242 EXOGENS. 



monopetalous, and apetalous structure, is treated quite as a subordinate 

 consideration, as it surely deserves to be. 



If tbe classification thus obtained be attentively studied, it will be found 

 to offer many entirely new combinations, while others of universally 

 recognised truth are not disturbed by it. Of these new combinations there 

 are few to which any serious objection seems to apply, and it is believed 

 that the larger part of them are more opposed to our prejudices than to 

 truth. Not that I have the presumption to suppose that they will meet the 

 universal approval of Botanists. What method of classification ever has or 

 ever can ? So long as there are many points of view from which a survey 

 may be taken of the Vegetable Kingdom, so long will there be conflicting 

 opinions as to the way in which the objects that meet the eye can best be 

 grouped. 



In former attempts at redistributing the natural Orders of Exogens, I had 

 proposed to throw into one Sub-class all those in which the embryo is very 

 small as compared with the albumen in which it is imbedded ; and I still 

 think that this peculiarity is of as much importance among plants as the 

 being oviparous or viviparous among animals. But, although I do not at 

 present see a reason for retracting my former opinion upon that subject, yet 

 I do see that the time is hardly come for carrying out such a principle 

 satisfactorily. And, therefore, instead of employing it for the character of 

 a Sub-class, it has only been used as a means of limiting Alliances. 



Although, from the complicated nature of the affinities of plants, no 

 hope can be reasonably entertained of securing an unbroken fine of transi- 

 tion from one end to the other of the series in which the various groups 

 must necessarily be treated of, yet it will be found that the method here 

 proposed offers very few considerable gaps in the chain of relationship. 

 Commencing with the Amental Alliance, which seems to stand in near 

 relation to the Joint-firs (Gnetaceae) among Gymnosperms, the passage to 

 the Urtical and Euphorbial is too plain to require explanation : of the latter 

 the Quernal and Garryal may be regarded as epigynous forms, — the first 

 without albumen, the second with an abundance of it. Nutmegs, in the 

 Menispermal Alliance, then fit in ; and the twining Menispermads may be 

 taken as an anticipation of Cueurbitals, of which the Papayal Alliance is 



an offset, a little out of the direct line of succession. Even to the latter, 



however, an analogue is found among Violals, in the form of Bixads and 

 Samyds ; thence Turnerads conduct us directly into the Cistal Alliance. 

 At this point we quit the debateable ground of affinities, and, passing suc- 

 cessively through Malvals, Sapindals, Guttiferals, we reach the Nymphal 

 Alliance through Tutsans. Here, however, the chain is evidently broken, 

 and probably the sequence is wrong. The Water-shields (Cabombaceae), 

 among Nymphals, pass directly into the Banal Alliance by way of the 

 Crowfoots, whence Poppyworts join Fumeworts in the Berberal Alliance. At 

 this place Cyrillads appear to form a connecting link with Humiriads among 

 Ericals, and the latter pass directly into the Rutal Alliance by the intervention 

 of such plants as Correa. From Rutals the passage is easy to the Geranial, 

 Silenal, and Chenopodal Alliances, which suddenly stop with the Peppers ; 

 this is, however, a doubtful case of affinity, although such a plant as Batis 

 may seem to justify the approximation. At the point now reached the Peri- 

 gynous Sub-class is penetrated byway of the Ficoidal Alliance, which might 

 be almost united with the Chenopodal. Scleranths, among Ficoidals, seem 

 to present a transition to Salvadorads in the Daphnal Alliance, of which 

 again a part of the Rosal Alliance is almost a polypetalous form. . From 



