Introduction. 7 



the atom of pollen touches the stigma, it sends out from itself a 

 long tube, a prolongation of its inner lining, carrying the fertiliz- 

 ing fluid ; this pierces the stigma, and gliding through the style, 

 deposits its fluid on the germ. 



Upon this a new and strange series of actions take place ; the 

 germ increases in size, and undergoes a change of texture ; it is 

 now the seed-vessel ; and this vessel and the seeds it encloses, 

 in botanical language, is called fruit, which we must remember 

 is nothing more than the matured pistil. In fig. 5 we see the 

 mature capsule ; a, the threads that guard the opening of the valves. 

 Fig. 6, the capsule cut across, exhibiting its internal division 

 into three cells, with three valves ; a, the cells or chambers ; bb, 

 the triangular flat seeds disposed in a double row in each cell. 



As the germ of the fruit receives the pistil, and it is by it 

 nourished and brought to perfection, it bears the name of wife 

 (Gynia). The stamens are called husbands (Andria). Lin- 

 naeus founded his arrangement on these organs, and his plan 

 has consequently received the name of the sexual system. For a 

 beginner in this science it is incomparably the best, and of course 

 the one we shall pursue. His classes and orders are entirely 

 founded upon the number, situation, and connection of the sta- 

 mens and pistils. The first eleven comprise all plants with per- 

 fect flowers and a sure number of unconnected stamens and 

 pistils. Thus the lily, having six stamens, belongs to the class 

 Hexandria (six husbands) ; its one pistil places it in the order 

 Monogynia (one wife). The pink has ten stamens and two 

 pistils ; it is consequently in the class Decandria (ten husbands), 

 and order Digynia (two wives). The eleven Husband class, 

 Dodecandria, includes all the husbands from 11 to 20. 



The 12 husband class, 20 or more stamens affixed to the calyx. 

 " 13 many " " 20 " " " " " " receptacle. 



" 14th class Dydynamia (two flowers), 4 stamens, 2 longer than the others. 

 " 15th " Tetradynamia (foar " ), 6 " 2 " " " " 

 " 16th " Monadelphia (one brotherhood), filaments united in one set 

 " 17th " Diadelphia (two brotherhoods), " " " two sets. 



" 18th " Polydelphia (many brotherhoods), " " " many " 



" 19th " Syngenesia (growing together) the anthers united in a ring. 

 " 20th " Gynandria. Stamens growing on the pistils. 

 " 2lst " Moncecia (one household), stamens and pistils on different flowers 



of the same plant. 

 " 22d " Dioccia (two households) " " " " separate plants. 

 " 23d " Polygamia (many marriages) different connexions on the same 



plant. 

 " 24th " Cryptogamia (secret marriage) no flowers, as ferns, mosses, &c. 



