PRINCIPLES OP THE LINN^EAN SYSTEM. 



321 



manner as to prevent the loss of time and labour, in vain attempts 

 at discovering genera in wrong classes, or species in wrong 

 genera. 



483. Entertaining, as the writer does, from some experience 

 in the matter, the foregoing opinion of the advantages of the 

 Linnsean System for a beginner, it is desirable here to give an 

 outline of the principles upon which its divisions are founded, 

 which may serve as an introduction to the regular systematic 

 treatises on the subject. The Phanerogamia or Flowering Plants 

 are distributed under twenty-three Classes, all of which are cha- 

 racterised either by the number or particular arrangement of the 

 stamens. In the first twelve of these, number alone is regarded. 

 Their names are formed by the combination of the Greek numeral 

 expressing the required number, with the termination andria^ 

 which has reference to the supposed male office of the stamens in 

 the process of fertilization. These classes, therefore, stand simply 

 as shown in the following figures : 



FIG. 105. 



FIG. 104. 



Digynia. Monogyaia. 



CLASS I. MONANDRIA. One 

 stamen. Orders Monogynia 

 and Digynia. 



Trigynia. Digynia. Monogyaia. 



CLASS II. DIANDRIA. Two stamens. Order s- 

 Monogynia, Digynia, and Trigynia. 



FIG. 106. 



Trigynia. Digynia. Monogynia. 



CLASS III TRIANDRIA. Three stamens. Orders Monogynia, Digynia, and Trhrynla. 



