108 The Natural System of Botany. 



to the natural tribe Angiospermae. The only two divisions of 

 Gymnospermae are Conifer a and Cycadeee. 



Conifers. — The Fir Tribe. Ex. : Pine, Juniper. 



Cycadeee. — Ex. : Cycas, the Sago-plant. 



Sub-Class II. — Endogenjs, or Monocotyledonous Plants 



Leaves, with parallel veins ; stem, with no distinction of wood, bark, and 

 pith ; flowers, chiefly with a ternary division ; cotyledon, one, and if two 

 placed alternate. 



The plants of this sub-class hold an intermediate rank be- 

 tween the Exogenae, or Dicotyledonous plants, in which vege- 

 tation acquires its highest degree of developement, and Cellu- 

 lares, or Cryptogamia, whose vegetation is of the lowest 

 degree. In Exogenae there are two cotyledons, in Endogena* 

 there is one cotyledon, and in Cellulares none. The scale of 

 vegetable developement appears to be graduated in exact con- 

 formity to these circumstances, exhibiting a striking proof of 

 the harmony that exists between the great features of vegeta- 

 tion and the seed from which they originate. The fact, already 

 mentioned, that the kind of seed is indicated by the appearance 

 of the leaf, is a still more obvious and forcible illustration of 

 the same harmony. It may be remarked as another distinc- 

 tive character of the Endogenae, that their leaves generally 

 have no articulation with the stems. 



Endogenae are divided into two tribes. 



Tribe I. — Petaloidej:. 



The plants of this tribe are characterized by having a calyx 

 or corolla, and sometimes both, in three, or six divisions, or if 

 these parts are wanting, then the stamens and pistils are naked. 

 This tribe comprehends all Endogenae except the Grasses and 

 Sedges, and is further divided into three sections. 



1. Tripetaloideje. — The calyx of these is herbaceous 



that is, of a different structure, and usually of a different 

 color, from the corolla, and the latter is petaloid. Ex. : Spider- 

 wort, Water-plantain. 



2. Hexapetaloideje. — In these, the calyx and corolla are 

 the same in color, and nearly equal in size, both being fully 



