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other fubjeds of the fame clafs, to determine their 

 comparative aftringent and antifeptic powers on the 

 human blood ; from the refult of which, he tells 

 us, that the author was led to confider this fmple 

 as one of the fafefl: and moll powerful aftringcnts. 



66, Metamorphosis Plantarum. N,E. Dahlherg, 



The fubjedt of this paper will fcarcely admit of 

 an abridgment, agreeable to our contradled plan. In 

 order the more clearly to underftand what the author 

 calls the Metamorphojis Plantarum^ he delivers, in 

 a brief way, the Linn^an do6lrine of the phyfio- 

 logy of plants ^ which fuppofes, that the flower is 

 no other than the expanfion or evolution of the 

 trunk or ftem, in the following arrangement : 

 namely, that the Cortex^ or outer Bark, is ulti- 

 mately fpent in forming the Perianthium^ or Cup ; 

 the Liher^ or inner Bark, in forming the Corolla or 

 Petal •, the Lignum^ or woody part, in forming the 

 Stamina or Chives ; and the Medulla^ or pithy parr, 

 in forming the Piftillum^ or Pointal. Hence, what- 

 foever caufes candifturb the ufual, natural, and re- 

 gular expanfion and evolution of thefe parts, may 

 be fuppofed to occafion great variety, and changes 

 in the appearance of plants ; and that fuch effeds 

 are brought about by change of climate, different 

 foil, fituation, air, culture, and perhaps various 

 other yet unknown caufes, is certain. To thefe 

 fources muft be traced the varieties we obferve in 

 the leaves, flowers, and roots, whether permanent, 

 gs is the cafe in fome inllances, or not. This 



T 4 do(5lrine 



