The Natural System of Botany. 211 



r great beauty, though most of its members are of little inter- 

 Some very common weeds, such as Sandwort, Chick- 

 ed an d Carpetweed, belong here. The Pink, in all its 

 h utiful varieties, is the genus which'givesthe order its name, 

 a contains almost the only species remarkable in point of use 

 beauty. To examine the structure of the flower, any Pink 

 y be chosen, so it is not a double one. The joints of the 

 -tern, at the points where the leaves are set on, are very much 

 woln, and this is one of the marks of the order. The calyx 

 lias five sepals separated only at the points. The petals are 

 five each having a stalk and a blade. The stalks or claws, 

 are much narrower than the blade, and stand side by side in the 

 calvx, the blade spreading over, and being fringed or lacerated 

 at the outer border. The stamens are ten, rising from beneath 

 a superior ovary, which has one cell and many seeds. The 

 styles are two, and the stigmas are fringed. The capsule 

 opens with four valves. The characters by which the Pink 

 Tribe may be distinguished, are : — Stems, swollen at the 

 joints ; leaves, opposite and undivided ; stamens, few and 

 bypogvnous ; ovary, with many styles, one cell, and a cen- 

 tral receptacle. 



The order is divided into two sections, one of which has the 

 sepals all distinct, and the other has them united in a tube. In 

 the tubular division, besides the Pink, are contained the Catch- 

 fly, the Cockle, (Agrostemma.) the Ragged Robin, and a few 

 others. In the other division are the numerous species of 

 Chickweed (Stellaria*) and Sandwort {Arenaria). 



Order — Linacejb. The Flax Tribe. 



This order contains only a few plants, but these are very 

 commonly distributed, and afford a product of the greatest im- 

 portance. In some points the Flax Tribe bear a resemblance 

 to the last order mentioned, and indeed were formerly included 

 in it, but the difference is so plain and in so many important 

 characters, that the separation is entirely proper. The stems 

 of the Flax are not swollen at the joints, nor are the leaves 

 generally opposite. The five sepals are arranged, three in an 

 inner, and two in an outer series. The stamens, petals, and 



