THE TJMBELLIFEK.E. 161 



bodies, it is an umbelliferous plant. These simple feat- 

 ures give precision and distinctness to the order, so 

 that the study of minute characters is only needed in 

 separating this large group into lesser groups with a 

 still greater number of like characters and properties. 

 The number and development of ribs, the presence 

 or absence of vittse, the form of albumen, etc., are 

 used for this purpose. Hence, although a beginner 

 readily separates the plants of this order from all 

 others, he finds it difficult to tell one genus from 

 another, and, till he acquires skill in observation and 

 has some experience with this sort of plants, he is 

 quite safe in looking upon all of them with suspicion. 

 But, if the pupil desires to carry his discrimina- 

 tions further, and to trace out the characters of gen- 

 era and species contained within the order, there is 

 no objection to his doing so, but he will require the 

 aid of other works for the purpose. Complete classi- 

 fication is the final object of botany, and the present 

 course of study is designed as an introduction to it. 

 If, however, any students wish to do something with 

 it as they go along, they will find some hints that 

 may be useful in the last exercise of the volume. 



In Order VI., of Chart II., the structure of um- 

 belliferous plants is shown in detail. Enlarged sec- 

 tions of the fruit, with all its peculiarities of struct- 

 ure, are represented in such a way as to reveal the 

 parts with great distinctness. 



