OF CLASS XIX. SYNGENESIA. 101 



CHAP. XXII. 



OF THE NINETEENTH CLASS, SYNGENESIA*. 



THIS class consists of such plants as bear compound flowers. 

 We have already paved the way for understanding this class, by 

 the account given of compound flowers, in Part I. Chap. XIX. 

 and the explanation of the titles of the class, and its orders, in 

 Chap. II. and III. What is farther necessary here, is to give the 

 characters of the flowers. Compound flowers admit of a double 

 description, viz. 1. of the whole flower in its aggregate state, which 

 is termed the flosculose flower ; and, 2. of the flosculi, florets, of 

 which it is composed. We shall begin with the first, which 

 concerns only the calyx and receptacle, those being the only 

 parts that are in common. 



Characters of the Flosculous Flower. 



Calyx — The common calyx is a perianthium, which contains 

 the florets and the receptacle. It is either simple, augmented, or 

 imbricated f. It contracts when the flowers are fallen, but ex- 

 pands and turns back when the seeds are ripe. 



Receptacle — The common receptacle of the fructification re- 

 ceives many sessile florets on its disk, which is either concave... 

 plane... convex... pyramidal... ox globose. The surface of the disk 



* This class of compound flowers is a natural one, if we except the last order ; 

 which, upon the systematic principles assumed, could not be refused an admission into 

 it. Its plants are commonly bitter and stomachic. Author. 



It has, however, been abolished by Dr. Smith, president of the Linnaean Society, 

 with the approbation of Professor Martyn, and this is admitted by the generality of 

 botanists. Editor. 



+ See these terms explained in Part I. Chap. XI. 



