m 
THE STUDY OF BOTANY. 
centre that are of unequal lengths; the partial ones irregular on long 
fastigiate peduncules. 
5. Rachis, a thread-shaped receptacle, the flowers adhering to it 
lengthwise, and forming a spike. 
6. Spadix, the receptacle of a palm, produced within a spatha 
(sheath) divided into branches that bear fruit. 
The parts of fructification with their sub-divisions having been 
explained separately, I shall here give a view of them altogether 
with the proper distinguishing character assigned to each by Lin¬ 
naeus, beginning with the vegetable itself. 
The essence of the vegetable consists in the fructification. 
The essence of the fructification consists in the flower and fruit. 
The essence of the flower consists in the anthera and stigma. 
The essence of the fruit consists in the seeds. 
We come now to the parts, namely : 
1. Pollen is a dust of vegetables, destined to burst in a liquor ap¬ 
propriated to that purpose, and to discharge therein by its elastic 
force, a substance not distinguishable by the naked eye. 
2. Seed, is a deciduous part of a plant, fraught with the rudiment 
of a new one, and quickened by the pollen. 
3. Anthera, is a vessel that produces and discharges the pollen. 
4. Pericarpium, is a vessel that produces and discharges the seeds. 
5. Filimentum, is the foot that supports the anthera, and fastens 
it to the vegetable. 
6. Germen, is the rudiment of the pericarpium or semen, not yet 
arrived at maturity. 
7. Stigma, is the moistened summit of the germen. 
8. Stylus, is the foot of the stigma that connects it with the germen. 
9 and 10. Calyx and Corolla are the teguments or covers of the 
stamina and pistillum ; the former arising from the cortical epider¬ 
mis, or outer bark, and the latter from the liber, or inner bark. 
11. Receptaculum, is that part which connects the parts before 
mentioned. From these characters the following principals may be 
deduced: 
1. That every vegetable is furnished with flower and fruit, there 
being no species where these are wanting. 
2. That there is no fructification without anthera, stigma, and seed. 
3 That the anthera and stigma, constitute a flower, whether the 
covers are present or wanting. 
4. That the seeds constitute a fruit, whether there is a pericar¬ 
pium or not. 
F. F. Ashford. 
