61 



CLASS 6. HEXANDRIA. 



(Containing Plants with Six Stamens, of equal length.) 



This class is noted for the very great proportion of beautiful 

 plants which it contains. Almost all the bulbous-rooted flowers 

 are found here. Among others, " that first fair offspring of 

 the budding year,'* the Snowdrop. Besides which, we have 

 the elegant Narcissus, the lovely Lily of the Valley, the Star 

 of Bethlehem, the delicate Scilla, the gaudy Tulip, the chec- 

 quered Fritillary, the sweet Acorus, the juicy Asparagus, and 

 the well-known Rushes a numerous tribe, but too difficult to 

 be noticed here, and too uninteresting to excite the attention 

 of the little botanist. 



Order 1. MONOGYNIA. 1 Style. 



SOLOMON'S SEAL, (Convallaria.) Cor. tubular, points straight. 

 HYACINTH, (Hyacinthus.) Cor.bell-shaped, points turned back. 



Order 2. DIGYNIA. 2 Styles. 



Contains but one British plant, which is abundant only in lofty situations; 

 it is called Mountain Sorrel (Oxyria reniformis.) 



Order 3. TRIGYNIA. 3 Styles. 

 DOCK, (Rumex.) Calyx of three united leaves ; petals three. 



Order 4. HEXAGYNIA. 6 Styles. 



One plant only belongs here, and that is not very uncommon in ponds 

 and other wet places; it is called Star-fruit (Aciinocarpus Damasonium.) 



Note. It will be observed that this is the fourth order, and yet the 

 plants belonging to it have six styles, as is expresssed by the Latin name 

 of the order, (Hexagynia,) An instance, among others, of the necessity 

 of using the Latin rather than the English names. 



Order 5. POLYANDRIA. Many Styles. 

 WATER PLANTAIN, (Alisma.) Calyx of three distinct leaves ; 

 petals three. 



