TITLES OF THE ORDERS. 



CHAP. III. 



EXPLANATION OF THE TITLES OF THE ORDERS. 



THE titles of the orders have been given in Chap. I. It re- 

 mains to explain them. 



Class 1 to 13, inclusive. — The orders of the first thirteen classes 

 take their denominations from the number of the pistilla, or 

 female part of the plant, which is usually reckoned from the base 

 of the style, if there be any ; but if the style be wanting, the 

 number is fixed from the stigmata. The Greek word, compound- 

 ed with the numerical terms in the titles of these orders, signi- 

 fies mvife: Monogynia implies one wife, or one style ; Digynia, 

 two styles; Trigynia, three; Tetragynia, four; Pentagynia, 

 five; Hexagynia, six ; Decagynia, ten; and Polygynia, many. 

 These are the titles that occur in the orders of these thirteen 

 classes ; and this general explanation of them will be thought 

 sufficient, as from the table given in the first chapter it appears 

 how they are employed in the classes. 



Class 14. Didynamia. — Of the three orders of this class the 

 two first are founded on a distinction in the fruit. The title of the 

 first order, Gymnosfermia, is expressive of such plants as have 

 naked seeds ; and that of the second, Angiospermia, of such as 

 have their seeds in a vessel, or pericarpimu. A third order, Po- 

 lypetala, is expressive of such plants as have many petals : this 

 order seems to have been established in favour of one genus of 

 plants only, the melianthus, the flowers of which are polypetalous, 

 though those of all the rest of this class are monopetalous* . 



* This order is properly omitted in the Sy sterna Naiurce, published in 1756° 

 See the note on this order, in Chap. XVII. 



