{ % ) 
mare's tail, from the frequency with which 
it prefents itfelf to the eye of the young bo- 
t^nift, generally attracts his attention as ara. 
object of invefHgation, and, from the fimpli- 
city of it's conftruction, feems a proper one 
for that purpofe, fo far as refpects the cha- 
racters of it's clafs and order ; it has neither 
calyx, corol, nor feed-veflel, and thofe parts 
moll effential to fructification few as poffible^ 
there being only one ftarnen, one piftil, and 
one perfect feed ; hence eaflly referred to the 
firft clafs, Monandria, and the firft order Mo- 
nogynia •: yet feme difficulty is liable to occur 
from the mode of inflorefcence, or portion in 
which the fructification is placed upon thq 
flower- ftalk. A number of florets, contain* 
ing each a ftarnen and piftil fixed at the bafc 
of a fmall-pointed leaf, grow round the ft em 
in a whorl, and have, to an inexperienced 
eye, the appearance of forming only one 
flower, though, on accurate examination, 
each fmall floret will be found perfect in it- 
felf, poffeffed of thofe parts which are fuffi- 
cient to conftitute a fingle flower. 
Carina, flowering-reed, may be more readily 
referred to the clafs one ftarnen, and order one 
piftil, as there arc r\Qt any difficulties 
F | attending 
