CLASS TlilANDR?\. 
139 
Auiong the exotics of this order we find a singular plant, peculiar 
to the East Indies, the Nyctanthes arbor tristis^ or sorrowful tree; 
its boughs droop during the day, but through the night they are erect, 
and appear fresh and flourishing. 
The Olive, (Oiea,) is common on the rocks of Palestine ; it may 
now, according to the accounts of travellers, be found upon the same 
spot which was called, eleven centuries before the Christian era, 
the mount of Olives, or mount Olivet. 
Order Digynia, 
In the second order of this class is the sweet scented spring-grass 
(Anthoxanthum odoratum,) which is found in blossom in May ; to 
this grass the pleasant smell of new made hay is chiefly owing ; its 
odour is like that of clover. This plant is separated by the artificial 
system from the other grasses, on account of its having but two 
stamens. This is the kind of grass used in this country as a sub 
stitute for the Leghorn grass, in the manufacture of hats. The first 
hat of the kind was made a few years since by an ingenious female 
in the town of Wethersfield, Connecticut; since which time, many 
hats, not inferior to the best Leghorn, have been made from the same 
material. 
The Catalpa, an elegant tree, with flat, cordate, or heart-shaped 
leaves, is indigenous to the Southern United States ; its white flowers, 
striped with purple, grow in panicles similar to the Horse-chestnut. 
Only one species is found in North America. 
Order Yrigynia. 
This order contains the genus piper, one species of which, the 
nigrum, is the common black pepper. The cayenne pepper belongs 
to the genus capsicum, which is found in the eighth class. The flowers 
of the Piper genus have neither calyx nor coroUa, but the fruit is 
borne on a spadix. 
We have in this lecture remarked upon the use of botanical terms ; 
we have considered the few groups into which the classes of Lin- 
naeus may be arranged, with the names of the classes, and the cha- 
racters of each ; — and have given a sketch of the two first classes, 
with some examples under each of their orders. In doing this, w^e 
have been obhged to pass by many plants which had an equal claim 
to notice, but as knowledge must be gained by the observation of 
particular cases, we have thus selected a few examples, in order 
that you may be prepared to examine the others with pleasure and 
advantage. 
LECTURE XXV. 
CLASS HI. TRIANDRIA. 
Order Monogynia. 
jlK the first order of this class we find among our common exotics 
fi.vj Crocus, which is particularly interesting as being one of the 
earliest flowers of our gardens, not unfrequently blossoming in the 
neighbourhood of a snow-bank. It has a bulbous root, long and 
narrow leaves, a spatha, and six petals. Besides the Crocus vernus, 
or spring crocus, which often appears even in our own climate as 
What is said of the Nyctanthes 7— Of the Olive?— Sweet scented sprin<i-grass— Ca- 
lalpa— Pepper— Order Trigynia— Recapitulation— First order of the third class— Diffbr 
eiit specied of Crocus. 
