34 



CLASSES OF LINN^US. 



LECTURE IV. 



LATIN AND GREEK NDMERALS. — ARTIFICIAL CLASSES AND ORDERS. 



We shall now present you with a list of Latin and Greek numer- 

 als ; these it is necessary to commit to memory, in order that you 

 may understand the names given to the classes and orders. It is not 

 in Botany alone that a knowledge of these numerals will be useful to 

 you ; many words in our common language are compounded with 

 them ; as, zmiform, from imus^ one, and forma, form; — octagon, from 

 octo, eight, and gonia, an angle, hexagon, pentagon, ^-c. 



The Classes of LinncBUS. 



In the first place, all plants are arranged in two grand divisions, 

 Phenogamous, when the stamens and pistils are visible, and Crypto- 

 gamous, when the stamens and pistils are too small to be visible, by 

 the naked eye. The former division includes 20 classes, the latter 

 only the 21st. 



The classes are founded upon distinctions observed in the Sta- 

 mens. All known plants are divided into twenty-07ie classes. 



The first twelve classes are named by prefixing Greek numerals 

 to andria, which signifies stamen. 



Number of Stamens. 



Fig. 6. 



Words compounded with Latin and Greek nuti^i.erals— Latin numerals— Greek n» 

 merals— Two grand divisions of plants— Classes, on what founded 1— how many 7— 

 first twelve, how named 1 



