viii 
INTRODUCTION. 
6. Hexandria. Stamina 6. 
7. Heptandria. 7. 
JiTA 
8. OCTAND^lll^ 8. 
9. Enneandria. 9. 
10. Decandria. 
11. Dodecandria. 12 to 19. 
12. ICOSANDRIA. 20 or more, 
inserted into the Calyx. 
13. PoLYANDRIA. Stamina 
naraerous, inserted in- 
to the receptacle. 
14. DIDYNAMIA. Stamina 4. 
two long and two short. 
Carum tribes, &c. and it may be well here to femitk, 
that the umbelliferae which grow upon dry gromds 
are, for the most part, aromatic and cordial, vhile 
the aquatic species are among the most deidly 
poisons. 
This class comprehends 6 orders, in the first of 
which are included the Liliaceous plants j it contiins 
but few medicinal plants. 
A very small class ; its 1st order contains the two 
species of iEsculus. 
The Tropoeoluro, or garden nasturtium, will ilus- 
trate the Monogynia order of this class. 
This is an important class to the Medical Bo- 
tanist ; its 1st order, including the Lauras Cinnzmo- 
mum. Sassafras, and Camphora ; its 2nd order has 
only the Rheum, or rhubarb. 
This class is likewise deserving of attention, in- 
cluding in its different orders, of which there are rive, 
Cassia, Ruta, Saxifraga, and the tribe Dianthus. 
In this class we find the Asarum, the common hcuse- 
leek will also illustrate it. 
The 1st order of this class consists of trees beiring 
for the most part stone fruits, surrounded by a pulp, 
as the plum, peach, cherry, &c.; in the 2d order 
we find the apple, pear, &c. and in the 3rd order 
the Genus RosDfr In this class, the stamens grow 
out of the sides of the calyx, as in the strawberry, 
and it is important to observe, that such a mode of in- 
sertion indicates the fruit to be wholesome ; we are 
not aware that there is a single exception to this rule, 
so that the traveller who might meet with an unknown 
fruit, need not scruple to eat it if he find the sta- 
mens thus inserted . On the other hand, many other 
parts of such plants or trees, as the leaves, kernels, 
&c. are often highly noxious, from their containing 
that peculiar acid, known by the name of. Prussic 
Acid, of which we shall have occasion to speak here- 
after. The kernels of the stone-fruits contain a con- 
siderable quantity of Prussic Acid. We may fur- 
ther observe, that this character of the insertion 
of the stamina into the calyx holds good in other 
classes as well as in the class Icosandria ; thus in the 
GJenns Ribes, including the currant and gooseberry, 
which belong to the class Pentandiia, (from tbtir 
flowers having only 5 stamina,) the stamens grow out 
of the calyx, and these fruits are well known to be 
extremely wholesome, while many of the berries of 
the same class, but whose stamens have not a like 
insertion, are often very deleterious. 
The plants of this class are very distinct in nature 
as well as character, from the preceding class. Of 
medicinal or deleterious plants, it includes the Papa- 
ver, the Aconitum, the Anemone, Ranunculus, and 
Helleborns. 
This class is easily distinguishable from the 4th 
class, (Tetrandria,) which has also 4 stamina. The 
flowers of this class are generally labiate, corolla, 
monopetalous. It is divided into two orders, Gym- 
nospermia, with 4 naked seeds in the bottom of the 
calyx, and Atgiospermia, the seeds numerous and 
