The SEVEN VEGETABLE FAMILIES. 21 1 
tnent Parts ; from which refuks that difference in the fabrick of their Vef- 
fels, and in the courfe of their Juices, which is the immediate caiife of 
the Forms which give thofe Charaflers. 
Thus in the Mushroom kind, inftanced in the Truffle, the Flefli be 
ing extremely final 1 , and making only a thin Membrane, is not able u 
raife itfelf up in a Stalk, nor to force out the other parts in Fibres : there- 
fore the original Shell, or Annular Rudiment in the Seed, fwells without 
producing any external part ; and of neceffity muft form, and throw off, 
the new Annular Rudiments within its own body. Thus it is al.'b with 
all the other Mufhrooms, whofe various forms are no more than extenlions 
of the original Annule, in a more free manner j no one of them ever 
having the common appearance of Stalks or Leaves. 
In the Alga the Coats as well as the Flefliy Subfiance, are all thin * 
therefore the Plant can be only membranaceous. In the Mosses, the inner 
Rind of the Root is the part mofl; redundant, and belf nouriffled : there- 
fore this forces itfelf out in form of Leaves 3 and even covers the Plead 
with as plain a Reticulation of Veffels. The proof of this appears upon a 
mere infpedtion. We know all real Leaves have their proper Coat of 
Rind, their Subflance of Blea, and their Ribs of Conic Clukers : but 
what in thefe Plants wear the form of Leaves may be traced in a plain and 
fimple courfe, from the inner Bark of the Root or Stem only : from this 
they rife without receiving any other part : and their flrudlure is not that 
of Leaves, but is the fame with that of the inner Barks of all Vegetables, 
a Reticulation of Veffels within two fimple Membranes. 
In the Fern kinds the Flefli is flill weak, and thin, and feems no more 
than as a membranaceous Coat furrounding the Conic Clufters ; and rif- 
ing no where without them. Therefore no Flowering Stalk can be form- 
ed j but the Rudiments of new Plants are produced where thofe Veffels 
of the Conic Cluflers, which do not return, terminate in the body of the 
Leaf. 
In the Grasses, the Veffels of the outer Rind are large, numerous, 
compadl, and hard : that Rind itfelf therefore has the fame Character. 
The Flefh, which is thin in all other parts, fwells at the Originations of 
new Circulatory Syflems in the lengthened Stalk j and hence arife theCha- 
rafters of the Family. The Knots of the Stalk are owing to the fwelling 
of the Flefli, which is, indeed, no more than proportioned to the great 
length between Joint and Joints and the natural hardnefsef the outer Rind 
gives the chaffy and dry firmnefs of thofe Hufks wherein it terminates. 
- Moffes are redundant in the inner Rind, the Palms abound in Blea ; 
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