BOTANY. 
auricles or leaflets at its base. F. pedatum 
lias three primary leaflets, of which the la- 
teral ones are lobed in their fore part, as in 
helleborus fetidus. The different degrees 
in which leaves are compounded are thus 
expressed: F. compositum is simply com- 
pound; decompositum, doubly compound; 
supra decompositum, thrice compound, or 
more ; of all which the umbelliferous tribe 
atford examples ; bigeminatum and tergemi- 
natum are twice and thrice paired ; terna- 
turn consists of three leaflets ; biternatum is 
twice ternate, and triternatum, thrice ter- 
nate. In the same manner pipinnatnm is 
doubly pinnate, and tripinnatum triply pin- 
nate. 
OP THE FULCRA, OR APPENDAGES OF 
PLANTS. 
There are various appendages to the her- 
bage of plants, all which are comprehended 
by Linnaeus under the term fulcrum, a prop 
or support, which term, in its literal sense, 
however, applies but to a few of these or- 
gans. 
1 . Stipula. This is a leafy appendage to 
the true leaves, or to their stalks, for the 
most part in pairs, more or less constant 
even in the same genus or species : in roses 
they are invariable ; in willows very much 
the contrary. Some species of Cislus have 
Stipulas, others none. The peculiar stipula 
of grasses is a membrane crowning the 
sheathes of their leaves and embracing their 
stem, but it is not found in all the spe- 
cies. Plate I. fig. 18. 
2. Bractea, is a leafy appendage to the 
flower or its stalk, conspicuous in the lime- 
tree, beautifully coloured in the purple or 
pink-topped clary, and very much diversi- 
fied in different plants. Fig. 19. 
3. Spina, a thorn, proceeds from the 
wood itself, as in the wild pear-tree, which 
loses its thorns by cultivation. This is fan- 
cifully expressed by Linnaeus, who calls 
such garden plants tamed, or deprived of 
their natural arms. 
4. Aculeus, a prickle, proceeds from the 
bark only, having no connection with the 
wood, as in the rose, bramble, &c. It might 
be expected that this should be less per- 
manent than the foregoing, but the reverse 
is the case, for prickles are not eftfaced by 
culture. They rather abound most upon the 
most luxuriant stems. Plate II. fig. 21. 
' 5. Cbrus, a tendril or clasper, is really 
intended as a support for weak stems, by 
which they are enabled to climb rocks, or 
the trunks of lofty trees. These organs 
are either simple or branched, straight in 
the first instance, but sson becoming spiral, 
and thus are rendered capable of taking 
hold of any thing that comes in their way ; 
especially as many of them are so con- 
structed, that after having made a certain 
number of turns, they perform as many in 
a contrary direction. Some attach them- 
selves by a dilatation of their extremities 
to the smoothest and hardest stone. Thus, 
the vine, the passion-flower, find the family 
of vetches are elevated to a considerable 
height above the ground. Such tendrils 
differ essentially from roots, in never im- 
bibing nourishment, any more than the 
short fibres of the ivy. The gloriosa, or 
superb lily, has a spiral tendril at the end of 
each leaf, and in some few plants the flower- 
stalks produce tendrils. Plate I. fig. 22. 
6. Glandula, a gland, is a small tumour 
secreting a sweet, resinous, or fragrant li- 
quor, as on the calyx of the moss-rose, the 
foot-stalks of passion-flowers whose glands 
are like little cups, and the leaf of salix 
pentendra; which last being pressed be- 
tween paper, leaves the impression of an 
elegant row of yellow dots. Fig. 23. 
7. Pilus, a hair. Fig. 24. Under this are 
included all the various kinds of pubescence; 
bristles, wool, &c. some of which are cu- 
rious objects for the microscope. Some few 
of these bristles discharge a poison, as in 
the nettle, causing great irritation, whenever 
they are touched in such a manner as for 
their points to wound the skin. Hence 
arose the following lines : 
“ Tender-handed touch a nettle, 
And it stings you for your pains ; 
Grasp it like a man of mettle, 
And it soft as silk remains.” 
OF THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF INFLORES- 
CENCE OR MODES OF FLOWERING. 
The various modes in which flowers are 
situated upon or connected with a plant, 
are of great botanical importance, not only 
for specific distinctions, but as leading the 
way to a knowledge of natural families or 
orders. Yet Linnseus does not allow them 
to enter into the generic characters of 
plants, which he founds solely on the seven 
parts' of fructification to be hereafter de- 
scribed. This is one of those classical 
maxims of the Linmean school, which rival 
botanists are continually attempting to un- 
dermine and depreciate, conscious of their 
own deficiency in that technical skill for 
which Linnaeus was pre-eminent. We shall 
take occasion to mention an instance in 
which he himself went counter to this law. 
