( % ) 
of it*s fru&ification and other circumftances* 
The Jasione has proved perplexing, even to 
proficients in botany; nor are the difficulties 
which occur in it's conftrudtion yet explained 
in a fatisfa&orv manner. 
There is a curious circumftance in regard to 
the calyx of moft of the compound flowers, 
though not belonging to all, which is worthy 
of attention. When the florets become ma- 
ture, they burfl: open the common calyx, which 
contains them ; as foon as the ftamens and 
piftils of thefe florets have done their office, 
they wither with the corols, the common calyx 
then rifes, and enclofes the remaining parts 
of fructification, till the feeds arrive at that 
flate of ripenefs which makes them ready for 
difperfion ; the hairy down, by which they are 
crowned, then expands, and again burfts open 
the calyx, fo as to bend it's leaves quite back, 
and, by the help of this down, the feeds are 
carried by the wind to a confiderable dif- 
tance. Thofe compound flowers which have 
their feeds furnifhed with a downy pappus, 
take a variety of elegant forms; and the 
clafs of United Anthers, though difficult at 
firft to ftudy, amply repays our trouble in 
attaining a perfect knowledge of it, from the 
G 3 curious 
