40 LAWS OF NOMENCLATUKE. 



species, and many would call it so. If its characters be less 

 striking, and transmission by seed less frequent, every one 

 would tben call it a variety. A slighter degree in character 

 and in heredity constitute divisions of varieties or subvarie- 

 ties. Lastly, there are variations proceeding from one and the 

 same individual, variations which have a certain tendency 

 to propagate themselves by seed, as may be seen by collecting 

 seed from the branch that produced them. From this step 

 we descend, among cultivated plants, to modifications so 

 numerous and so complicated, that there is no possibility of 

 denomiaating them, unless we employ peculiar processes, 

 such as we shall mention further on (Article 14). 



9, 10. The introduction of the terms divisio and subdi- 

 visio, made by the Congress, has improved the original 

 text. The Committee sought for a Latin word answering 

 to the word emhranchement used in French by zoologists. 

 No better one was found than divisio, which has the advan- 

 tage of admitting the addition of the particle sub for a fur- 

 ther degree of distinction. In the actual state of science it 

 is difficult to ascertain whether the scheme indicated in 

 Article 10 will be quite suitable to Cryptogams, but it 

 adapts itself satisfactorily to the ideas generally entertained 

 of Phanerogams. Considering the vegetable kingdom to be 

 formed of two divisions (Phanerogams and Cryptogams), 

 the first would comprise two subdivisions (Monocotyledons 

 and Dicotyledons) . Dicotyledons would be divided into two 

 classes [Angiospermce and Gymnospermoe) ; Angiospermm into 

 several subclasses (Thalamiflorce, Calycifloroe, etc., or Poly- 

 petaloe, etc, according to the author) ; these into Cohorts, 

 and the Cohorts into Orders. 



There may be some hesitation between the terms -sectio 

 and subgenus, as designating the natural divisions of some 

 genera. Subgenus is more expressive, but sectio has the 

 advantage of allowing a double degree of division, which is 

 sometimes necessary; for subgenus can readily be placed 

 between genus and sectio, so that, by making use be- 

 sides of the word subsectio, genera rich in species or of 

 varied organization, may be subdivided, with great clear- 



