TO BOTANY. 5J 



CHAP. II. 



EXPLANATION' OF THE TITLES OF THE TWENTY- 

 FOUR CLASSES* 



HAVING in the preceding Chapter given the divi- 

 sions of the System, we shall in this explain the mean- 

 ing of the terms used for the Titles of the Classes. 

 As these terms, in the Greek language from whence 

 they are taken, are all expressive of the principal 

 circumstance that obtains in the class to which they 

 are applied, the explanation of them will of itself 

 give us a good insight into the proper characters 

 of the several classes, and the sexual distinctions on 

 which they are founded. However, it will be neces- 

 sary to say something more particular concerning 

 many of them afterwards in the Chapters we shall al- 

 lot for each of them separately. 



CLASS. 1. MONANDRIA. %. DIANDFUA. 3. Tin- 

 ANDIUA. 4. TETRANDRIA. 5. PEX'TANDHIA. 6, 

 HEXANDRIA. 7. HEPTANDRIA. 8. OCTANDRIA. 

 p. ENNEANDRIA. 10. DECAXDRFA. These ten 

 classes, which consist of hermaphrodite flowers, take 

 their denominations from the number of stamina, or 

 male parts 61 the flowers. The word here compound- 

 ed with the numerical terms, signifies a husband; so 

 that the title Monandria expresses, thai the flowers of 

 this class have but one, husband, that is, one stamen; 

 Diandiia, two stamina, Triandria, three; Tetrandria, 

 four ; Pentandria,y/re;Hexan<lria, SLV; Heptandria, 

 seven ; Octandria, eight ; Enneandria, nine ; and I)e- 

 candria, ten. It must be observed, however, that the 

 flowers being hermaphrodite, as above-mentioned, is 

 in all these classes a necessary condition ; for should 

 the female part be w anting, the plant would belong to 

 some other class, notwithstanding the number of sta- 

 mina may be such as would otherwise refer it to one of 



