194 Linnsei Exercitatio Botanico-Physica 



{Terminal lobe connected with the base by a neck-like con- 

 traction of the segment, the corners all rounded 5 

 Terminal lobe often indistinctly separated from the base of 

 the segment, with an acute angle or process on each side 7 



J Segments but slightly dilated at the end dldelta. 



^Segments much dilated at the end 6 



(Terminal notch, strongly marked ; the neck of the segment 

 with a tubercle on each side affine. 

 Terminal notch obscure ; no tubercle on the neck of the 

 segment yemmatiim, 



{End concave or truncate ; the acute angles as high as the 

 sides of the notch hinale. 

 End rounded or angular, projecting beyond the spine-like 

 processes 8 



r Terminal lobe dilated later-ally, and connected with the 



J segment by a neck-like contraction rostratum. 



I End protuberant ; no neck-like contraction of the seg- 



L ments spinosum. 



XXVI. — Caroli LiNNiEi Exercitatio Botanico-Physica de Nup- 

 tiis et Sexu Plantarum. Edidit et Latine vertit M. Johannes 

 Arv. Afzelius. 



prefatory notice by m. afzfilius. 

 It is stated by Linnaeus, in his Autobiograpliy*, that after he 

 had become acquainted with the short treatise of Vaillant on the 

 Sexes of Plants from the ' Acta Lipsiensia/ he began to contem- 

 plate a more diligent investigation into the natm-e of the stamina 

 and pistilla of flowers ; that after long and diligent research he 

 came to the conclusion that these constitute the principal parts 

 of the flower ; and a new prospect broke upon his youthful mind 

 of thence establishing a Method in Botanical arrangement. About 

 the end of the same year, 1729, George WaUin, at that time libra- 

 rian at Upsal, pubHshed a philologico-critical Dissertation entitled 

 ' De Nuptiis Arborum,^ which appearing to Linnseus but little to 

 the purpose, and not having leism-e for a public disputation, he 

 drew up in a few pages, " more botanico,^^ as he expresses it, a 

 view of the right notion to be entertained concerning the Sexes 

 of Plants, and communicated them to his earhest patron in the 

 Academy, 01. Celsius, Doctor in Divinity. Afterwards they fell 

 into the hands of 01. Rudbeck, jun., at that period professor of 

 medicine and botany at Upsal, who was so much pleased with this 

 early specimen of his genius, that in the following year (1730), 

 having received an honom-able exemption from the labours of his 

 office on account of his advanced age, he procm-ed the nomination 

 of Linnseus as his substitute; and thus — a circumstance almost 

 without parallel — the duties of a lectm-er on botany were com- 

 * Published at Upsal, 1823, 4to, p. 15. 



