188 
CLASS TETRANDRIA. 
these are four in number. The normal number, four, is well 
retained in the parts of this flower. 
At (?, Fig. 133, is the Cissus^^ or false grape ; its calyx is 
very small ; petals spreading and reflexed ; filaments shorter 
than the petals, and crowned with large cordate anthers. 
180. The Bed-straw {Galium) is an herbaceous plant, with 
very small white flowers ; the leaves grow in whorls. In dif- 
ferent species, the leaves thus clustered together stand around 
the stem \n fours^ fiues^ sixes^ and eights. Some species exhibit 
a peculiar roughness upon the stems and leaves. This genus 
was placed by Linnaeus in a natural order, called Stellatoe (from 
Stella, a star) ; the leaves radiating from the stem, as rays of 
light from a star. Among the exotics of this class are the 
Santalum, which produces the sandaPwood^ and the Madder 
(RuBiA tinctoria)^ the root of which gives a beautiful scarlet 
color : it is said to have the singular property of tinging, with 
its red color, the bones of the animals that feed upon it. Jus- 
si eu arranged this, with the Cornus and some other Tetran- 
drous plants, under the natural order Kubiacese, which is re- 
tained by the later botanists. The Silver-tree (Pkotea argen- 
tea) has soft leaves resembling satin, of a silver color. Another 
species of Protea^ the aurea or golden, has gold-colored leaves 
edged with scarlet. Both these trees are natives of the Cape 
of Good Hope, and have never been found in any other locality. 
181. Order Digynia^ two pistils. — Hamamelis, a shrub from 
six to twelve feet high, is found in woods throughout the Uni- 
ted States. Its flowers are yellow, and grow in axillary clus- 
ters. This plant is often seen by the road-sides on the skirts 
of woods, and may be known from the fact of its being in 
blossom after it has lost its leaves, in autumn, and even in 
winter. The fruit is perfected in the spring: its common 
name, Witch-hazel, probably originated from the superstitious 
idea which was long entertained that a twig from this tree, 
called a divining-rod, in the hands of particular individuals 
had the property of being attracted toward gold or silver 
buried in the earth. Some botanists, however, ascribe the 
common name of this plant to its peculiarity as to the mode 
of blooming. By De Candolle and Lindley this genus is taken 
from the order Berberides, of Jussieu, and stands as the type 
of the order HamamelaceoB, 
182. Order Tetragynia^ three pistils. — ^The holly {Ilex) is an 
• Mirbel thus names the plant whose flower is here described, and places it in the class Tetrandria 
E3t:.a describes it under the name of Ampelopsis, and places it in the class Pentandria. Although 
it may occasionally be found with five stamens, its four petals and four divisions of the calyx seem to 
indicate that the fifth stamen is but an accidental circumstance ; this seems to have been the opinion 
of Mirbel. 
Cissus.— 180. Bed-straw— What plants are placed in Linnicus's natural order Stellate and Ji 
order Riibiacea; 3— Madder— Protea.— 181. Hamamelis.— 182. Tex. 
