BOTANY. 



{lyles ave to l)e counted from Khe bafc, and not from the 

 upper part, which is often divided into two or more fcg- 

 ments, without deilroying the monogynous charafier of the 

 flower. When the ilyles are wanting, the number of Iligmas 

 determines the order. 



In the chifics ditlynamia and tetradynamia, none of the 

 genera have more than one ftyle ; the charafters of the or- 

 ders are, therefore, taken from the pericarp. 



The clafs didynamia lias two orders ; the firfl is diRin- 

 guifhed by its naked feeds, inchiftd, till ripe, in the perma- 

 nent calyx inRead of a pericarp. Its name, gymnofpermia, 

 is derived from "ju/ivo.-, naked, and (nr'.fjict,, feed. 



The fccond has its feeds in a pericaip, and is called angio- 

 fpermia, from ayyurit, a vefTel, and atr^ffj-a. 



The clafs tetradynamia has alfo two orders, diRiiiguiflicd 

 by the form of the pericarp ; the firft called filleiilofa, from 

 filicula, a little pod ; the fecond, filiquofa, from filiqua, a 

 pod. See SiLicuLA, and Siliqua. 



In the clafTes monadclpliia, diadelpliia, and polyadtlphia, 

 the orders are denominated from the number of tiie ihuncns, 

 triandria, pcntaiidria, S:c. 



In the clafs fyngencfia, the orders are more complex. 

 They are fix in number; the firR five are diRingiiilhed by 

 the epithet polygamia, intimating that the flowers are com- 

 pound, and conlift of nnmerous florets, or little flowers, 

 feated on a common receptacle. 



In the firR order, polygamia sfqnalis, all the florets are 

 equally pofleffed of Rameiis and plRils. 



In the fecond, polygamia iiiperflua, the florets of the dlflc, 

 or central part of the compound flower, have both Ramens 

 and piRils ; tliofe of the ray or circumference have only 

 plRils, but the latter, as well as the former, produce fertile 

 ictds. 



In the tliird, polygamia frnRranea, the florets of the diflc 

 have both Ramens and piRils ; thcfe of the ray, neither one 

 nor the other, or only abortive piRils. 



In the fourth, polygamia neceflTaria, the florets of the diflc 

 have efficient Ramens, but abortive piRils ; thofe of the ray, 

 fertile piRils impregnated by the Ramens of the din<. 



In the fifth, each floret has its own calyx, in addition to 

 that which furrounds the common receptacle, and forms the 

 whole into one compound flower. 



The fixth differs from the rtR in having only Ample 

 flowers, referred to this clafs on account of the union of their 

 anthers. It has been lately abolifhcd by the general confent 

 of botaniRs, and the plants formerly included in it have been 

 referred to the clafs pentandria. 



In the claffes monorcia and dicccia, the orders have the 

 fame names as the preceding claflts, and are diRinguiflied by 

 the number of the Ramens, or by the union either of the 

 filaments or of the anthers, or by the attachment of the 

 ftamens to the plRil. 



The orders of the twenty-third clafs are denominated 

 from the number of houies or plants on which the feveral 

 kinds of flowers are found. 



In the order monrccia, there are fome flowers with Ramens 

 and piRils, and others that have cither only Ramens or only 

 piRils on the fame plant. 



lu the order dioecia, they arc pcrfeft, and only Raminiferous 

 or perfect, and only piRUifcrous flowers on two diftinft indi- 

 vidual plants. 



In the order tricccia, the different kinds of flowers are 

 diRributcd among three diRinft individual plants. 



The clafs cryptogamia is divided into four great fami- 

 lies : 



i. Filices, or ferns. — 



2. Mufci. or moflTes. 

 VoL.V- 



5. Alga", which term properly implies fea-wcfds ; but 

 bclides thcfe, it contaiiia feveral numerous terrcRrial •^cncra, 

 which ought to couRitute a diRinct order. 



4. Fungi. 



When the ordir to which a plant belongs is afccrtaincd, 

 its gtnus is next to be inveRigated. The charaatrs of the 

 genera are univerfally taken from fome part of the friiitifica- 

 tion, and are advantagcoufly < xhibited in fynoptic taWts, 

 which will be found under the names of the clalfes in their 

 proper pUices. 



III. The fynonyms of plants; or the names bv which 

 they arc diRinguiflied in the writings of profeficd boluniRs 

 and others, from the earllell times to the prcfent. 



It is evident, that a nniltiplieity of names for the fame 

 plant is unavoidable in common lift ; but it may be tliought 

 not likely that fclentlfic men fliould willingly incrcaO.- the 

 number. This, however, is the natural confcquence of a 

 gradual improvemint in knowledsjc. As genera were formed, 

 and fpecies accurately dliUiiguKlKd, it became necclfary to 

 invent generic and fpccilic names. As generic characters 

 were fettled with greater preclfion, former dlfpofitions were 

 neciffarily changed, and many plants of courl'e appeared 

 uudir a different generic appellation. 'J'he nomenclature 

 of tlie early botaniRs has, therefore, in the natural courfe of 

 things, become obfoletc ; and, to avail ourfelves of their ob- 

 fervations, it is neccffery to know what they called the va- 

 rious plants which have fince received new names. To form 

 an accurate colleflion of fynonyms is a work of great diffi- 

 culty and labour, which has cxereifed the diligence and dif- 

 cernment of all who have entered dcejily into the fubjeft, and 

 is Rill far from complete. It is much to be lamented that 

 the pei"plexlty has been greatly increaftd b;' the liccntiou-3 

 caprice of even good botaniRs. Linnxus himfelf has fome- 

 times departed from the nomenclature of Lis predeceflbrs, 

 without any good or apparent reafon. 



In a work like the prefent, intended for occafional con- 

 fultation, peculiar attention ought to be paid to this per- 

 plexing part of fcience ; and we eReem it incumbent upon 

 us to fpare no pains in coUefting, not only the fynonyms of 

 the moR eminent botaniRs, but alfo the vulgar Enghfti names 

 of indigenous plants, as well as thofe given "by unfcientific 

 nurferymen and gardeners to exotics. 



IV. The fenfible qualities of pUnts, or the different 

 manner in which they fcverally affe£l the organs of fight» 

 fmell, taRe, and touch. 



Of thefe, colour is the moR general and the rooR ftriklng., 

 The colours of plants are indeed fo wonderfully dlverfified, 

 and fo couRandy meet the eye, whenever it is dire£tcd to 

 the face of nature, that they contribute, more than any other 

 quality, to the beauty of the creation. They are too fubjedl 

 to accidental variation, to be fafely employed as fpecific Cha- 

 rafters ; but they are in many cales fo nearly uniform and 

 conRant, that they ought not to be entirely neglected. It 

 is not poffible, indeed, to do more than exprefs a fevy 

 leading dlRindlions. In the defcription of their minute 

 fliades, and gradual approximation to a kindred tint, the 

 powers of language utterly fail. The prevailing colour of 

 vegetables, confidered in their appearance as a whole, is 

 green ; but this green is not, perhaps, precifely the fame in 

 any two fpecies of plants, or in different parts of the fame 

 plant, or even in the fame part of the fame plant, in different 

 ilagts of its growth. All that can be done is to point it out 

 generally, by Itating its relation to white or black, or i)y 

 fixi-iig upon the colour of fome well-known plant, or other 

 natural fubRance, not as a mark of identity, but as a llandard 

 of comparifon. Thus we fpeak of light green, and dark 

 green, of apple green, and olive green, i:c. 



N The 



