378 



ON THE VALUE OF CHARACTERS. 



to Eiidogens hold good, because Ceratophyllum is endogenous itself, 

 and because all have properly developed embryos. These latter in- 

 stances, are instances of considerable amount of evolution of 

 sexual organs, and inconsiderable of vegitative ; while Equisetum is 

 an instance of precisely the reverse nature, this question will lead 

 me to examine the relative value of sexual, and vegetative organs 

 in which question, all anomalies resulting from cohesion, as in Gutti- 

 ferse, Myrtaceae etc. cannot be taken into account. The questions 

 are these, are Rhizantheas which approach so closely to Phzenoga- 

 mous plants in all points but, in the formation of an embryo, to be 

 excluded on that account. 



Are Equisetacese which approach only to certain anomalous forms 

 of Phsenogamous, in habit, to be united to that great class on that 

 account, their sexual organs being totaly dissimilar. 



Of the comparative amount of value here in favour of Rhizantheae 

 there can be no doubt. We have every thing phaenogamous down 

 even to the structure of the ovulum, "hence it is by a combination 

 of characters, that the two great divisions are to be known, and not by 

 any absolute single mark". The disunion of one, is therefore as arbi- 

 trary as the union of the other, reverse this, hie plerumque ad posterius, 

 ille ad prius. No one would associate Lemna with certain Cryptoga- 

 miae, nor would any one unite Fodostemon to Marchantiacea, because 

 these plants are frondose. Every days' experience shews the fallacy 

 of relying on arbitrary and isolated characters, it is this reliance that 

 has been, and will continue to be, so fatal to the production of a 

 really natural system. 



Xanthoxyleae have male flowers, plus. — 



Scepaceae, 



ditto 



ditto 



Minus 



Garryaceae, 



it 



>^ 



plus 



Trewiaceae, 



}f 



f> 



plus 



Juglandeae, 



}> 



if 



minus 



Cupuliferae, 



J> 



a 



minus 



Myristiceae, 



}> 



if 



plus 



Balanophoreae, 



9) 



ff 



plus 



Cucurbitaceae, 



}> 



a 



plus 



Hensloviaceae, 



9> 



if 



plus 



And I think it may be inferred a priori, that the excess in deve- 

 lopement of the petals, will be in favour of the males, for, in most 



