192 PHYTOGRAPHIC EXPRESSIONS AND ARRANGEMENTS. 



augmented by mediaeval writers, became enlarged and systematized 

 by Joachim Jung early in the 1 7th century, got further improved 

 especially also by Ray and by Linnaeus, and since were variously 

 changed and augmented, to meet gradually the requirements of' 

 later researches. In endeavouring to effect a few more alterations,. 

 I may first assert, that for nearly 50 years I experienced difficulties, 

 to draw descriptively clear distinctions between the terms ribs, 

 nerves and veins as used in botanic language, leaving some other 

 anomalies in our modes of phytography just now out of consideration; 

 and as the present work was to be written for a young colony, 

 where time-honoured customs and usages also in botanic science 

 have hardly yet exercised any influence, or are at all events not 

 yet firmly established, it seemed to the writer very opportune, to 

 effect in the work, now under discussion, the organographic 

 alterations, which he so long had contemplated. Further it was 

 felt by him, that the botanic language needed simplification, so- 

 that the use of two or more words for the same organ should be 

 abolished, and that thus the task should be eased for any 

 commencing learner without subsequent necessity to unlearn. 

 Then again he held the view for a long while, that the descriptive 

 terms, used in phytography, should not be identical with those 

 employed in human anatomy and in zoology ; to effect all this it 

 required thoroughness, and it was ventured therefore, though only 

 tentatively, to apply the proposed changes all at once to the 

 volume indicated ; while the new wording should in every instance 

 be as clear as the former or even more so, though some sacrifice 

 of brevity might be involved. The utility of the book itself could 

 by the adopted alterations not be impaired even to the slightest 

 extent. 



To commence then, it became imperative to find a word, 

 applicable to the whole fibro-vascular tract not only of leaves but 

 also of stipules, bracts, calyx, corolla and even fruit. To the 

 term venules was given preference, ribs, nerves and veins in 

 zoology-sense not really occurring in the organisms of the empire 

 of plants ; the expression veinlet has long been used already in 

 human and zoologic anatomy, whereas the word venule occurs as 

 early as in the writings of Rheede, Casearius and Commelin, the 

 carinular venule of sepals and petals there very properly being 

 called the intermediate. To this might be taken objection, 

 because the so called midrib, which as such term would imply, 

 could only be compared either to the sternum or spine of high- 

 organized animal beings, is usually of such strength and solidity, 

 that it could not be termed by a word implying tenderness and 

 formed etymologically as a diminutive. But in the Australian 

 Medical Journal of last year it has already been pointed out, that 

 the vense-cavae, portse, azygos &c. stand for calibre and firmness 



