THE NATURAL SYSTEM. 89 



654. On the other hand, of the floral envelopes (322), the 

 number, form, and condition, the" presence or absence, the 

 regularity or irregularity, seem to be unconnected with func- 

 tions of a high order, and to be designed rather for the deco- 

 ration of plants, or for the purpose of giving variety to the 

 aspect of the vegetable world ; they are consequently of low 

 and doubtful value, except for specific distinctions. 



There seems, indeed, reason to expect that every natural order will, sooner or 

 later, be found to contain within itself all the variations above alluded to. 

 Even in the cases of regularity and irregularity we already know this to be so ; 

 witness Veronica and Scoparia in Scrophul.iriaceae, and Hyoscyamus in 

 Solanaceae, Delphinium in Ranunculaceae, and Pelargonium in Geraniaceae. 



655. The consolidation of the parts of fructification is a cir- 

 cumstance but little attended to in a general point of view, 

 except in respect to the corolla ; but as it seems to indicate 

 either the greatest change that the parts can undergo, or, 

 where it occurs between important and unimportant organs, 

 that in such cases the latter are essential to the former, it pro- 

 bably deserves to be regarded with great attention. 



For instance, the presence or absence of the corolla is often a point of little 

 moment, and is, we know, a very fluctuating circumstance. This is especially 

 true of those natural orders in which the stamens and petals are separated ; as 

 in Rosaceae, Rhamnaceae, Onagraceae, &c. On the other hand, when the 

 stamens, which are indispensable organs, adhere to the petals, the latter are 

 more constantly present, as in Scrophulariaceae, Acanthaceae, Solanaceae, &c. 



656. If consolidation is, on the one hand, to be regarded as 

 a character of high importance, so must disunion also be so 

 considered on the other. 



This is indicated by those natural orders of plants, which, like the Rosaceous, 

 the Ranunculaceous, and the Magnoliaceous, are called apocarpous. 



657. If we descend lower than those points, we find it ex- 

 tremely difficult, when we enter into details, to comprehend 

 what gives some of the subordinate peculiarities of plants the 

 value we assign to them. No fixed rule has yet been dis- 

 covered for judging of this ; and the employment of secondary 

 characters is in a great degree arbitrary. 



