BOTANY. 



one that agrees with them. Having fixed 

 the genus, we in like manner read over 

 the characters of the species, in case the 

 genus consists of more than one, till we 

 are satisfied we have met with the right. 

 Thus we learn the generic and specific 

 name of our plant, and are enabled to 

 find any thing recorded concerning it. 



Such isthe mode of applying the Lin- 

 naean system to use, and in ordinary 

 cases no difficulties attend it. But it may 

 happen, that we have found a plant whose 

 number of stamens is variable in itself, 

 or perhaps different from their usual 

 number in the natural genus to which it 

 belongs ; for all genera ought to be na- 

 tural, and no species must be divided 

 from its brethren, on account cf charac- 

 ters which only respect the artificial 

 classes and orders. In this case Linnaeus 

 has provided us a remedy, by enumerat- 

 ing- at the head of each class all such 

 anomalous species, as far as he could re- 

 collect or determine them ; so that if our 

 plan does not agree with any of the re- 

 gular genera of the class, we may seek it 

 among these irregular species. If, after 

 all our attempts, the plant under consider- 

 ation still proves refractory, the system of 

 Jussieu comes to our aid. Not that we 

 can hope, even though adepts in the 

 science, to determine a plant by the same 

 mode in this author ; beginning with the 

 cotyledons, which, in many cases, we 

 shall find it impossible to judge of, and 

 which, when found, will often lead us 

 astray in the more abstruse orders of Jus- 

 sieu. 



The true way to use this system is, to 

 consider what known genus or family our 

 plant most approaches in its habit and 

 leading characters. By turning to such, 

 through the help of the index, and read- 

 ing the characters of the corresponding 

 order, we shall be able to judge how far 

 we are right, and shall, at any rate, grow 

 familiar with natural orders and affinities. 

 When we have determined the genus of 

 our plant in Jussieu, as he has not treat- 

 ed of species, we must still recur to Lin- 

 naeus for that part of the subject, as well 

 as for synonyms of other authors, and re- 

 ferences to figures or descriptions. 



By such a manner of associating these 

 two great authors, we render them truly 

 serviceable to each other, and to the sci- 

 ence ; whereas, by placing them in oppo- 

 sition, we only make stumbling-blocks of 

 all their defects ; for there must be de- 

 fects in all attempts of the human intel- 

 lect to keep pace with the infinite wis- 



dom and variety displayed in the works 

 of God. 



With respect to the application of ei- 

 ther of these methods of arrangement to 

 medical use, as a means of forming any 

 probable judgment of the qualities of 

 plants, the more natural any system is, 

 the better it serves us in this particular. 

 But even the Linnaean classes and orders 

 are many of them sufficient for general 

 use, and their learned author has occa- 

 sionally suggested other remarks, pecu- 

 liar to himself, tending to the same end. 



His Didyna.nia Gymnospermia, and the 

 ringent flowers with naked seeds, allied 

 thereto, which, having only two stamens, 

 are necessarily placed in his second class. 

 Diandria are all innocent or wholesome : 

 those of the other order, Angiospermia, 

 are fetid, narcotic, and dangerous, being 1 

 akin to a large part of Pentandria Mono- 

 gynia, known to be poisonous, as contain- 

 ing henbane, nightshade, and tobacco. 

 The whole class Tetradynamia is whole- 

 some, except the fetid cleome, wrongly 

 referred to it. Whenever the stamens are 

 found to grow out of the calyx, whe- 

 ther they be numerous, as in Icosandria, 

 or few, as in the currant and gooseberry, 

 they infallibly indicate the pulpy fruits of 

 such plants to be wholesome. Whenever 

 the nectary is a distinct organ or struc- 

 ture from the petals, Linnaeus justly ob- 

 serves, that the plants to which it belongs 

 are to be suspected. The papilionaceous 

 or pea flower is remarked by him to be- 

 long to a wholesome family, which is ge- 

 nerally true, at least when the plants are 

 boiled or roasted. We think it right, 

 however, to mention one exception to the 

 innocence of this family, as it is not gene- 

 rally known. The seeds of the laburnum, 

 eaten unripe, are violently emetic and 

 dangerous. They are, indeed, so bitter 

 and nauseous as seldom to tempt chil- 

 dren, but we have heard of their being 

 eaten, and such was the consequence, 

 which is the more important to be known, 

 as the tree is so common. 



Milky 'plants are generally to be sus- 

 pected, except such as have compound 

 flowers ; but even some of these are high- 

 ly dangerous, as the wild lettuce. Lactu- 

 ca virosa, which yields a kind of opium, 

 and the stinking hawkweed, crepis fce- 

 tida. Crepis rubra, also, or pink hawk- 

 weed, commonly cultivated for its beauty, 

 may be in the same predicament; but it 

 is too nauseous to be eaten. Umbellife- 

 rous plants, which grow in dry or elevat- 

 ed situations, are aromatic, safe, and often 



VOL. ir 



