CLASS TETRANDRIA. 145 



small ; petals spreading and reflexed ; filaments shorter than the 

 petals, and crowned with large cordate anthers. 



Another very common genus in this class is the Bed-straw, (Gal- 

 ium,) an herbaceous plant, with very small white flowers ; the leaves 

 grow in whorls. In different species, the leaves thus clustered toge- 

 ther stand around the stem in fours, Jives, sixes, and eights. Some 

 species exhibit a peculiar roughness upon the stems and leaves. 

 This genus, with some others of a similar appearance, were ar- 

 ranged by Linnffius in a natural order, called StellatcB,* star-like 

 plants ; the leaves radiating from the stem, as rays of light from a 

 star. 



Among the exotics of this class are the Santalum, which produces 

 the sandal-wood, and the Madder, (Rubia tinctoria,) the root of which 

 produces a beautiful scarlet colour. The latter plant is said to have 

 the singular property of tinging, with its red colour, the bones of the 

 animals that feed upon it. Jussieu has arranged this, and some of 

 the plants whose leaves grow in whorls, under the order Rid)iacecB. 

 The Silver-tree (Protea argentea) has soft leaves resembling satin, 

 of a silver colour. Another species of Protea, the aurea or golden, 

 has gold-coloured leaves, which are edged with scarlet. Both these 

 trees are natives of the Cape of Good Hope, and have never been 

 found in any other locality. 



Order Digynia. 



Hamamelis is a shrub from 6 to 12 feet high, and is found in 

 woods throughout the United States. Its flowers are yellow, and 

 grow in axillary clusters. You will often meet with this plant by the 

 road-sides on the skirts of woods ; and may know it from the fact o. 

 its being in blossom after it has lost its leaves, in autumn, and even 

 in winter. Its common name is Witch-hazel ; it probably originated 

 from the superstitious idea, which was long entertained, that a twig 

 from this tree, called a divining rod, in the'hands of particular indi- 

 viduals, ^ad the property of being attracted towards gold or silvei 

 buried in the earth. Some botanists, however, ascribe the common 

 name of this plant to its peculiarity, as to the season of blooming. 

 By the subdividers of the Orders of Jussieu, viz. De Candolle and 

 Lindley, this is taken from the order Berberides, and stands alone in 

 an order, called from its generic name Hamamelidece. 



Order Tetragynia. 



We find here the holly, {Ilex ;) this is an evergreen, with a smooth, 

 grayish bark ; shining, thorny leaves ; whitish flowers ; and scarlet 

 berries ; this plant is very common in England for fences ; its ver- 

 dure is not impaired by the most severe winter. 



* From Stella, a star. 



Eed-straw — What plants are placed in Linnaeus's natural order Stellatce, and Jtis- 

 sieu'a order ffwiioceffi?— Madder— Protea— Hamamelis — Ilex. 

 13 



