them from their natural family, and brings them under the class we are now considering. You may understand this better, if we compare it to taking a person from his relations, to place him among strangers. But this evil must sometimes be borne for the sake of some attendant good; we are also obliged to submit to the necessity of occasionally separating the flowers from their natural relations, because we cannot turn aside from our rules of classification to accommodate a few plants which deviate from the ordinary laws of nature. The sage seems to have made an effort to escape this misfortune, for it seems almost to have attained four stamens, by doubling its filaments, but two of these having no anthers cannot be considered as stamens; therefore the plant falls back into the second class, and is placed by the side of the lilac, to which it has no kind of resemblance, except in its two stamens. This plant, however, is not the only one of the labiate flowers which is removed from its natural family in the 13th class; for the rosemary and the mountain-mint accompany it into the second class; but these have not the two imperfect filaments which were remarked in the sage. The genus Salvia contains one hundred and fourteen species; the one most commonly cultivated with us is the officinalis, a shrub-like, perennial plant; to this we give more particularly the name of sage. Another species of the same genus is the sclara, called Clarry; this has larger and broader leaves than the common sage; it is cultivated for its medicinal properties.

A very small plant called Enchanter's night-shade, (Circæa,) may be found growing wild in shady places; it is a harmless, modestlooking plant, notwithstanding its name. It has a small white blossom, in the parts of which great uniformity as to number may be observed; it has two stamens, a corolla with two petals, a calyx with two sepals, capsule with two cells, each of which contains two seeds.

The symmetry of structure observable in the plant just described, is seen in many flowers; as those of two stamens often have this number in the other parts of the flower; the number is frequently doubled; as in the lilac, which has two stamens, and a four-parted corolla. In a plant with three stamens, the number three or six usually prevails in the divisions of the calyx, corolla, capsule, &c. A knowledge of this fact will assist you in determining the class of a plant; for example, if you have a flower whose calyx has five or ten divisions, and the corolla the same number, you may expect, if the flower is a perfect one, to find either five or ten stamens; or if the divisions of the flower be two, there will generally be two or four stamens; if three, either three or six stamens; if four, either four or eight stamens. The number five, as divisions of the calyx, corolla, and capsule, is generally united to five or ten stamens, and found in the fifth or tenth class.

Another native plant of the second class, is the Veronica. Of the seventy species which this genus is said to contain, no more than six or eight are common to North America. The Veronica and the Circæa both turn black when dried; although they do not add to the beauty of an herbarium, they are desirable in a collection of plants, as our country contains few specimens to illustrate the second class. At Fig. 122, c, is a representation of a flower of the Veronica; at d, is the Circaa.

Why is the sage removed from its place with the labiate flowers-Are there any marks of four stamens in the sage?-How many species of the genus Salvia ?-What two are mentioned in particular?-Enchanter's night-shade-What is observed respecting the symmetry of structure in many flowers?- Veronica.

Among the exotics of this order we find a singular plant, peculiar to the East Indies, the NYCTANTHES arbor tristis, or sorrowful tree; its boughs droop during the day, but through the night they are erect, and appear fresh and flourishing.

The Olive, (Olea,) is common on the rocks of Palestine; it may now, according to the accounts of travellers, be found upon the same spot which was called, eleven centuries before the Christian era, the mount of Olives, or mount Olivet.

Order Digynia.

In the second order of this class is the sweet scented spring-grass, (ANTHOXANTHUM odoratum,) which is found in blossom in May; to this grass the pleasant smell of new made hay is chiefly owing; its odour is like that of clover. This plant is separated by the artificial system from the other grasses, on account of its having but two stamens. This is the kind of grass used in this country as a substitute for the Leghorn grass, in the manufacture of hats. The first hat of the kind was made a few years since by an ingenious female in the town of Wethersfield, Connecticut; since which time, many hats, not inferior to the best Leghorn, have been made from the same material.

The Catalpa, an elegant tree, with flat, cordate, or heart-shaped leaves, is indigenous to the Southern United States; its white flowers, striped with purple, grow in panicles similar to the Horse-chestnut. Only one species is found in North America.

Order Trigynia.

This order contains the genus PIPER, one species of which, the nigrum, is the common black pepper. The cayenne pepper belongs to the genus CAPSICUM, which is found in the eighth class. The flowers of the Piper genus have neither calyx nor corolla, but the fruit is borne on a spadix.

We have in this lecture remarked upon the use of botanical terms; we have considered the few groups into which the classes of Linnæus may be arranged, with the names of the classes, and the characters of each ;—and have given a sketch of the two first classes, with some examples under each of their orders. In doing this, we have been obliged to pass by many plants which had an equal claim to notice, but as knowledge must be gained by the observation of particular cases, we have thus selected a few examples, in order that you may be prepared to examine the others with pleasure and advantage.

