346 SYNGENESIA. 



cordingly, Coreopsis is the very same genus as 

 Bidens, only furnished with unproductive radiant 

 florets. C. bidens of Linnaeus is the same species 

 as his B. cernua ; C. coronata is his B. frondosa ; 

 and C. leucantha, B. pilosa. Some species of 

 Coreopsis indeed have never been found without 

 rays. Linnaeus expresses his difficulties on this 

 subject in Phil. Bot. sect. 209, but seems inclined 

 to unite the two genera. A similar ambiguity occurs 

 between Gorteria and Atractylis, Relhania (of the 

 last Order) and Athanasia, and in some degree 

 between Centaurea, Engl. Bot. t. 27$, 1678, 56, 

 &c., and Carduus, or Serratula ; only the scales of 

 the calyx of Centaurea generally keep that genus 

 distinct. 



I should be much inclined to abolish this Order. 

 Those of its genera which have rudiments of pistils 

 in their radiant florets, as Rudbeckia and Hdianthm, 

 would very commodiously range with their near 

 relations in Polygamia superflua, nor are we sure 

 that such radiant florets are in all cicumstances 

 abortive, neither can a student often know whether 

 they are so or not. It does not follow, from what 

 has just been observed, that the presence of radiant 

 florets, whether abortive or not, can never afford a 

 generic character, provided there be no correspond- 

 ing genus without them. This must be determined 

 by experience and observation. They are indeed to 

 be considered as a very secondary mark, the most 



