60 
CLASS OCTANDRIA. 
{Erica cinerea) has bell- form flowers, small and delicate, with the 
colour pink, or varying into other colours ; the flowers intermixed 
with the delicate green leaves produce a fine effect. The kind of 
soil necessary to the growth of the heath, is the peat earth, so com- 
mon in England and Scotland, in which countries this plant abounds; 
thus Scott says of his Lady of the Lake, 
"A foot more light, a step more true, 
Ne'er from the heath-flower brush'd the dew." 
In the Highlands of Scotland, the poor make use of the heath to 
thatch the roofs of their cottages ; their beds are also made of it 
The field in which this plant grows is termed a heath or heather. 
" The Erica here, 
That o'er the Caledonian hills sublime. 
Spreads its dark mantle, where the bees delight 
To seek their purest honey, flourishes ; 
Sometimes with bells like amethysts, and then 
Paler, and shaded, like the maiden's cheek. 
With gradual blushes; other while, as white 
As frost that hangs upon the wintry spray." 
The Daphne is a rare plant ; one species is called the Lace-bark 
tree, from the resemblance of its inner bark or liher to net-work or 
lace. This bark is very beautiful, consisting of layers which may 
be pulled out into a fine white web, three or four feet wide ; this is , 
sometimes used for ladies' dresses, and may even be washed without 1 
injury. Charles L of England, was presented by the governor of I 
Jamaica with a cravat made of this web. The plant is a native of i 
the West Indies. 
The Nasturtion {Tropceolum) is a very commonly cultivated ex- 
otic. It has not a regularity of parts ; the divisions are not four or 
eight, which we might expect from its eight stamens, but the calyx is I 
either four or five-parted, and the corolla is five-petalled. The fruit i 
consists of three seeds ; these are used for pickles. " The generic : 
name ( Tropceolum) signifies a tTophy-plant ; this alludes to its use for i 
decorating triumphal arches, or to the resemblance of its peltate i 
leaves to shields as well as its flowers to golden helmets pierced j 
through and stained with blood."* 
Order Trigynia. 
This order contains the Buckwheat, (Polygonum,) which was 
classed by Linnaeus in the same natural order as the dock, pigweed, 
&c., " having flowers destitute of beauty and gay colouring.'" The 
genus is extensive, containing many plants which are considered as ji 
common weeds. The fagopyrum is the true buckwheat ; the meal j| 
obtained by grinding its seed, is much esteemed for cakes ; these are j 
called slap-jacks in New-England, in England, crumpits. The Po« i| 
lygonum is variable in its number of stamens ; the seed is a triangu | 
lar nut. 
Order Tetragynia. 
We here find the beautiful plant, Paris, which is said to have been 
named after a prince of ancient Troy, remarkable for his beauty, i 
In every part of the flower there is the most perfect regularity ; the 
numbers four and eight prevailing in the divisions. It has 8 stamens, 
4 pistils, 4 petals, 4 sepals, a 4-sided and 4-celled pericarp, which co?i- 
tains 8 seeds, and 4 large spreading leaves, at a httle distance be- 
low the flower. The colour of the whole is green. The plant is saH 
to be narcotic. It is a native of England. 
* Sir S. E. Smitn. 
liace-bark tree— Nasturtion— -Second order — Third order — F'ourth order. 
