The BRITISH HERBAL 
297 
amorpba. The borbonia and pforalia alfo have flowers compofed of five petals, though of the papilié- 
naceous form; and thefe he introduces among the papilionaceous and leguminous BHR: This i the 
confequence of his eftablifhing the charaéters of the clafs upon the peculiar difpofition of the thread’ 
in the flower; and this confufion being the refult of that character, fhews it to be fall 
pointed out a much plainer, which we have taken, and which never fails, 
Linnzxus calls thefe plants diadelpbia, becaule the {veral threads in the fower erow together in two 
feparate affortments. ’ z , 
This is the account of his claffical charaéter: but with refpect to the proper diftinétion, eftablithed 
on the number, place, and form of the four petals in the flower, and the ftruéture of the feed -veffel, 
more is to be obferved. : 
The flower of all plants properly of this clafs, is formed; a8 we-have obferved, of four petals ; 
and thefe have diftinét names, which it is needful the ftudent eftablifh well in his memory, not only 
for underftanding what has been written concerning them, but that he may be able to fptak pro- 
perly of the flower of each, This muft be defcribed on moft occafions by thefe its parts; and 
they are thus named. 
The upper petal is called vewilluin. ‘This is larger than the reft : it rifes above the others, and 
in a manner covers them. It is inferted into the upper edge of the receptacle, and its form is roundith 
or oblong. It has a kind of ridge or fold in the middle of the upper part, as if tifing from fome 
preflure below; and-in the lower it falls over the reft in a rounded hollow fhape. At the fides 
there are two prominent parts formed by two hollows behind, which fall upon, and in fome degree 
prefs the two fides. 
The two fide-petals are called ale. Thefe are placed under the vexillum, and on each fide of 
the flower: they are a regular pair, anfwering exactly in fhape, fize, and fituation to .one an- 
other. Thefe are of an oblong form, and are divided each at the bafe: the upper part’ of this 
divifion is fhort and inconfiderable, but the lower is very long and flender ; and it lies along the cup; 
which it equals in length; and is infixed to the receptacle. 5 
The lower petal is called the carina: this is hollow, compreffed, and in fome degree of thé 
fhape of a boat: it is placed under the vexillum, and between the wiz. This petal is fplit 
like the alae at the bafe, and its lower part runs out in the fame manner into a long flip, which eoes 
to the receptacle, and is there inferted. The upper part is interwoven with the upper divifion of 
the two alae. 
If the ftudent in this pleafing fcience will lay before him the freth gathered flower of a bean, of 
fome other plant of this clafs$ obferve it entire, and examine it when taken to pieces, as he heré 
reads the defcription of the whole, and of its feveral parts, he will fix upon his mind in a very fa- 
miliar and lafting manner the ftructure of a papilionaceous flower, 
The threads from whence Linnzens forms the character of his clafs are difpofed in this manner 
They do not run free, and feparate, as on other occafions, the length of the flower ; but join themfelyes 
ogether, and form, not one, but two diftinét and feparate affortments. Of thefe the lower, which 
tis formed of the bodies of nine of the threads, is a thin membrane, furrounding in great part the rudi- 
ment of the fruit; and the upper one, which is formed of the body of only a fingle one, lies upon 
it. The nine tops of the threads at the extremity of this body turn up, and imitate the form of the 
carina of the ower, in which they are enclofed. This body formed of the nine threads has a fli 
or opening at its top 5 and the fingle thread, which lies above, filis up or covers this opening. This 
has its button at the extremity, and the nine points of the under body have alfo each its button; fo 
that the whole number is ten. 
Such is the ftructure of this part of the papilionaceous flower ; and thus Linneus has him- 
felf eftablifhed it, when he explains it as the claflical character: yet, in his diftribution of the 
genera under it, he introduces plants which have only fix of thefe points of threads, or buttons, and 
others which have eight. Thefe therefore contradict the very effential character of his clafs, as him- 
felf has explained it. They are the fame genera in which the flower is formed of a fingle leaf: they 
are not properly plants of this clafs, and fhould not have been introduced into it. 
The carina, which is naturally and ufually an entire, fingle petal, is fometimes fplit in the lowe¢ 
part; and the fiffure in fome fpecies is continued almoft to the tip, in fome entirely ; but the ap- 
pearance is the fame. 
The cup in this clafs is univerfally of one ftruéture in the manner of the flower: it is cylindric, 
hollow, and large at the bafe, and is divided into five fegments at the edge; the undet one of which 
is quite unlike the reft, and longer than any. The upper pair are fhorter than the others, and 
ftand opener; the other pair are longer and clofer. 
The regularity and uniformity in Nature in plants truly and properly of the fame clafs, is in no 
inftance feen fo clearly as in this, Thefe are very numerous; yet they all agree in thefe fingular 
eharaéters; : 
fe. Nature hag 
Ne 2g, \ 4B SERIES 
