156 LETTER XI. 



tribes ; of which the former has hard leaves and 

 stamens placed opposite the sepals, and the latter 

 soft leaves, with the bottom of the calyx forming a 

 bon}- covering to the ripe fruit. 



Two others have their male flowers arranged in 

 catkins, namely the Oak and the Willow tribes, of 

 which the former has closed fruit seated in an in- 

 volucre or cup, and the latter opening fruit without 

 any involucre. 



Finally, the three that are remaining, namely, the 

 Amaranth, Nettle, and Breadfruit tribes, are at once 

 known by the first having smooth leaves, without sti- 

 pules, while the two last have rough or stinging leaves 

 with stipules. 



These peculiarities may be expressed in a tabular 

 form thus : — 



/ leaves hard, calyx aU dropping off ) ^^^ p^^^^^ ^^ .^^_ 

 Calyx ^ or withering away. ^ 



tubular ^ leaves soft, calyx forming with its ) The Marvel of Peru 

 V. base a bony covering to the fruit ) tnbe. 



r fmit one-seeded, > ^^^ ^^^ ^^.^^ 

 ( flowers in ) "i an involucre ^ 

 I catkins ^ fruit many-seeded, ? j,^^ ^^..^^^^ ^^^^^ 

 Calyx J vwituout an involucre ) 



tubular j T'^l^thorsd^ules } The Amaranth tribe. 



f flowers not J . juice watery— 7%e 



V in catkins \ \ Nettle tnbe. 



1 leaves rough, or ' 



I stinging, with i juice milky — The 



V_ stipules V Breadfruit tribe. 



Our next visit will be to far more beautiful subjects. 



