50 BOTANY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE. 



stored in the cavity of a leaf to supply its im- 

 mediate wants while germinating; hence the 

 leaf is called a Cotyledon or seed leaf. The 

 object in placing it in a leaf, is for this leaf to 

 sprout up and purify or prepare the root for the 

 young embryo. When but one leaf is observed, 

 the plant which is springing into being is con- 

 sidered as belonging to the Mono-Cotyledonon - 

 class ; if there are two leaves, to the Di-Cotyle- 

 donous class, and if more than two, to the Poly- 

 Cotyledonous class. 



L. But if there are none, how are plants Avith- 

 out Cotyledons named ? 



E. A Cotyledonous, meaning literally as you 

 observed, without Cotyledons. One of the Hex- 

 andrian class, the Lily, has already been men- 

 tioned ; of that genus the United States affords 

 several splendid species ; rivalling the Lily in 

 beauty, and, in the opinion of many, far more 

 stately and gorgeous, comes the Tulip, which 

 some time since so fearfully turned the heads of 

 the Dutch florists, that particular Tulips are 

 known to have been exchanged for farms, 

 horses and carriages, ships, and even large 

 estates. The Spiderwort Tradescanti, so com- 

 mon in our gardens, with its beautiful blue flow 



