INTRODUCTION TO CRYPTOGAMIC BOTANY. 13 



flowers of two distinct species on the same branch inter- 

 mixed with others partakmg of the peculiarities of either 

 species, — the case in general is one of mere apposition, 

 the stock simply supplying the nutriment which is necessary 

 for the development of the graft ; and in those cases where 

 the truncated base of one tree is supported by the inosculating 

 roots of another, the new wood formed is due to the old stock, 

 the nutriment from which it is developed being derived 

 from the extraneous fountain. Unless, indeed, the visions 

 of the descent of wood in the shape of fibres coming down 

 from the buds which so long possessed the imaginations of 

 first-rate physiologists, in the face of facts which were perfectly 

 irreconcilable with their truth, are to be regarded as true : 

 visions which are now happily exploded by the brilliant 

 observations of Tr^cul.* 



8. We have now then arrived at some general notion 

 of the large mass of plants known under the name of Cryp- 

 togams, and are prepared to give such a definition as the 

 case admits. But before doing so, it may be well to say a few 

 words about the name which is so generally assigned to them. 

 If it conveys no incorrect notion, it will of course be far 

 better to retain it, than to adopt some other of less familiar 

 sound. It has already been observed that the denomination 

 Acotyledons is almost unobjectionable ; and perhaps if, the 

 cognate terms of Monocotyledons and Dicotyledons were 

 imiversally received, it might be as well to take it at once ; 

 but these names have given place in a great measure to 

 the terms Endogenous and Exogenous, without however 

 the advantage of increased precision, and as the word 

 Phsenogams is very generally used as a collective term for 

 flowering plants, that of Cryptogams has a decided claim 

 in preference to others. The term Asexual plants is opposed 

 to the fact, that sexual organs or their representatives do 

 exist in every division ; that of Cellular plants does not accord 

 with the whole order of ferns, without mentioning other ex- 



* L.I., cit. supra, p. 9. 



