(?RDER MONOGYNIA. 163 



(lualities. Another species, nictitans, has small yellow flowers, and 

 beautiful pinnate leaves, which remain folded at night; it shrinks 

 back from the touch, for which reason it is called the American 

 sensitive plant. 



A plant, called by the Indians, Red-bud, (Cercis canadensis,) be- 

 longs to this class. It is a large tree, appearing as early as ApriL 

 loaded with clusters of fine crimson iiowers ; the leaves, which ar^ 

 large and heart-shaped, do not appear as early as the blossoms. 

 The beautiful aspect of the tree attracts to it many insects, particu- 

 larly bumblebees. A botanist* says, " I have often observed hun- 

 dreds of the common bumblebees lying dead under these trees while 

 in flower." This is not the only example of fatal consequences 

 which result from trusting too much to external appearances ! This 

 tree is not improperly called Judas' tree. 



The three genera of plants which we have now noticed, bear fruit 

 in that kind of pod called a legume; this is the case in general with 

 the papihonaceous flowers. 



The rue (Ruta) is an exotic, which gives name to one of Jus- 

 sieu's natural orders called RutacecB ; these plants have a monosepa- 

 lous calyx; five petals, alternating with the lobes of the calyx; the 

 germ is large and superior, (See Fig. 134, a.) 



At 6, Fig. 134, is a representation of a flower of the Saxifraga, a 

 very extensive genus ; one species of which, an exotic, sometimes 

 called beefsteak geranium, is much cultivated as a green-house 

 plant; it is veiy hardy; its leaves are roundish and hairy; it sends 

 forth creeping shoots. 



This class and order presents us with the Wintergreen tribe; 

 plants which are more or less shrubby, with monopetalous, bell-form 

 corollas and evergreen leaves. In shady woods, where the soil is 

 loose and rich, we find, in June and July, the spicy wintergreen, 

 (Gaultheria,) a perennial plant which grows to the height of eight or 

 ten inches ; the pleasant taste of the leaves and fruit of this plant, 

 is well known to the children of this country ; the drooping blossom 

 is very delicate and beautiful, consisting of a bell-form corolla, (not 

 unlike the lily of the valley,) the colour of which is tinged with 

 pink. Though you may have often enjoyed eating the fi-uit and 

 leaves of the wintergreen, you wifl experience a delight which this 

 mere pleasure of sense could not have afforded, when in your bo- 

 tanical rambles in the woods you chance to meet with this plant in 

 blossom, with its little flowers just peeping out from a bed of dry 

 leaves ; you may then have the pleasure of a beautiful object of 

 sight, with the intellectual gratification of tracing those characters 

 which give it a definite place in scientific arrangement. Among the 

 wintergreen tribe are two genera, Pyrola and Chimaphila, which 

 by some botanists have been included under one ; but they appear 

 to be sufficiently distinct from each other to constitute a separate 

 genus. These plants were classed by Linnaeus in the natural order 

 Bicornes, or two horns, alluding to the two protuberances, like 

 straight horns, which appear on their anthers. 



A great proportion of the plants in the first order of the tenth 

 class are to be found in shady woods in June and July. We can 

 here enumerate but few of them. We will, however, mention the 

 Monotropa, a most curious little plant; — several stems of a few 

 inches in height, form a cluster ; each stem supports a single flower, 



* W. P. C. Barton. _^_ 



Cercis— Natural order y?u<.-««£E— Saxifraga— Wintergreen tribe— Monotropa, or In- 

 dian pine. 



