LINNiEUS. 295 



"With irregular flowers of several petals. 



XXII. Trees or Shrubs with papilionaceous corolla ; 

 as the laburnum. 



Each of these classes is subdivided into various 

 sections or orders, founded upon modifications in 

 the form of the corolla, the nature of the fruit, the 

 figure of the leaves, &c. The sections contain a 

 greater or less number of genera, under which are 

 disposed all the species known to the author. 



This classification was of the greatest service to 

 botanists ; though it was, like every other method 

 that had been proposed, defective in many respects. 

 A great objection to it is, that it separates the herba- 

 ceous from the woody plants, thus tearing asunder 

 the most natural connexions ; nor is the form of the 

 corolla always so determinate, that one can say 

 whether it be bell-shaped, funnel-shaped, or salver- 

 shaped, — a point which it is necessary to decide be- 

 fore the species can be made out. Various changes 

 were soon proposed, and new methods planned, so 

 that the science was again falling into confusion, 

 when Linnaeus published his system, which was 

 presently adopted by many teachers, and long be- 

 fore his death was in general use. 



He made the stamina and pistils the basis of his ar- 

 rangement, which he was induced to do from the con- 

 sideration of their great importance, as the parts most 

 essential to fructification. These organs being analo- 

 .gous to those distinguishing the sexes of animals, 

 the Linnsean method is sometimes called the sexual 

 system. It consists of twenty-four classes. The first 

 ten are determined by the number of the stamina. 



Class I. MoNANDRiA, Containing all plants of which 

 the flowers have only one stamen ; as the mare's tail. 



