304 BIOLOGY. 



Moreover, they all bear nuts, a fact which occurs in no 

 other class, and they must be therefore placed among the 

 fruit-bearing plants. Since, however, they are epigynous 

 and perigynous, so must the other polypetalous Perigynae 

 enter into proximity with them, and in like manner for- 

 sooth come among the Fruit-plants. 



1656. Thus the Dicotyledones separate into the Mono- 

 petalae, hypogynous Polypetalse, and perigynous Polype- 

 talae, along with the Apetalse. Viewed in a scientific 

 light, they separate according to the principal members of 

 the plant into three districts, Axis-, Flower-, and Fruit- 

 plants. 



FIRST CIRCLE. 

 Stem-plants Monopetalae. 



1657. The Monopetalso or Tubuliflorae are the lowest 

 in rank, and must therefore take the place here assigned 

 them. They are still spathose corollae. Among them 

 are found for the most part only cariopsides and mem- 

 branous capsules, rarely fruits. They are usually, too, 

 merely herbs, rarely bushes, and still more rarely trees. 



1658. They divide into Epigynes, Peri- and Hypogynes, 

 of which the former are the lowest, the latter the highest; 

 for in that which is left similar the coalition is an inferior 

 sign. 



1659. Their essential or typical character does not, 

 however, reside in the blossom, but in the trunk, and 

 that indeed in the root, stalk, and foliage. The question 

 therefore may now be asked, whether in the Epigynes the 

 root, in the Perigynes the stalk, and in the Hypogynes the 

 foliage, be the principal organ. 



CLASS VII. 



Root-plants. 



1660. That the Tubuliflorse with superior blossoms 

 and fleshy root are radical plants, admits of being easily 

 demonstrated. The preponderance of the root is evident 



