180 ACADEMIC BOTANV. 



LESSON XXXVI. 



ARTIFICIAL, OR LINN^AN, SYSTEM. 



439, 440. Artificial System ; 441, 442. Its Classes and Orders. 443. 

 Its imperfections. 



439. The Artificial System is so called because it groups plants 

 artificially, not according to their natural relations. Its Classes and 

 Orders are founded upon the numher and position of the stamens, and 

 the number of the styles, without regard to the embryo, ovary, or any 

 other part of the plant. 



440. The Artificial System was invented by Carl von Linne, of 

 Sweden (1707-1778), better known by his Latinized signature lAn^ 

 nceus; this is thence called also the Linnsean System. Linn^us revised 

 the crude materials which in his day formed the extent of research 

 in both Botany and Zoology. He gave to each genus and species 

 a name ; he established rules for the formation of these names ; and 

 so happy was he in this nomenclature — which has been universally 

 adopted — that he should be called the poet-laureate, as well as the 

 high-priest, of science. His artificial classification of plants was made 

 because it was the best that could then be adapted to the masses, who 

 had neither time nor opportunity for deeper investigation. But it was 

 much more respected by his successors than by himself; for he says in 

 his " Botanical Philosophy," " The first and last desideratum is studious 

 inquiry into the methods of nature." Still, his system was in almost 

 universal use for nearly a hundred years ; the most valuable botanical 

 books written during that period are based upon it. And though it 

 has long been superseded by the Natural Method, the Linnsean nomen- 

 clature has become so identified with botanical science that no student 

 can pursue the study successfully— rcertainly none can examine these 

 valuable old works intelligently — without some knowledge of 



The Classes and Ordbks of the Artificial System. 



441. Linnaeus retained the names Phanerogamia and Cryptogamia 

 which had already been given to the two great natural Series. He 

 separated the Phanerogamia into 23 Classes, leaving the Cryptogamia 

 as Class 24. The classes in Phanerogamia he arranged and named 

 according to the number and position of the stamens in a single flower 

 (or a floret), as follows : 



Class 1. Monandria, 1 stamen — Ginger (Pig. 151) ; Hippuris; 

 " 2. Diandria, 2 stamens— Olive (Fig. 71) ; Sage (Pig. 187) ; 

 " 3. Triandria, 3 stamens — Oats (Pig. 52); Valerian (Pig. 73); 



