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Shorten the Footffalks of the feparate Flowers of an Aggregate, 
and it will refemble an Aflbciate ; lengthen them, and it will rcfem- 
b!e an Umbrella’d Plant : but in the one cafe, it will not be an Aflo- 
ciate, for each Flower will dill have its diffind: Cup; and in the other 
it will not be an Umbelliferous Plant, for there will be no fecond divi- 
lion of the Footdalks. It will thus be, even in an artificial fyfteni, 
jud what we have (hewn it truly is in nature; it will refemble the two 
Clafies, but it can be of neither; it is feparate from both, and at equal 
didance between them : It is therefore the thing we fought ; the true 
connecting C lafs ; its didindions from both are certain, evident, and 
invariable; and while we thus trace its place in Nature, it fixes the 
true Characters of thofe feveral Clafies difiindly in our minds. 
The Clafs of Aggregates thus formed, and thus didindively cha- 
raderifed, admits into its limits many Plants, which have before been 
arranged under different Clafies ; but it excludes none that have ever 
been numbered among thofe related to any of its branches. 
The feveral Genera which it comprehends might be found capable 
of various diftributions ; but to us the moft obvious, always will appear 
the beft. Among thofe who are fond of feeking deep for Charaders, 
the thicknefs, the flightnefs, or the abfolute want of a Receptacle, or 
the length, the fhortnefs, or total deficience of Footdalks to the feparate 
Flowers, might ferve as Charaders of Orders, Sedions and Subdivi- 
fions ; but the one of thefe methods requires the tearing the head to 
pieces, and the other the cutting it afunder, to know the didindions. 
We profefs a didike to thefe torturings of Nature, and to all Cha- 
raders the eye does not at cnce didinguifh ; but if it were otherwife, 
thefe far fought and deep laid Charaders of difference, would be rejecded 
here as indeterminate, and therefore ufelefs. 
As to the Receptacle, it confifts of two (kins with a fpungy matter be- 
tween. Its thicknefs or flightnefs are only terms of more and lefs, not 
marks of true diftindtion, neither is it ever totally abfent. It is very 
great in Teafell, it is fcarce to be feen at all in Thrift, yet both thefe have 
it ; and all Aggregates have it. The Stalk terminates in a head, fur- 
rounded by a Cup, within which, rife the feparate Flowers. This Cup 
is 
