IDS AN INTRODUCTION 



in the pericarpium, and that are now rejected ; of 

 these we shall give an ample list in Chap. 33. 



The characters of luxuriant flowers, whether eu- 

 nuchs* or mutilate, cannot be allowed anyplace in 

 determining the genera ; for in full flowers no num- 

 ber of petals can be assigned, and the stamina are 

 generally wanting, the number of w^hich makes a 

 part of the generic character; and in mutilate 

 flowers, as in some species of Campanula, Ipomoea, 

 and Ruellia, the corolla would be excluded from 

 the description, contrary to the nature of the other 

 species of the genus. But as the calyx f in full 

 flowers is scarce ever altered, it may detect the 

 genus ; and the lowest series of petals in polypetalous 

 corollae remaining the same in respect to number, 

 the genus may also be often known by that charac- 

 ter; as in Papaver, Nigella, and Rosa. 



* Eunuchs arc such as have lost the stamina, which is th 

 case of full flowers. Mutilate are those that are incomplete, 

 wanting the corolla or perianthium. 



i Some systematists have distributed the whole body of 

 Tegetables by the differences of the calyx ; and in such sys. 

 terns the full flowers, as our author observes, are more easily 

 referred to their proper genus than in his own, the calyx not 

 being subject to luxuriancy : instances of this are in Hepati- 

 ea. Ranunculus, and Alcea. 



