CLASS DICECIA. 
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cious plants in general appearance, it has a three leaved calyx 
and 3 white petals, not unlike the Spider’s-wort in the form of 
its flowers. Many species of this very delicate looking plant in 
autumn may be found in ditches and stagnant waters. 
We find in this order many of the most important forest trees, 
the oak, beech, walnut, chesnut, butternut, and birch. These 
trees all belong to one natuial family, distinguished for bearing 
their staminate flowers in nodding aments, which are furnished 
with scales, on which the stamens are inserted ; the pistillate 
flowers have scales or calyxes. The fruit is often hard, the 
stems are woody, and the roots are perennial. 
• 
MONADELPHIA. 
The 15th order, in which the filaments are united in a column, 
presents us with the Cucumber tribe, (Cucurbitacece ;) these in- 
clude not only the proper Cccumis, which is an exotic, but 
some native genera of similar plants ; we find here the gourd, 
squash, watermelon, and pumpkin. These plants have most- 
ly a yellow, 5 cleft corolla, calyx 5 parted, 3 filaments united 
into a tube, a large berry-like fruit, called a Pepo ; this, in the 
melon, is ribbed, and in the cucumber uneven and warty. We 
find in the same artificial order a very different family of plants, 
called Coniferous , or cone bearing plants ; these have the stam- 
inate flowers in aments, each furnished with a scale or perianth 
supporting the stamens ; the pistillate flowers are in strobilums, 
each furnished with a hard scale. The stems are woody, the 
leaves ever green, and the juice resinous. To this natural fami- 
ly belong the pine and cypress. 
The character of trees may be studied to advantage at four 
different seasons : in winter, when the forms cf the ramification 
can be seen in the naked boughs, and the leaf and flower buds ex- 
amined in their inert state ; in spring, w hen in blossom ; in sum- 
mer, when the foilage is in perfection ; and in autumn, when, 
during the first stages of decay, the mellow ness and variety of 
tints afford beautiful subjects for the pencil of the painter, and 
the investigation of those who love the study of nature under all 
her forms. 
CLASS DICECIA. 
The class Dicecia, (two houses,) has staminate and pistillate 
flowers on separate plants. The distinction with regard to the 
Forest trees — Order Monadelphia — Cucumber tribe — General character 
Cone-bearing’ plants — Best periods for studying trees — Class Dicecia — 
Orders — 
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