DESCIilPTlVE BOTANY. 



159 



before the eyes of the reader at the very first. Otherwise 

 we begin with the root, with the bulbs and tubers ; we then 

 proceed to the stem and branches ; next to the leaves, leafy 

 appendages, armour, and other subordinate parts ; we then 

 describe the integument ; we next pass to the inflorescence, 

 calyx, corolla, nectaries, male and female sexual parts ; and 

 lastly, we dissect the fruit and seed, with all their properties. 

 Some good writers have reversed this order ; at least, have 

 spoken first of the flower. But the reasons for maintaining 

 this order preponderate. 



In these descriptions, attention is paid to every thing that 

 is observable in the plant ; that is to say, not only the speci- 

 fic character, but a complete picture of the plant must be 

 given, on which account an exact delineation of forms, di- 

 mensions, integuments, and colour, smell, taste, and other par- 

 ticulars, may be introduced. But whatever serves to distin- 

 guish the plant, must be made especially conspicuous ; on 

 which account the diagnosis of two related species, carried 

 through all the parts, is often much more important than the 

 most careful and circumstantial description. But both me- 

 thods can be easily united, provided in our description we 

 make the discriminating marks particularly prominent. 



248. 



In description, we must on all occasions employ the usual 

 artificial language ; and when forms are so changed that the 

 usual expressions are not proper to denote them, it is better 

 to give a more extended description, than to designate these 

 forms by new and uncommon words. 



In descriptions that are quite complete, it is of use to ar- 

 range the individual organs at intervals under one another, 

 and to write or mark in some other way the names of these 

 organs. To save space, the parts likewise are often suc- 

 cessively arranged, their names also being always expressed 

 in writing or print. Individual properties are in this case se- 



