rJLASS PENTANDKIA. 
stem, are among its distinguishing natural characters. The 
snow-ball, Viburnum, has a natural affinity with the elder (both 
are of the natural order Caprifoliacece) ; the flowers in the cy/nes 
of the viburnum are more thickly clustered together : both are 
distinguished by their flat corollas which resemble a circular 
piece of paper v>^ith five divisions notched on the border. The 
generic dift'erences between these plants are, that the snow«ball 
has a berry with one seed, and leaves simple j the elder has 
a berry with tlm^ee seeds, \ea,Yes piiinate. The snow-ball which 
is cultivated in shrubberies is an exotic ; there is a native 
species of Yiburnum, the oxycoccus, which produces showy 
flowers early in the spring, and is well worth a place in pleas- 
ure-grounds. 
192. Order Tetragynia, four pistils. — Here we Imd the grass 
of Parnassus {Pa/rnassia) ; the leaves are white, and beautifully 
veined with yellow ; the stem produces but one flower ; the 
five nectariferous glands are remarkable for their beauty and 
singular appearance. The plant is said to be a native of Mount 
Parnassus, in Greece ; it is placed in the natural order Hyperi- 
caoeoe, the general character of which is, dark glands upon 
the edges of the petals, long styles, and apocarpous fruit. The 
fringed glands of the Parnassia are considered as representing 
abortive stamens, and thus furnishing an alliance with polyan- 
drous plants. 
193. Order Pentagynia, five pistils. — The flax, Linum., so 
called from a Celtic word, Zm, a thread, has a showy blue 
flower, with an erect stem. A field of flax in blossom presents 
a beautiful appearance. The cultivated species is said to be of 
Egyptian origin. It is from the liber or inner bark of the stem 
of this plant that all linen goods, and the finest lawn and cam- 
bric are manufactured. 
We owe to the flax plant, in one sense, our literature ; as the paper of which our 
books are made is mostly from linen rags. The fibers of the stem are not only thus 
unportant to the comfort of man by contributing to his clothing, and to his intellec- 
tual improvement in furnishing a method of disseminating knowledge, but the seeds 
are highly valuable for their oil, called Unseed oil : this is used in medicine. The 
delightful performances of the painter are executed by means of colors prepared 
with oil from the seed of the flax, laid upon the canvas made from the fibers of its 
stems. The Linum is the type and only important genus of the natural order 
Linacece, or flax-worts. The tenacity of their fiber, and the mucilage of their 
seeds, are striking characters of this natural order. 
194. Order Polygynia.^ mamy pistils. — Here we find the yel- 
low-root {ZantJioriza)., a native of the Southern States. It has 
five stamens, thirteen pistils, no calyx, five petals, five nectarif- 
erous organs, and five capsules ; the flowers are purple, grow- 
ing in panicles. It is a low shrub, with a yellow root, some- 
enow-ball.— 192. Grass of Parnassus^ -Hypericaceae.— 193 Flax— Lineacest;.— 194. Zanthoriza. 
