350 Introductory View of the 
Art. X. An Introductory View of the Linnean System of Plants. 
By Miss Kent, Authoress of Flora Doméstica, Sylvan Sketches, 
&e. 
(Concluded from p. 142.) 
My dear Reader, 
I HAVE now but a very short time to spend with you, and 
yet have much to say. Under such circumstances, people are 
seldom very pleasant companions: they talk too hastily to be 
very clearly intelligible, and fatigue both their hearers and 
themselves to little purpose. There is, however, this advan- 
tage in epistolary companionship, that the parties may take 
their leave, even in the midst of a sentence, without any 
breach of politeness. 
The ninth class, Ennedndria, is a very small one, con- 
taining three orders. In the first, Monoginia, we have no 
British plants; its chief wealth consists of the fine exotic 
genus Zatrus, which comprehends many handsome and valu- 
able species: the camphor, cinnamon, and sassafras trees, the 
poet’s laurel, the alligator-pear, and some excellent timber 
trees. The eaghes ae Anacardium (from two Greek words 
signifying heart-shaped) occidentale, also belonging to this 
order, is a handsome Indian tree, producing fine evergreen 
leaves ; fragrant flowers; an edible pear-shaped fruit, from 
the end of which the nut protrudes ; a caustic oil, applied to 
various uses; a gum; and a natural ink for marking linen. 
In the second order, Trigynia, is rhubarb, Rheum (from Rha, 
the ancient name of the river Volga). The roots of several 
of the species are used medicinally, and their leaf-stalks for the 
table. In the third order, Hevagynia, we have one British 
species, the flowering rush, Butomus umbellatus, a tall aquatic 
plant, producing large umbels of handsome flowers, with six 
rose-coloured petals, and as many pistils of a deeper red, hexa- 
gonally disposed. ‘The leaves are nearly 3 ft. long, and have 
three sharp angles, which, wounding the mouths of cattle 
feeding upon the plant, have obtained for it the name of Bu- 
tomus, from two Greek words, signifying an ox, and to cut. 
The tenth class, Decandria, has five orders. In the first, 
Monogynia, we find the beautiful evergreen called the straw- 
berry tree, d’rbutus Uneédo *, which displays its delicate fruit 
* The word Arbutus has been derived from the Celtic ar-boise, austere 
bush; in reference to the roughness of the fruit. In the same manner, 
Pliny’s appellation, Uneédo (signifying, I eat one) is supposed to express 
that naturalist’s opinion of the fruit; but surely neither name can be con- 
sidered as justly applying to this tree te awberry, which, however some may 
call it insipid, can never deserve a harsher epithet. They might be better 
bestowed on the red bear-berry, 4, Uva-ursi. 
