METHOD OF EXAMINING PLANTS. 35 



refers the plant to the order Monogynia. In the table of short 

 essential generic characters, he finds that there are ten genera 

 mentioned, namely : Ligustrum, Fraxinus, Veronica, Pingui- 

 cula, Utricularia, Lycopus, Salvia, Circcea, Lemna, and Cla- 

 dium. He has therefore to find which of these corresponds 

 with his plant. But he observes that there are four divisions 

 marked by asterisks, under which these genera are grouped. 

 He therefore reads the characters of these divisions, and finds 

 that his plant cannot belong to the first, for although it has 

 the flowers inferior, that is, has the calyx and corolla placed 

 under the germen, and monopetalous, yet the corolla is not 

 regular, that is, does not present equal segments. Passing to 

 the next division, he finds it to agree with the plant. He has 

 now to compare it with the characters of the three genera in- 

 cluded in this division, and finds it to correspond with those of 

 Veronica, inasmuch as it has a " wheel-shaped, deeply four- 

 cleft corolla," with the " lower segment smaller/' and a " two- 

 celled capsule." The plant therefore belongs to the genus of 

 which Veronica is the name. 



In the tables at the head of each class, the genera are placed 

 according to certain circumstances connected with their arti- 

 ficial arrangement, but are numbered with reference to the 

 order in which they are afterwards more fully described, and 

 which is in some degree that of their natural affinity. 



The species is now to be found, and for this purpose he turns 

 over a few leaves, until he comes to the 4th genus of the class, 

 viz. Veronica, where he finds the natural character of the genus, 

 or a particular description of the parts of fructification, which 

 he compares with his plant, and finding them to agree, is sa- 

 tisfied as to the genus. He finds a great number of species 

 described, all of which he would have to compare with his 

 plant until he found one to agree with it, were it not that here, 

 as in the generic table, there are subdivisions, to which as- 

 terisks are prefixed, that shorten his labour. To the first of 

 these divisions the plant does not belong, for its flowers are not 

 in terminal, but in lateral clusters. He therefore passes on to 

 the next division : flowers in lateral clusters or spikes, and as 

 his plant has such flowers, he has only to read the specific 

 characters under that division. 



V. Beccabunga has elliptical leaves ; V. Anagallis has them 

 lance-shaped ; in V. Scutellata they are oblong ; and therefore 

 it cannot belong to these species. In V. Montana, the leaves 

 are egg-shaped, which is the case with the plant in hand, but 



