TO BOTANY. 89 



which it is composed. We shall begin with the first, 

 which concerns only the calyx and receptacle, those 

 being the only parts that are in common. 



Characters of the FLOSCULOSE Flower. 



CALYX The common calyx is a perianthium, 

 which contains the florets and the receptacle. It is 

 either simple, augmented, CY imbricated* It contracts 

 when the flowers are fallen, but expands and turns 

 back when the seeds are ripe. 



RECEPTACLE The common receptacle of the 

 fructification receives many sessile florets on its disk, 

 which is either concave, plane, convex, pyramidal or 

 globose. The surface of the disk is either naked, 

 without other inequality than that of being lightly 

 dotted ; vi/lose, covered with upright hairs ; or palea- 

 ceous, covered with paleae, chaffs or straws, that are 

 linear, subulate, compressed and erect, and serve to 

 part the florets. 



Characters of the FLORETS f. 



CALYX A small perianthium, often quinquepar- 

 tite, seated on the germ en, persisting and becoming 

 the crown of the seed. 



COROLLA Monopetalous, with a long and very 

 narrow tube. It is seated on the germen, and is either 



* See these terms explained in Part I. Chap. 11 . 



f The character here given is of an Hermaphrodite floret ; 

 but the flowers may also bo either Male, Female, or Neuter, 

 as the orders shew : It may not be improper therefore to ob- 

 serve in general upon these classic characters, which the au- 

 thor has drawn with such minute exactness, that they should 

 be understood as collected only from the circumstances that 

 most frequently occur in the class, and liable to variation, not 

 in particular genera only, but even through the whole orders 

 f the class in some cases. 



