200 



CLASS II. 



Ipcnocotglehnes ox (SnkjpB. 



ORDER. TRILLIACEiE. (DE-CAND.) 

 Paris, (Linn.) Herb Paris. 

 Linn. CI. viii. Ord. iv. 

 Name, From par, (Lat.) equal; in allusion to the remarkable 

 regularity, as well as numerical correspondence of all the parts of 

 this plant. 



1. P. quadrifolia, (Linn.) four-leaved Herb Paris. True-love. 

 One-berry. The plant has occasionally five leaves, and sometimes 

 six, but four is the common number. Engl. Bot. t. 7. 



Locality. Damp woods. P. Fl. May. Area, 1. * 3. 4. 5. In 

 all the Districts (except the South-middle) , where it has not as yet 

 been observed. Stem one foot high, with 4, rarely 3 or 5, whorled, 

 large ovate, acute leaves at its summit, the rest leafless. Flower 

 single terminal, on a foot-stalk about 2 inches long. Sepals lance- 

 olate. Petals subulate. Berry of a bluish-black colour. This plant, 

 " more curious than beautiful/' is particularly interesting to the 

 Botanical student in exhibiting a connection between the Mono- 

 cotyledonous, and Dicotyledonous Divisions of the Vegetable King- 

 dom. The former division is characterized (among other peculiarities) 

 by having the veins of the leaves running parrallel to each other, 

 without intermediate reticulation, either from the base to the apex, 

 as in Iris, Lily of the Valley, Grasses, &c, or from the midrib, at 

 right angles, towards the margin, as in the Plan tain- tree (Musa 

 paradisiaca) . The Dicotyledonous Division, on the contrary, exhibits 

 a reticulated venation, as is exhibited in the Rose, Apple, and other 

 trees and plants. The Paris being a Monocotyledonous plant, is, 

 however, furnished with leaves which present an approach to the 

 uniform arborization of the veins or sap vessels (as they should be 

 more correctly called) resembling that which characterizes the 

 Dicotyledons. 



