#3 oh MAD, 
BRITISH HERBAL. “~ 
eee ceed eDoe Deedee ee eee eae aaa ea eee ad alae alae Seats 
CLASS) XXV. 
Plants whofe flower is compofed of numerous flofeules, placed within a com- 
mon cup, and forming a kind of head; each flofcule being tubular, and 
the cup formed of numerous fealy parts. 
racterifed than this. The head fhews itfelf to the moft flight obferver as diftinét from what ee 
is feen in all other kinds: and it is univerfal in thefe. 
From this Mr. Ray was induced to range them in one genus, under the name of capitate ; and 
fo conformable to herfelf is Nature, even in the leaft points, that the Linnzan fyftem, eftablifhed 
upon the threads in the flower, does not feparate them. 
* That author places them in his clafs of /yagenefia; the character of which is, that the buttons at 
the fummit of the threads coalefce, and form acylinder. All the capitate plants have this peculiar , 
charaéter: but though it ferves to keep them together, it does not anfwer the fecond purpofe of the je 
diftin@tions in fcience, which is, to feparate all others from them; for the other compofite-flowered : 
plants, the fow-zhi/tle, and fuch others, having their buttons coalefcent in the fame form, are united by 
that character with the capitate plants. ; 
Thus Linnzus has therefore of neceffity, according to his method, arranged them: the #2:/!/es 
and coltsfoot ftand in the fame clafs ; and are united under it with the violet and dalfam. 
Te is not in the whole compafs of Nature a clafs more obvioufly or more diftinétly cha- 
Doro roto: Do Lone rere ERT pete tot ono toms rere be SEL apo po Lng OL Ak EOL LOO Eo ik Doge boa bec ated 
Di iad eee Le ees aa gay Le 
Natives of BRITAIN. 
Thofe of which one or more fpecies are naturally wild in this country. 
Gawho No 7}Us So 
GENTLE THISTLE, 
CIRSIUM. 
HE general cup is formed of many fcales, and fwells out in the middle, The flowers in this 
are numerous ; and each is formed of a fingle petal, of a tubular fhape, very narrew at the 
bafe, and wide at the mouth, where it is divided into five fegments. ‘The feeds are oblong, and 
winged with down and the leaves of the plant are fet with very flight, weak prickles. 
Linnzus places this among the fyngencfia ; the filaments converging, and the buttons being united 
in a cylindrick form. : « 
8 1. Englifh 
