Linnean System of Plants. 359 



chrysanthemum, xeranthemum, sunflower, dahlia, asters, 

 French marigold, &c. 



The twentieth class, Gynandria, has the stamens proceed^ 

 ing from the germen or the style. The flowers of this class 

 have a peculiar construction, not to be hastily explained ; and 

 the young botanist will do well to make himself practically 

 acquainted with the less difficult classes, before he attempts 

 the study of this, or the twenty-fourth class, Cryptogdmia, 

 It contains many beautiful genera, among which the O^rchis 

 tribe are conspicuous. The roots of several species of O^rchis, 

 dried and ground, form the powder called salep (as it is sup- 

 posed, from the original Arabic, sahhleb). 



The twenty-first class, Monce'cia^ comprehends such plants 

 as have their stamens and pistils in different flowers on the 

 same plant. The name signifies one house ; the plant being 

 so considered, we may suppose the flowers to be the rooms in 

 which its unsocial inhabitants lodge. In the first order, Mon- 

 andria^ we find the bread-fruit tree, Artocarpus (of which 

 word the English name is a translation), so well known for 

 its large bread-like fruit, forming the chief sustenance of thou- 

 sands of human beings in the Indies and South Sea islands ; 

 and the curious genus JBuphorbm, of which many of the 

 species grow in the most grotesque and fantastic forms. They 

 abound in an acrid, milky juice, which is applied to various 

 purposes ; that of E. helioscopia, a British species, is used for 

 the cure of warts ; whence the plant is familiarly termed wart- 

 wort. In the third order, Tridndria^ stands the Indian corn, 

 of which Mr. Cobbett has latterly been so zealous to promote 

 the cultivation in this country ; and the sedge, many species 

 of which are employed for tying up vines, making chair bot- 

 toms, weaving over Florence flasks to protect the glass, &c. 

 The fourth order contains some valuable trees and evergreen 

 shrubs, as the alder, mulberry, box, aucuba, &c. In this 

 good company we find the nettle, which has its leaves covered 

 with tubular bristles, each furnished with a bag of poison at 

 its base, of which most of us have experienced the powers. 

 Yet the plant has its uses : cloth, ropes, and paper may be 

 made from the stalks, and the young shoots are frequently 

 eaten as greens. Some insects, as mischievous as themselves, 

 may sometimes feed upon the fresh leaves ; but they also afford 

 food to some of our loveliest butterflies. The genus ^marantus 

 is in the order Peiitdndria, In the sixth order, Hexdndria, 

 is the cocoa-nut tree, one of many fine palms distributed 

 in this and the two following classes. It furnishes to the In- 

 dians almost every necessary of life : every part of it has its 

 uses. A house to live in, furniture, clothing, and food, are 



