CLASS SYNGENESIA. 
DIVISIONS OF COMPOUND FL0WER3 BY JUSSIEU. 
1st, with florets all ligulate and perfect, leaves alternate, 
having milky juice, corollas mostly yellow ; this includes the 
dandelion and lettuce. 
2d order includes all compound flowers with tubular corollas, 
with receptacles fleshy and chaffy, egret stiff and bristly, leaves 
often with harsh prickles, flowers in a head ; this includes the 
thistle, burdock, and false saffron. 
lid order includes such compound flowers as have their inflo- 
re'cence clustered in a corymb ; as the life-ever lasting, bone- 
set, and aster. 
The plants of the class Syngenesia, are in general easily re- 
cognized at the first glance ; there is something about them be- 
sides their compound character which distinguishes them from 
all other plants. One botanist observes, that they have a kind 
of “ weed-like appearance, notwithstanding the beauty of their 
colouring ; the stems and leaves are often rough, and they seem 
to have been less completely reclaimed from their savage state, 
than most other plants, with the exception of the Cryptogamous 
class.”* 
Not many of the plants of this class are poisonous ; it i3 
remarked that milky plants are generally so, but those of this 
class are exceptions. The lettuce, however contains a nar- 
cotic principle, and opium may be made from it. The dande- 
lion, the eupatorium, the chamomile, and wormwood, with 
many other plants of this class are valued for medicinal prop- 
erties. 
The Syngenesious plants are particularly abundant in our 
own country, and you will never find difficulty in procuring 
specimens. 
If you commence botanical studies with the flowers of spring, 
nature gradually presents you with those that will be more dif- 
ficult to investigate. This class, it has been before remarked, 
are chiefly in blossom in the latter part of the season. Being 
previously prepared by a knowledge of the general principles 
of classification, and observations of plants, you will no doubt 
derive pleasure from the study of the class Syngenesia; though 
were you to commence a course of botany with these plants, 
you would feel as if thrown amidst a chaos of facts, without 
any clue to their classification. . 
* Barton. 
Jussieu's division of compound flowers — Plants of this class easily recog- 
nized — Many arc valued for medicinal properties — Found in the latter part 
of the season. 
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