376 
NATURAL HISTORY. 
flat seeds in three cells. This capsule, considered as the 
cover of the seeds, takes tlu name of pericardium. 
The parts here mentioned, are found in the flowers of most 
other plants, bulin dill'erent proportion, situation, and number. 
By the analogy of these parts, and their different combina- 
tions, the families of the vegetable kingdom are determined ; 
and these analogies are connected with others, in those parts 
of the plant which seem to have no relation to them. For 
instance, this number of six stamens, sometimes only three, 
of six petals or divisions of the corolla, and that triangular 
form of the germ, with its three cells, determine the lililaceous 
tribe; and in all this tribe, which is very numerous, the roots 
are bulbs of some sort or other. That of the lily is squamous, 
or composed of scales; in the asphodel, it is a number of 
oblong solid bulbs, connected together; in the crocus and 
saffron there are two bulbs, one over the other; in the col- 
chicurn they are placed side by side. 
The lily is deficient, however, in one of the constituent 
parts of a perfect flower, namely, the calyx , which is that 
outer green part of the flower, usually divided into five 
parts, or composed of five small leaves, sustaining and em- 
bracing the corolla at the bottom, and enveloping it entirely 
before it opens, as may be remarked in the rose. The calyx, 
which accompanies almost all other flowers, is wanting in 
the greater part of the lililaceous tribe ; as the tulip, the 
hyacinth, the narcissus, the tuberose, &c. and even in the 
onion, leek, garlic, Sic. which are also lililaceous, though they 
appear very different at first sight. 
The Linnrean system of classing plants, is founded upon 
the supposition, that vegetables propagate their species in 
the same manner as animals. 
The stamina he considers as the male, or foecundating part, 
and the pistil as the female. In some species the male and 
female flowers are different ; and in some, as the palm-tree, 
they grow upon different plants. But in the majority, the 
male and the female are found within the same corolla, and 
this large division of vegetables he styles hermaphrodite 
plants. On these principles Linnaeus has arranged all the 
known genera of plants in twenty-five classes, and these again 
are sub-divided into orders. The genera are distinguished 
by attending to the other part3 of the fructification; as the 
calyx, corolla, pericadrium, &c. 
In the following table the classes are distinctly exhibited, 
with the orders into which each class is subdivided. In the 
botanical plates the classes are all expressed, and with each 
particular class some one of the orders which will easily 
serve to give the reader an idea of the rest. 
