12 



CLASSIFICATION OF PLANTS, 



/iacese — The Camellias, including the Tea plant. Aurantidcete — The Orange 

 trees. Hypericdcecs — Plants resembling and agreeing in characters with 

 the St. John's Wort. Acerdcece — Trees and shrubs resembling the Maple 

 and Sycamore. Hippocastandcece — The Horse-chesnuts. TropcBoldceca — 

 The Indian Cress species. Balsamdcece. — The Balsams. 



There are a number of these orders, such as Tiliacese, CamelH«ce«, .4cer- 

 aceae, Hippocastanaceae, &c., which include only one or two genera ; and 

 hence, while acquiring a knowledge of the order, a knowledge of the genera 

 is obtained at the same time. To recognise these orders, it is necessary for 

 a beginner to see the flowers ; but, after a little experience, most of them 

 may be discovered by the leaves. 



Calyciflor^. 



84. This second subdivision of Exogens consists of plants having several 

 petals with stamens attached to the calyx. It includes about sixty orders, of 

 which the more remarkable are, Legumindsae, jRosaceae, Cactaceae, Umbel- 

 laceae, Compositae, and i'ricaceae. 



85. Legumindsce. — Sepals and petals five each; the petals papilionaceous, 

 or arranged somewhat like the wings of a butterfly ; stamens ten, mostly 

 diadelphous, that is, in two bundles ; fruit superior, that is, formed above 

 the calyx, and generally becoming a pod. This is one of the most ex- 

 tensive orders of plants, consisting of herbs, shrubs, or trees ; natives of 

 most parts of the world. Leaves generally compound, alternate, stipulate, 

 with the petiole tumid at the base. Flowers in most species yellow, showy. 

 Properties farinaceous, resinous, and furnishing various dyes. Almost all the 

 trees are either useful or ornamental, and many of the herbs are valuable 

 agricultural and garden plants. Familiar examples are, the common Furze, 

 Broom, Genista, Cytisus, Clover, Lucerne, Melilot, Indigo, Liquorice, 

 Locust Tree of America, Acacia, Mimosa, Bladder- Senna, Astragalus, Saint- 

 foin, the Tare, Bean, Vetch, Pea, Kidney-bean, Lupine, and Judas Tree. 

 There is scarcely any person who does not know one or other of these 

 plants. 



86. "RosdcecB. — Sepals and petals four to five each ; stamens numerous ; 

 carpels numerous, distinct as in the bramble, or enclosed in a fleshy calyx 

 as in the rose. Trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants, natives of every part 

 of the world ; many of them producing valuable fruits, and most of them 

 having showy, and in many cases fragrant, flowers. Leaves alternate, stipu- 

 late, simple, or compound. Flowers large, showy, often of bright colours. 

 Properties, astvingency, gum, and hydrocyanic acid. Familiar examples are, 

 the Almond, Peach, Apricot, Plum, and Cherry, which form a sub-order 

 called ^mygdaleae, the fruit and leaves of all the species of which contain 

 Hydrocyanic or Prussic Acid. The common ,S'pirae'a frutex and the yellow- 

 flowered Corchorus are examples of another tribe ; and the Raspberry, the 

 Strawberry, the Potentilla, and the herb Agrimony, exemplify a third tribe. 

 The Ladies' Mantle and the Burnet also represent a tribe : the Rose forms 

 a tribe by itself ; and the Hawthorn, Quince, Medlar, Apple, and Pear, 

 represent the tribe Pomaceae. 



87. UmhelldcecB. — Sepals, petals, and stamens, five each; styles two; 

 fruit achenia or pendent seeds; flowers in umbels. Herbaceous plants, 

 with f.stular furrowed stems, natives chiefly of the northern parts of the 

 northern hemisphere. Leaves alternate or opposite, usually divided or com- 



