60 CLASS OCTANDRU. 



{Erica cinerea) has bell-form flowers, small and delicate, with the 

 colour pink, or varying into other colours ; the flowers intermixed 

 with the delicate green leaves produce a fine effect. The kind of 

 soil necessary to the growth of the heath, is the peat earth, so com- 

 mon in England and Scotland, in which countries this plant abounds; 

 thus Scott says of his Lady of the Lake, 



"A foot more light, a step more true, 



Ne'er from the heath-flower brush'd the dew." 



In the Highlands of Scotland, the poor make use of the heath to 

 thatch the roofs of their cottages; their beds are also made of it 

 The field in which this plant grows is termed a heath or heather. 



" The Erica here, 

 That o'er the Caledonian hills sublime, 

 .Spreads its dark mantle, where the bees delight 

 To seek their purest honey, flourishes ; 

 Sometimes with bells like amethysts, and then 

 Paler, and shaded, like the maiden's cheek. 

 With gradual blushes; other while, as white 

 As frost that hangs upon the wintry spray." 



The Daphne is a rare plant ; one species is called the Lace-bark 

 tree, from the resemblance of its inner bark or libe?^ to net-work or 

 lace. This bark is very beautiful, consisting of layers which may 

 be pulled out into a fine white web, three or four feet wide ; this is 

 sometimes used for ladies' dresses, and may even be washed without 

 injury. Charles L of England, was presented by the governor of 

 Jamaica with a cravat made of this web. The plant is a native of 

 the West Indies. 



The Nasturtion (Tropceolum) is a very commonly cultivated ex- 

 otic. It has not a regularity of parts ; the divisions are not four or 

 eight, which we might expect from its eight stamens, but the calyx is 

 either four or five-parted, and the corolla is five-petalled. The fruit 

 consists of three seeds ; these are used for pickles. " The generic 

 name ( TmpfEolum) signifies a ti^ophy-pIant ; this alludes to its use for 

 decorating triumphal arches, or to the resemblance of its peltate 

 leaves to "shields as well as its flowers to golden helmets pierced 

 through and stained with blood."* 



Order Trigynia. 



This order contains the Buckwheat, {Polygonum,) which was 

 classed by Linnaeus in the same natural order as the dock, pigweed, 

 &c., " having flowers destitute of beauty and gay colouring." The 

 genus is extensive, containing many plants which are considered as 

 common weeds. The fagopyrum is the true buckwheat; the meal 

 obtained by grinding its seed, is much esteemed for cakes; these are 

 called slap-jacks in New-England, in England, crumpits. The Po- 

 lygonum is variable in its number of stamens ; the seed is a triangu- 

 lar nut. 



Order Tetragynia. 



We here find the beautiful plant, Paris, which is said to have been 

 named after a prince of ancient Troy, remarkable for his beauty. 

 In every part of the flower there is the most perfect regularity ; the 

 numbers four and eight prevailing in the divisions. It has 8 stamens, 

 4 pistils, 4 petals, 4 sepals, a 4-sided and 4-celled pericarp, which con- 

 tains 8 seeds, and 4 large spreading leaves, at a little distance be- 

 low the flower. The colour of the whole is green. The plant is ?aid 

 to be narcotic. It is a native of England. 



* Sir J. E. Smitn. 

 Lace-bark tree— Nasturtion— Second order— Third order— Fourth order. 



