ARKANGEMENT. 31 



Thus, the dog genus, the hyena genus, the cat genus, and 

 others, constitute the order Ferae, or Beasts of Prey. All the 

 orders that resemble each other in certain more general charac- 

 ters, constitute a class. Thus the orders Ferae, Ruminating 

 animals, Four-handed animals or Monkeys, and others, form 

 the class Mammalia. So it is with plants. 



There are thus, in the Linnsean method, four degrees in 

 classification : the Class, the Order, the Genus, and the Species. 

 The latter, by certain accidental causes, produces Varieties. 

 Thus, in animals, the greyhound, the spaniel, and the sheep- 

 dog, are varieties of the Dog species ; and in plants, the nu- 

 merous kinds of apples are produced by varieties of the Crab- 

 Apple Tree. 



The LINNJEAN CLASSES of PLANTS are twenty-four, and 

 their distinctions are founded upon the number, situation, and 

 proportion, of the stamens. 



The first eleven Classes are characterized solely by the num- 

 ber of the stamens, and have Greek names expressive of these 

 distinctions. Linnaeus, in his fanciful way, considered the 

 stamens as gentlemen, and the pistils as ladies. 



1. MONA'NDRIA. This class includes all plants having a 



single stamen in each of their flow- 

 ers ; monandria literally signifying 

 one man. 



2. DIA'NDRIA. Two stamens in each flower. 



3. TRIA'NDRIA. Three stamens. 



4. TETRA'NDRIA. Four stamens. 



5. PENTA'NDRIA. Five stamens. 



6. HEXA'NDRIA. Six stamens. 



7. HEPTA'NDRIA. Seven stamens. 



8. OCTA'NDRIA. Eight stamens. 



9. ENNEA'NDRIA. Nine stamens. 



10. DECA'NDRIA. Ten stamens. 



11. DQDECA'NDRIA. From twelve to nineteen stamens. 



The next two classes differ from each other with respect to 

 the situation of the stamens. 



12. ICOSA'NDRIA. Twenty or more stamens inserted 



into the calyx. 



13. POLYA'NDRIA. Twenty or more stamens inserted 



into the receptacle or top of the 

 flower- stalk. 



