INTRODUCTION. vii 
shoots up into the stem, and the rostellum which forms the 
root. 2. The cotyledons are the thick side-lobes of the seed, 
and may be distinctly seen by soaking a bean in water ; these 
afterwards come up as the seed-leaves of the plant. 3. The 
hilum, or black spot on a bean, is the external mark where it 
was fastened within the pericarpium. 4. The arillus or exter- 
nal coat which falls off spontaneously. 5. The ^corona of a 
seed are the feathers, hairs, down, &c. which .iferii* found ad- 
hering to the top of many seeds, for the purpose of dispersing- 
them, as in scabiosa, Valeriana, tussilago, &c. 
7. The receptaculum is the base which receives, supports, 
and connects the other parts of fructification, and has various 
designations according to circumstances. 
The flowers of plants, which are made the sole foundation 
of the Linnjean system of Botany, are distinguished in respect 
of sex into male, female, hermaphrodite, and neuter. Male 
flowers are such as have only the stamina, as in the classes 
Monoecia, Dioecia, and f olygamia. Female flowers are such 
as have only the pistilla, as in the same classes. Hermaphro- 
dite flowers have both the stamina and pistilla in the same 
flowers, which is the most general mode of inflorence, and 
these are again distinguished into male hermaphrodites where 
the female is ineffectual, and female hermaphrodites where the 
male is ineffectual. Neuter flowers are such as have neither 
stamina nor pistilla perfect. 
The classes are twenty-four in number, the first eleven of 
which are characterized solely by the number of stamina, viz. 
Class 
1. MoNANDRlA. Stamen 1. As Ainomum, Cnrcuma, &c. this is a very small 
class, and only contains two orders. 
2. DiANDRlA. Stamina 2, This is a most numeroas class, and contains the 
' Olea, Rosmarinus, &c. in the 1st order, Monogynia • 
the 3d order is the Piper. 
3. Triandrta. 3, Contains 3 orders, iu the 1st of which we find the 
Valeriana : the 2d order consists of the trne grasses ; 
no poisonous plant is found among them except the 
Lolium Temulentum. 
4. Tetrandria. 4. This is also a very numerous and various class 
but contains few, if any, medicinal plants. 
5. PentandriA. 5. This is one of the most important classes of the 
whole system ; it consists of 6 orders ; the 1st of 
, which contains many genera, as, Borago, Convolvulus, 
Solanum, Datura, Hyoscyamas, Atropa, Nicotiana,&c., 
and includes many active medicinal plants. In the 2d 
order of the class (Digynia) we find the Gentiana, and 
all the umbelliferous plants, as Cicuta, Arfflfemum. 
