ORDERS. 71 



The Florets, as it respects their Corollas, are of two hinds. 



1. Ligulate, having a strap-shaped corolla, ending in three or 

 five teeth, PL 16, fig. 1, a. 



2. Tubular, having a tubular corolla divided into five segments 

 at top, b. 



The Flowers themselves are of three kinds. 



1. COMPOUND RADIATE. PI. 16,fig.l. Consisting of two parts ; the 

 disk or central part of the flower, c composed of tubular florets, 

 and the ray, the external circle of florets, d, which is composed of 

 ligulate florets. In the Sunflower, the disk is brown and the ray 

 yellow. In the Whiteweed, Crysanthemum, the disk is yellow and 

 the ray white These flowers are compared to the sun, having 

 his disk and rays. 



2. LIGULATE. PI. 16, fig. 2. Made up altogether of ligulate flo- 

 rets, as the Dandelion. 



3. DISCOID. PI. 16, fig. 3. Composed entirely of tubular flor- 

 ets, as the Burdock and Thistle. 



So far the florets have been described as being perfect, furnish- 

 ed with both stamens and pistils ; but these are sometimes sepa- 

 rated and found in separate florets in the same flower. 



The Florets, as it respects Stamens and Pistils, are of four kinds. 



1. Perfect florets, having both stamens and pistils. 



2. Barren, having stamens only. 



3. Fertile, have pistils only. 



4. Abortive, destitute of either stamens or pistils, or having 

 none that are effectual. 



The orders of this class, Syngenesia, are founded on 

 the situation of the several kinds of florets ; perfect) 

 barren, fertile, and abortive. 



1. POLYGAMIA JEQ.UALIS, florets all perfect or united, 

 each having stamens and pistils. Ex. Dandelion, 

 Leontodon ; Thistle, Carduus and Cnicus. 



Observation. Linnaeus applies the term polygamia to all the or- 

 ders of this class, on account of the promiscuous intercommunica- 

 tion of the several kinds of florets in a compound flower. 



2. POLYGAMIA SUPEKFLUA, florets of the disk perfect, 

 having stamens aud pistils ; those of the ray fertile, hav- 

 ing pistils only, but each producing perfect seed. Ex. 

 Camomile, dnthemis ; Field-daisy, Chrysanthemum. 



