210 The SEVEN VEGETABLE FA MILIE SV 
about the R' diments of the decayed Leaves. It is loft at fird, but hardens 
ns the Tree dands longer. The Leaves Ipread only from the top ; and in 
the nndil rifes a little above them a tender Cone, of a white juicy nature j 
which is the Bafe of the fucceeding Leaves. This is delicate in lade when 
the Palm is very young, and dill fweeter when advanced to maturity ; but 
in the middle dages of growth it is fomewhat audere. 
The Leaves are elegantly pinnated or winged ; and while young their 
feveral Lobes naturally and elegantly bend back, and often meet one ano- 
tlier. 
xA.mong the Leaves rife together the Fruit and Flowers. They are dif- 
pofed very fingularly upon a kind of branched Ears ; and thefe, while 
young, are covered by a filmy Scabbard j which, when it has burd length- 
wife, to let out the Ear, decays. The Flowers and Rudiments of Fruit 
are difpofed on the fame Ear ; the Fruit on the lower part, and the Flowers 
row.rrd the extremities of the Branches. The Flowers are fmall and yel- 
lowifii j the Fruit is fixed clofe on the dronger part of the Ear, and grows 
to a great fize : woody on the lurface, and filled with a peculiar Liquor, 
and a firm Pulp. 
The difpofition of the Leaves upon the Palm, and of the Flowers and 
Fruit upon the Ear, give a fufficiently plain and certain Charadter of this 
Family : tho’ Botany has yet a great deal to learn on the article of their Im- 
pregnation. 
This is the fixth of the Seven great and natural Clafies called Families 
of Plants ; tlie Seventh comprehends the common kinds of Herbs and 
Trees together ; fuch as have none of thefe peculiar marks. There needs no 
indance to be produced of thefe: the Hellebore, the Winter Aconite, and 
Anemone, with the red, figured in the preceding parts of this work, be- 
long to the Seventh Family, and one might be an example as well as ano- 
ther.. 
CHAP. XLVIII. 
The Origin of the Seven Families, from the In- 
ternal Structure. 
^ H E S E are the Seven great Arrangements of Plants ; and they are 
thus didinguidied by obvious Charadters from one another. Thofe 
Charadters depend on the Proportion and Difpofition of their feveral condi- 
tuent 
