ORDER DECANDRIA. 
227 
stamens ;) here we find Corydalis and Fumaria, belonging to a 
natural order Corydales, which includes such plants as are 
spurred, or are anomalous ; the latter term signifying that their 
corolla is not such as can be described by any thing else. The 
Corydalis is an elegant plant with bulbous roots; the corolla is 
rather ringent than papilionaceous. In some cases the stamens 
have very broad bases, and scarcely seem united. 
We find here Polygala, one species of which is called Seneca 
snake-root ; this not only produces a beautiful flower, but is 
valuable as a medicine. We have many species of this genus, 
and you will no doubt be able to find specimens of it in the 
woods and meadows. 
DECANDRIA. 
The Tenth Order is wholly composed of plants with legu- 
minous pods ; the general character of these plants is a calyx 
often 5 parted, corolla 5 petalled, inserted on the calyx, consist- 
ing of a banner, two wings and a keel ; stamens generally 10, 
mostly united into two sets, 1) and 1, germ free, style 1, legume 
generally 2 valved, 1 celled, sometimes transversely divided 
into many cells, seeds affixed to the edge on one side. 
In this large family of plants with leguminous pods are many 
of great importance in the vegetable kingdom ; but w hen we 
are able to give some general natural characters, there seems to 
be less need of particularizing each genus. 
This circumstance of being able in description, to include 
the general characters of the plants of a large order in this 
class, shows it to be composed of an assemblage of natural 
plants. The singular form of the corolla and the nature of the 
fruit, with few r exceptions, settle the character of this class. 
We have here many important plants which serve for food to 
man. The most savage nations usually pay some attention to 
Diadelphous plants. When Ferdinand de Soto, marched his 
army into Florida, before the middle of the 16th century, he 
found the granaries of the natives well stored with Indian corn 
and certain “ leguminous seeds which w T ere probably the Lima 
bean, (Dolichos,) or some species of that genus ; for the natives 
still continue to cultivate them. 
This class furnishes valuable medicinal articles ; as the 
liquorice and snake-root. It also furnishes us with plants for 
dying; as the Indigo, (Indicofera tinctoria,) this is to be dis- 
tinguished from the Wild Indigo, (Baptisia,) which during the 
revolutionary war w r as used for coloring. Some plants of this 
Natural order Corydales — Polygala — Order Decandria — General charac- 
ter of the order — Contains many valuable plants. 
