396 
NATURAL HISTORY. 
Premna, and Hyobanche, 4. Such as have many petals, of which 
there is but one genus, viz. Melianthus, Honey Flciwcr. 
Of the fifteenth Class. Tetr adynamia.* 
This class consists of such plants as bear hermaphrodite flowers, 
furnished with six stamina, two of which are shorter than the rest, 
by which last circumstance it may be distinguished from the sixth 
class, whose flowers have six equal stamina. The flowers of this 
class are of a particular structure, answering to the characters 
following. 
Characters of the Class Tetrad ynamia. 
CALYX. — A perianthium tetraphyllous, and oblong ; the leaves 
of winch are ovato-oblong, concave, obtuse, conniving, gibbous 
downwards at the base, the opposite ones equal and deciduous. 
The calyx in these flowers is a nectarium ; which is the reason of 
the base being gibbous. 
COKOliliA. — Called cruciform. Four equal petals. The claws 
piano-subulate, erect, and somewhat longer than the calyx. The 
limb plane. The laminae widening outwards, obtuse, the sides 
hardly touching one another. The insertion of the petals is in the 
same circle with the stamina. 
STAMINA. — The filaments six, and subulate; of which two 
that are opposite are of the length of the calyx ; the other four 
somewhat longer, but not so long as the corolla. The antherae 
oblong, acuminate, thicker at the base, erect, and with the tops 
leaning outwards. There i3 a nectariferous glandule, which in the 
different genera has various appearances ; it is seated close to the 
stamina, and particularly to the two shorter ones, to whose base it 
is fastened ; and these have a light curvature to prevent their press- 
ing upon it, whereby those filaments become shorter than the rest. 
PISTILLUM. — The germen above the receptacle increasing daily 
in height. The style either of the length of the longer stamina or 
w anting. The stigma obtuse. 
PEiilCARPIUM. — A siliqua of two valves, often bilocular, 
opening from the base to the top. The dissepiment projecting at 
the top beyond the valves, the prominent part thereof having before 
served as a style. 
SEEDS. — Roundish, inclining downw r ards, alternately plunged 
* These are the Uruciformes (cross-shaped flowers) of Tournefort, and 
this Sllipuosas, and the Siliquos® (plants that have pods) of Ray’s Hist. 
Plant. 777 . This class is truly natural, and has been assumed as such by all 
systeinatists, though individuals have often added one or more genera to it, 
contrary to nature. Linnaeus thinks he has given no wrong one, unless it 
be Cleome. The distinction into Siliculose, and Siliquose, is admitted by 
all. The plants are held to be antiscorbutic and diuretic. The taste in 
most is watery mixed witii a sharpness. They commonly lose their quality 
when dried. The essential character of the several genera in this class 
depends commonly on the situation of the nectariferous glandule. 
