DESCRIPTIVE BOTANY. 159 



before the eyes of the reader at the very first. Otherwise 

 we begin with the root, with the bulbs and tubers ; we then 

 proceed to the stem and branches ; next to the leaves, leafy 

 appendages, armour, and other subordinate parts ; we then 

 describe the integument ; we next pass to the inflorescence, 

 calyx, corolla, nectaries, male and female sexual parts ; and 

 lastly, we dissect the fruit and seed, with all their properties. 

 Some good writers have reversed this order ; at least, have 

 spoken first of the flower. But the reasons for maintaining 

 this order preponderate. 



247. 



In these descriptions, attention is paid to every thing that 

 is observable in the plant ; that is to say, not only the speci- 

 fic character, but a complete picture of the plant must be 

 given, on which account an exact delineation of forms, di- 

 mensions, integuments, and colour, smell, taste, and other par- 

 ticulars, may be introduced. But whatever serves to distin- 

 guish the plant, must be made especially conspicuous ; on 

 which account the diagnosis of two related species, carried 

 through all the parts, is often much more important than the 

 most careful and circumstantial description. But both me- 

 thods can be easily united, provided in our description we 

 make the discriminating marks particularly prominent. 



248. 



In description, we must on all occasions employ the usual 

 artificial language ; and when forms are so changed that the 

 usual expressions are not proper to denote them, it is better 

 to give a more extended description, than to designate these 

 forms by new and uncommon words. 



In descriptions that are quite complete, it is of use to ar- 

 range the individual organs at intervals under one another, 

 and to ^vrite or mark in some other way the names of these 

 organs. To save space, the parts likewise are often suc- 

 cessively arranged, their names also being always expressed 

 in writing or print. Individual properties are in this case sc- 



