6io Classification of Plants. 



plants from the southern hemisphere. Hence it follows that 

 we have a very much larger number of species to select from 

 in this division than in the woody, and by judicious selection 

 we may ensure a continuous display of flowers from early 

 spring till the end of autumn, whilst a few cold-defying species 

 serve to enliven the winter months. Several large orders consist 

 almost exclusively of herbaceous plants. This will be seen on 

 reference to the Ranunculacese, Papaveracese, Cruciferse, Caryo- 

 phyllese, Malvaceae, Compositse, Campanulacese, Polemonia- 

 cese, Primulaceae, Gentianese, Scrophularinese, Convolvulacese, 

 Labiatae, Borraginese, Liliacese, Iridese, Amaryllidese, etc. In 

 addition to'these, there are many other hardy species, represent- 

 ing at least fifty more natural orders. Herbaceous plants are 

 either monocarpic or polycarpic (fruiting only once, or fruiting 

 more than once). But the more familiar classification of herbs, 

 according to their duration, is better suited for practical pur- 

 poses. Perennial plants with few exceptions are polycarpic, and 

 biennials and annuals are naturally monocarpic ; some perennials, 

 especially tender ones, that will flower the same season from 

 seed, are treated as annuals ; and some annual plants may be 

 preserved in the absence of seed by propagating them from 

 cuttings. But at best this is a very unsatisfactory procedure, 

 except where the loss of a valuable species or variety depends 

 upon the life of a single individual. In the following arrange- 

 ment of herbaceous vegetation, we have preferred references to 

 orders and genera in many instances instead of giving detailed 

 lists of species, as it will be necessary to turn to the descriptive 

 portion for information respecting height, colour, etc. 



a. Perennial Herbs. There is great diversity in the nature 

 and habit, as well as in the uses of herbaceous plants. One of 

 the principal distinctions, from a practical point of view, is 

 the nature of the root or rootstock (or underground stem); it is 

 fibrous, fleshy, tuberous, rhizomatous, or bulbous of some degree 

 or modification. The only modifications generally distinguished 

 by horticulturists are the extreme forms of the bulb, tuber and 

 rhizome. Nearly all of the bulbous plants, whether with scaly 

 bulbs as in the Lilies, or solid bulbs (corms) as in the Crocuses, 

 belong to three or four of the Endogenous natural orders, such 

 as the Liliacese, Melanthacese, Amaryllidese, etc. We men- 

 tion this fact here more particularly because it is necessary to 

 pursue a different method of treatment for most plants of this 

 class. 



