TO BOTANY". 167 



hot found constant and unchangeable in them, are 

 to be considered as varieties only. These varieties 

 are grounded chiefly on the following circumstances, 

 viz. Sex, Magnitude, Time of flowering, Colour, 

 Scent, Taste, Virtues and Uses, Duration, Multi- 

 tude, Pubescence, Leaves, and monstrous flowers. 

 Of all which we shall treat in their order. 



The SEX of plants in the class Dioecia affords a 

 variety of all others the most natural ; for the ma*e 

 and female flowers in this class being upon different 

 plants, these last are distinguished by the fructifica- 

 tion, though the species is the same in both. But 

 it must be observed, that this kind of variety holds 

 only in the class Dioecia ; for in the genera that be- 

 long to any of the hermaphrodite classes, the same 

 circumstance, whenever it happens, becomes a spe- 

 cific distinction : Thus in Rumex, which belongs to 

 the class Hexandria, the Acetosa and Acetosella, 

 being dioecious plants, that is, having their male and 

 female flowers on distinct roots, these species are 

 thereby distinguished from the rest of the genus. 



MAGNITUDE is no specific difference, but a va- 

 riety, being liable to alteration from the soil or 

 climate. 



The TIME of flowering is a treacherous mark of 

 a distinct species ; and unless supported by other 

 distinctions, can only be considered as a variety. 



COLOUR is found so changeable in the same spe- 

 cies, that it must be considered as a variety only. 



In Flowers the colour is most variable ; as in Tu-^ 

 lipa, Hepatica, Cyanus, Campanula, Aquilegia, 

 Viola, Galega, Fumaria, and others, which it would 

 be tedious to enumerate : the most usual change is 

 from blue or red to white. The trifling distinctions 

 which have been made by Anthophili (florists) in 

 some of the genera we have here instanced, from 

 the colours of the corollae, and to which they have 



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