THE 
BRITISH HERBAL. 
CLASS XIV. 
Plants that have the flower compofed of four petals, dfpofed in form of a 
crofs, and the feed-vejfel single, and of an irregular form,. 
WE have in the preceding claiJes arranged thofe genera which have a fingle capfule for the feeds, 
of a plain and fimple (Irufture, according to the number of petals in the flower preceding 
that feed-veffel ; from thofe which have only one, by regular fteps proceeding to fuch as 
have it compofed of an irregular and uncertain large number. 
In thefe clalTes we have treated of thofe genera whofe feed-veffels have nothing particular in their 
form, nor have been ufed to be diftinguifhcd peculiarly by authors under any diftindive name : but 
there yet remain fome to which we are, according to Nature, and the cuftom of botanills of all time, 
founded on natural diftindions, to give a peculiar place. 
What are commonly called the f.liqiwfe and filiculofe plants, are perfeftly diftinguilhed from ajl 
others, and held feparacc by writers ; and in the lame manner the papilionaceous : yet each of thefc 
claffes confift of plants which have a fingle feed-veffel. Thefe therefore, as alfo the berry-bearing 
plants, dillinguifhed from all others in the fame manner by the ftrufture of their fruit, we are to treat 
of diftindly, each in its feparate clafs ; and between the firft of thefe the filiquofe, and the lad of the 
former regular feries, we are to introduce a fmall clafs, which naturally leads to them. 
The filiquofe are thofe which have the flower compofed of four petals, difpofed crofs-ways, and 
the feed-veffel- a regular pod : thofe of the prefcnt clafs h ave the flower m the fame manner, com- 
pofed of four petals fo difpofed, and have for their fruit a feed-veffel which is not a regular pod. 
Linna;us hjs difperfed thefe over his works ; and Mr. Ray has committed an overfight, in refp«£l 
of the feveral firft genera, placing them among the plants with five-leaved flowers. 
SERIES I. 
Natives of B r i t a i n, 
Thofe of which one or more fpecies are naturally wild in this country. 
G E N U S 1. 
PEARLWORT. 
A LS I N E L L A. 
THE flower is compofed of four petals regularly difpofed : the feed-veflel is round, membra, 
naceous, and full of minute feeds : the cup is compofed of four little leaves, and remains 
when the flower is fallen. 
