Of Flowers. 
femble a French bean, and are covered with this down or 
hair, which is very ftiff for its bignefs, and caufes pain, 
and inflammations, if rubbed on any part; and when 
viewed by the microfcope, this down appears to be a 
multitude of pointed thorns exquifitely {harp. 
Of the texture of the leaves of fea-weeds. 
I T is a plant which grows upon the rocks under water, 
increafmg and fpreading itfelf into a great tuft, which 
is not only handfomely branched into feveral leaves, but 
its whole furface is covered over with a curious kind of 
carved work c , confifting of a multitude of very fmall 
holes, ranged in the neatell and moil delicate order; a 
fmall piece thereof is reprefented as it appeared in the 
microfcope, at fig. 526, 
Of flowers. 
A Flower is that part of a plant which contains the 
organs of generation, or the parts necefiary for the 
propagation of the kind. 
It is a natural pradu£tion, which precedes the fruit, 
and yields the grain or feed. 
Their ftrudture is fomewhat various, though the gene¬ 
rality, according to Dr. Grew, have thefe three parts 
entire, the empalement, the foliation, and the attire. 
Mr. Ray reckons, that every perfect flower has the 
petala, flamina, apices, and ftylus, or piftil; fuch as 
want any of thefe he deems imperfect flowers. 
In moil plants there is a perianthium, calyx, or flower 
cup, of a ftronger confiftence than the flower itfelf, and 
defigneJ to firengthen and preferve it. 
Flowers, 
* Hook’s Mic. p. 14c; 
