 which is its present culmination. 



The Composites are not only the highest in 

 rank and the youngest in years, but also the 

 largest in numbers of all the flowering fam- 

 ilies (the Angiosperms). It contains accord- 

 ing to the most recent estimate under my 

 eye (1911) at least 12,500 species. It is, how- 

 ever, not well defined or even described ; 

 hence the limits of the total group and its 

 salient character have not been distinctly 

 seen. Its supreme conception must be that 

 of the associated flower; other traits, though 

 important, are subordinate. It is inept to 

 classify primarily the Composites by the co- 

 tyledon, as dicotyledonous. Its essential cri- 

 terion is that of association, to which there is 

 a gradual rise from the simplest flowering- 

 plant. Such a view, however, breaks down 

 the whole cotyledonous classification of the 

 Angiosperms, which should be graded and 

 ordered by their approach to their supreme 

 form in the Composite group. Moreover, as 

 the Phanerogams (or Angiosperms) have 

 evolved to the point of manifesting their 

 character just in their flowering, this must be 

 what is associated, namely the flower. So the 

 true criterion of ordering the Phanerogams 

 drawn from their essential nature should be 



