7 + 
The vegetable SYSTEM. 
This Floret naturally rifes from the Summit of the embryo Seed', 
where there is a little rifing verge that defends its bafe, in manner of 
a Cup, belide the general or common Cup, which includes all the 
Florets, with their fuhjacent Seeds : this is nxed to the fwol’n head 
of the Foottlalk, which is what wc call the Common Receptacle. 
The Chives in each Floret anfwcr to the number of the divifions 
of its Rim : they are naturally five ; and they take their origin from 
the neck of the Pip, A tubulated Floret with its Chives as they 
flard naturally, is reprefcnted at Plate 14. Fig. 2 : and at Plate 14. 
.Fig. 3. is a Floret of the fame form cut open to fliew their infertion ; 
the long, flender body fplit at the end, which rifes in the rnidfl; of 
thefe Chives, and pierces the Tube they form, is the female Organ 
or Style of the Floret ; and being alike in all the Flowers of this and 
the two fucceeding Clafles, it has nothing to do in the claflical cha- 
racters, nor can be the lealt ferviceablc even in our fubdiflinCtions. 
, It is figured becaufe it exifts in Nature, but it is to be pafTed over 
On regarded. 
The union of the Chives Is thus form»cd. 
Their Threads are very flender and very fliort ; their Summits are 
oblong, of equal breadtli, and raifed ereCt : they touch, and are 
joined one to the other at the fides, and together form a hollow 
Cylinder with an indented Rim ; or a regular firm Tube, like what 
our joiners make when they compofe a hollow fhaft of a column of a 
number of plain narrow boards. 
I'liE verge of this Tube ufually reaches nearly or entirely to the 
height of the Floret itfelf; and therefore appears in it as if it were 
another, and yet lefler. Flower. 
The Chives with their united fummits fcparated from the Floret 
are reprefented at Plate 14. Fig 4 ; at Fig. 5. the fame with the Style, 
and at Fig. 6 . with one Chive feparated from the reft. 
Whatever Plant has its general Flower compofed of Florets of 
this tubular form, furrounded by a verge of Rays, and the Chives 
thus united, is of the firfl: Clafs. There are very many fuch, and 
it will be therefore ufeful to arrange them in different orders ; accord- 
ing to the mofl: certain and obvious diftindfions which are common 
to any number of them. 
As the character of the Clafs is eitabliflicd upon the form and con- 
flruCtion of the Florets and Rays, thefe diflinCtions of the orders of 
the 
