230 NATURAL HISTORY. 
the alterations have been very judicious amendments 
of terms falfely ufed by the ancients : For the mod- 
ern botanifts have named the plants fromthe parts - 
which they contain; while their predeceffors have 
named them from outward appearance, or fuppofed 
qualities. ‘Thus are the long terms, and denomina- 
tions, which only perplexed the mind, and burdened 
the memory, abandoned. Conformably to this im- 
provement, Linnezus propofesfimple and proper 
terms, to.exprefs not only the different parts of plants, 
but, likewife, their forms, qualities, fituations, direc- 
tions, and mode of exiftence of each part refpectively. 
‘This method has, in general, been adopted by. all 
fucceeding writers in this {cience. 
No method:could be fo proper for claffing plants, — 
as that adopted by Linnzus; namely from their fex- 
ual difference. This-is moft natural, and leaft fubject 
to variation, from.the difference being defcribed ac- 
cording to the variation of the ftamina.in the male, 
and the pointais in the female parts of a plant. 
_ According to modern botanifts, plants are defcribed 
as confifting of fix parts:--The root, radix; the 
trunk, truncus; the fupport, fulcra ; the leaves, fo- 
dia; the flowers, flores ; and the fruit, frucéus. 
I. RADIX.——-ROOT, 
I S..that part of the plant which adheres to the — 
“ground, from whence it draws its nourifament. 
~~ Roots are either fibrous, bulbous, or tuberous. 
THE FIBROUS ROOT | 
js either perpendicular, horizontal, flefhy as the ears 
rot, hairy asthe roots of gra/s, or branching. . 


