216 AFFINITY OF BEGONIA. 



the details of systematic arrangement, to overrule 

 characters which are judged, by experience or analogy, 

 to be more important. The able writers whose la- 

 bours we have been contemplating, the chief syste- 

 matic botanists who have adverted at all to the albu- 

 men, have been well aware of this. 



What has just been remarked, of the inconstancy 

 of number in the seeds of particular plants, and of 

 it's great diversity in species or genera nearly akin, 

 may possibly diminish the apparent absurdity of con- 

 sidering the great differences between the fruit of Be- 

 gonia and Polygonum or Rumex, and between that of 

 some Campanulacece and the Composite, as a matter 

 of but secondary importance, and may reconcile us to 

 the opinion that such differences should give way, in 

 both cases, to strong points of agreement. Even the 

 eat distinction between the inferior germen of Be- 

 nia, and the superior one of the Order of Polygo- 

 , Juss. 28, is invalidated by the above instance of 

 'actinium; and the coincidence of habit is so remark- 

 able, that I cannot but confess myself very anxious to 

 ascertain a decisive affinity, or analogy, in the fructi- 

 fication, lest the great fundamental principle of all 

 sound botanical classification should, in any degree, 

 be undermined. 



