OP NEW-YORK. 3 



orders are the Ranunculace.e, which constitute about l-38thof the 

 flowering plants ; the Cruciker.*:, 1 -45th ; the Leguminos.e, l-26th ; 

 Rosace.e, 1 -25th ; Umbellifer.e, l-39th ; Composite, l-9th ; Eri- 

 caceae, l-34th ; Labiat.e, l-32d ; Scrophulariace.e, l-39th. Of 

 monocotyledonous plants there are but three large orders, viz., Orchi- 

 daceje, which form about l-39th of our flowering plants ; Cyperace^e, 

 l-9th, and Grymink.e, l-12th ; which proportions vary but little from 

 the average of the whole Flora of North America. 



We have omitted the botanical description of the different orders, 

 genera, and species, as it would have extended our article beyond the 

 limits of our pages ; the reader, moreover, is supposed to be furnished 

 with Torrey Sf Gray's " Flora,'" Eaton § Wright's " Manual" Wood 

 or Beck's "Botany," with the aid of which he will be easily enabled 

 to identify any given species. The student in his walks for exercise, 

 and the country practitioner in his daily rides, will find an abundant 

 source of amusement and mental recreation, in studying the various 

 plants which may be presented to their observation. 



DIVISION I.— FLOWERING OR PHENOGAMOUS PLANTS. 



CLASS I.— EXOGENOUS PLANTS. 



SUB-CLASS I.— POLYPETALOUS EXOGENOUS PLANTS. 



NATURAL ORDERS. 

 Ranunculaceje, Juss. — (The Crow Foot Tribe.) 



The plants belonging to this order are generally acrid and caustic, 

 though they vary in their physical properties. In some of them we de- 

 tect a peculiar acrid principle, of a volatile nature, dissipated by heat, 

 or by simple drying ; neither acid nor alkaline ; in others, as the Acc- 

 nifum and Delphinium, the active ingredient is an alkaloid, highly de- 

 leterious even in minute doses. In some, the only marked properties 

 are those of the pure bitters, as in Coptis (Gold Thread) 4* Hydrastis. 



Clematis, (Virgin's Bower,) three species in the state. Ochro- 

 leuca ; Virginiana ; and Verticillaris. The Virg. has been 

 considerably employed as an emetic, diaphoretic, and alterative. Most 

 of the species have a somewhat acrid taste, and are vesicant ; ex- 

 ternally as revellants, and externally and internally in the treatment 

 of chronic rheumatism. An infusion of the bruised leaves and flowers 

 forms a good lotion for the removal of spots and freckles from the skin, 

 and a decoction of the root is useful as a purge in hydropic cases. 



Anemone, Linn., five species. Nemorosa, Linn. Cylindrica, 

 Gray. Virginiana, Linn. Multifida, Poir. Pennsylvania, L. 

 The medicinal properties of Anemone are similar to those of the 

 Clematis, only more active. The Nemorosa acts as a poison to cattle, 



