Ray. 253 
that the retrenchments are comparatively 
few. 
With this edition of the Synopsis/' 
Was pubiifhed the *^ Dissertatio de 
VARUS Plantarum Methodis bre- 
vis in v^hich Pvlr. Ray fliews, that the 
reparation of plants into claffes and genera 
from the fruftification alone, muft be a 
very gradual and progreiUve affair j that 
it was not eafy to exclude the habit from 
having a fhare in this diftribution, fince 
there were many plants that v/ere fel- 
dom or never feen in flower by the early 
botanifls. He alfo obferves, that number- 
lefs plants, which agree in the ftrudture of 
the flovv'er; differ materially in habit, and 
others vice verfa. And although his own 
method is principally founded on the fruit, 
yet he freely acknowledges its imperfed:ions; 
but thinks the fame objedlions hold againft 
the flower; which he illuflrates by ihewing, 
in Tournefort's fyilem, the uncertainty 
of the bounds between the Flores mfundi-^ 
biiliformes^ hypQcrate?^iformes, and the caryo- 
fhyllei. If Mr. Ray paid lefs regard to the 
flower than its importance feemed to de- 
mand^ it feems rather to have arifen from 
