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REVIEW. 
ancient poetSj of people being changed into trees, or animals, or rocks ; one young 
lady, for example, not only cried her eyes out, but was altogether changed into a 
running stream ; and another was transformed into a spider, because she dared to 
emulate the goddess of wisdom in tent-stitch : these occurrences they called 
metamorphoses, a name which Botanists have borrowed for something of a similar 
nature, which really does happen in plants. 
" Hitherto I have always spoken of the different parts of the flower as so many 
totally distinct organs, and it is certainly true, that the petals, stamens, and pistil, 
have very different offices to perform. But, at the same time, it seems quite 
certain that all those, and several other parts, are in a very great degree con- 
structed like leaves ; that at a very early period, when they were first formed, they 
were absolutely the same as leaves of the same age ; that it is only after they have 
been growing for some time that they begin to assume the characters under which 
they finally appear; and that consequently they are very often found resuming 
the appearance of common leaves if anything occurs to interfere with their intended 
structure before it is entirely- fixed. 
" Thus we find leaves in the place of petals, or as they say, petals metamor- 
phosed into leaves, in some kinds of double tulips ; sepals and pistils often changed 
to leaves in double roses ; all the parts of the flower turned into leaves in other 
plants ; and a multitude of similar cases, with which the Botanist is acquainted. 
Now mark the practical application of this knowledge. If the parts of the 
flower are only leaves in a particular state, any of those parts in which veins can 
be discovered will serve to show the arrangement of the veins as well as the true 
leaves themselves- In the pink the petals are fully expanded, and full of veins ; 
they are therefore fitting objects to examine, and their structure will tell us j 
whether the pink is exogenous or not. You will find them distinctly netted, and [ 
thus that question is set at rest. | 
" This, then, which is an exogenous plant, has opposite undivided leaves 
seated on the swoln joints of the stem. The calyx consists of a tube composed 
of five sepals joined together, and separated only near the points. Five petals 
arise from within them, each of which has a stalk and a blade ; the stalks, or 
claws, as they are called {imgues), are very narrow, and stand side by side within 
the calyx : the blades are much expanded and irregularly lacerated at the end. 
" Stamens there are ten, rising from beneath the ovary, out of a short stalk, 
fig. 2, a. The ovary is superior, and contains but one cell, in the centre of which 
is a slender receptacle, fig. 3, a, covered with many ovules. The styles are two, ij 
each terminating insensibly in very narrow fringed stigmas. ' 
" The fruit becomes a dry case, or capsule, opening at the point with four 
teeth or valves, fig. 4. The structure of the seed is variable, and not important 
for our present purpose. 
" Such is the character of the pink, and such, to a great extent, is that of the 
tribe it represents. It may be said to consist in these marks : — Stem swoln at 
the joints ; leaves opposite and undivided; stamens few and hypogynous ; ovary 
with many styles, one cell, and a central receptacle covered with ovules. : | . 
" The genera are very uniform in their structure, and are distinguished by 
