CLASS SYNGENESIA. 
175 
important u^^es ; the root, bark (sometimes the outer bark, 
sometimes the liber), the leaves, flowers, pods and seeds. The 
arts and medicine depend greatly on this tribe, which also fur- 
nishes valuable fruits and food. Some plants of this class are 
poisonous. A traveler states, that the banks of the Nile are 
often visited in the night by the hippopotamus or river-horse, 
which does great damage to the gardens and fields ; and that 
the inhabitants destroy the animal by placing a quantity of the 
Lupine seeds near where he is expected; these which he 
devours greedily, soon swell in his stomach and cause death. 
255. The Furze (Ulex Europceus) is a common plant in Eu- 
rope, though not found so far north as Sweden. It is a flower 
of so beautiful an appearance, that Linnaeus, as is said, when 
he first beheld it, fell upon his knees in a transport of grati- 
tude, and thanked the Author of nature for thus beautifying 
the earth. 
256. A class called Polyadelphia, or many brotherhoods, 
having stamens united in more than two sets, was established 
by Linnaeus, but the genera which it contained have been trans- 
ferred to the class Polyandria ; the St. John's-wort (Hyperi- 
cum) is among the plants which were in the rejected class 
Polyadelphia ; this in some species has its numerous stamens 
in three clusters, united by their filaments ; but as all the spe- 
cies of the Hypericum are not thus divided into separate par- 
cels of stamens, this distinction, as the character of a class, is 
laid aside ; and the plants which were in the former class, 
Polyadelphia {many hrotherhoods), are now placed in the class 
Polyandria {many stamens). 
LECTUEE XXXIY. 
SYNGENESIA, UNITED ANTHEKS. 
257. We have now arrived at a class which contains a large 
portion of the vegetable tribes found in blossom in the last 
summer months, and in autumn. The term Syngenesia signi 
fies a union of anthers, which circumstance form.s a difference 
between this class and those distinguished by a union of fila 
ments : the number of stamens in i3lants of this class is mostly 
five, distinguished from the fifth class not ouly by the manner 
of inflorescence, but by a union of anthers forming a tube 
255. Furze.— 256. Class Polyadelphia, why rejected ?— 257. Class Syngenesia— What does Sv* 
fenesia signify ?— What are the characteristics of tiiis class ? 
