NATURAL FAMILIES. 
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Mosses have, instead of anthers, collections of tubes which 
evolve a substance analogous to pollen. The pistillate flowers 
are collections of many in one group ; their germ, instead of a 
corolla, is covered with a membrane called a calyptra, (veil) 
whose summit admits the pollen. The fruit is a capsule open- 
ing by a lid, having a margin, either naked, or fringed with a cer- 
tain number of teeth either in a single or double row. The 
seeds of mosses are very minute. The mosses are herbaceous, 
leafy and mostly branched ; their roots are fibrous ; some are 
annual, others perennial. 
Ferns exhibit no other fructification than capsules which grow 
on the back or edges of leaves. The leaves are called fronds. 
Class 2. 
X 
Monocotyledons. Stamens hypogenous , (below the germ.) 
Embryo with one cotyledon. The characters of this class are 
stamens inferior, calyx inferior when present ; stamens seldom 
indefinite. Leaves mostly alternate and sheathing. 
This class contains more than twenty families. Aroides con- 
stitute a family of which the genus arum (wild turnip) is an 
important member, and from which the name is derived ; oides, 
being derived from the Greek, signifies like, or resemblance ; 
thus aroides denotes plants resembling arum. This family have 
that kind of inflorescence called a spadix surrounded by that 
form of calyx called a spatha. Their leaves are sheathing, al- 
ternate, and radical. 
Gramina , or grasses constitute an important family ; they 
have generally three stamens and one germ. The embryo is 
small and attached to a farinaceous albumen. In germinating 
the cotyledon remains attached to the albumen and nourishes 
the plume. The roots are fibrous, and fcapillary. The culms 
are cylindrical and either hollow or pithy. The flower and ca- 
lyx are scales, called glumes. The chaffy flower, single seed, 
mealy albumen, situation of the embryo, and method of germi- 
nation distinguish in a peculiar manner, this family. 
Class 3. 
Monocotyledons. Stamens perigynous, (around the germ,) 
fruit with three cells ; embryo small, with a large albumen. 
Palms. In this class we find the family of the palms, 
Mosses — Ferns. Class second — Monoctylcdons — Characters of the class 
— Contains more than twenty families — Description of an important mem- 
ber. Grasses an important family. Class 3 — Monocotyledons — stamens 
perigynous. 
