58 GENERA. 



are peculiar to plants of the genus Stellaria. Tliey 

 are sufficient to identify it, and being all that are 

 essential to that purpose, are called its essential 

 characters. 



A full description of every part of the fructifi- 

 cation is, however, frequently afforded by Botanists, 

 to facilitate the determination of the Genera ; for 

 although in most cases the Essential Character 

 would, to an experienced eye, be sufficient, yet it 

 sometimes happens that the minute differences by 

 which certain genera are disting-uished, are so 

 difficult to detect, that, without the assistance of 

 ample description, the less experienced Botanist 

 would be liable to doubts and mistakes. 



The full description, or, as it is termed, the 

 natural character of the genera, is given by Sir 

 E. Smith, in his " English Flora." And the most 

 correct Essential Character, by Professor Hooker, 

 in his second edition of the " British Flora." 



The last Linnean division remains to be con- 

 sidered ; namely, the Species of Plants. 



The Classes, Orders, and Genera, having 

 been described as taking their peculiar characters 

 exclusively from the fructification, it must now 