LECTURE XXV.

CLASS III.-TRIANDRIA.

Order Monogynia.

In the first order of this class we find among our common exotics the Crocus, which is particularly interesting as being one of the earliest flowers of our gardens, not unfrequently blossoming in the neighbourhood of a snow-bank. It has a bulbous root, long and narrow leaves, a spatha, and six petals. Besides the CROCus vernus, or spring crocus, which often appears even in our own climate as What is said of the Nyctanthes?-Of the Olive?-Sweet scented spring-grass-Catalpa-Pepper-Order Trigynia-Recapitulation-First order of the third class-Different species of Crocus.

early as March, there is of this genus a very distinct species, the CROCUS officinalis, or the true saffron, which appears among the late flowers of autumn. The following beautiful lines, respecting these flowers, are from the pen of one* whose early and fervent piety, marked him as a fit inhabitant of a purer sphere;-a Christian philosopher, he could see an invisible hand directing the operations of

nature.

"Say, what impels, amid surrounding snow
Congealed, the Crocus' flamy bud to grow?
Say, what retards, amid the summer's blaze,
The autumnal bulb, till pale declining days?
The GOD OF SEASONS, whose pervading power
Controls the Sun, or sheds the fleecy shower;
He bids each flower his quickening word obey :
Or to each lingering bloom, enjoins delay."

The Iris, or Fleur-de-lis,† (pronounced by a corruption of the French language, flower-de-luce,) is very curious in its structure. It has no proper calyx, but a spatha; its corolla consists of six parts, alternately reflexed, or bent back, the pistil has three stigmas, which appear at first view like petals. The Iris is so named from Iris, the rainbow, on account of the various colours which it reflects, varying from different shades of purple, into blue, orange, yellow, and white. We have several native species of Iris, one of which, the common blue flag, is found in wet places. The flowers are purple, streaked with yellow; this is sometimes called Poison flag. The Crocus and Iris are found in the natural family of Jussieu called Iridea; this family belongs to the division of monocotyledons, having_sta

Fig. 123.

mens around the germ, or perigynous. Lin næus calls the same plants Ensate, from the Latin word ensis, a sword, on account of the shape of their leaves, which are long, narrow, and pointed.

Fig. 123 represents the Ixia, (blackberrylily ;) a, is an entire flower; b, is the corolla cut lengthwise, to show the three stamens. The Ixia belongs to the same natural family as the Iris and Crocus. At c, is the flower of the matgrass, (Nardus,) having but one pistil; this is separated from the grass family, the greater part of which we shall meet with in the next order of this class.

Order Digynia.- The Grasses.

The 2d Order of the third class contains the family of the grasses, (Gramina ;) they are distinguished by a straight, hollow, and jointed stem, or culm; the long and linear leaves are placed at each joint of the stalk, in alternate order, enclosing it like a sheath. The flower is found in what is called an ear or head; it consists of a corolla of two green husks, enclosed by a glume calyx of two husks or valves. These husks constitute the chaff, which is separated from the seed by an operation called thrashing.

These little flowers are also furnished with a nectary; they are green, like the rest of the plant, and you will need a microscope to

* Henry Kirke White.

+ See Appendix, Plate vi. Fig. 6. At Plate vi. Fig. 5, is another plant of this class and order.

What is said of the Iris ?-In what natural families did Jussieu and Linnæus placo the Crocus and Iris-Explain Fig. 123-Describe the grass family-The culm-glume.

view them accurately; they are best observed in a mature stage of the plant, when their husks being expanded, discover three filaments, containing each a large double anther; the two pistils have a kind of reflexed, feathered stigma. They have no seed vessel; each seed is contained within the husks, which gradually open; and unless the seed is gathered in season, it falls to the ground. This facility for the distribution of the seed is one cause of the very general diffusion of grasses.

The roots of grasses are fibrous, and increase in proportion as the leaves are trodden down, or consumed; and the stalks which support the flower are seldom eaten by cattle, so that the seeds are suffered to ripen. Some grasses which grow on very high mountains, where the heat is not sufficient to ripen the seed, are propagated by suckers or shoots, which rise from the root, spread along the ground, and then take root; grasses of this kind are called stoloniferous, which means bearing shoots. Some others are propagated in a manner not less wonderful; for the seeds begin to grow while in the flower itself, and new plants are there formed, with little leaves and roots; they then fall to the ground, where they take root. Such grasses are called viviparous, which signifies producing their offspring alive, either by bulbs instead of seeds, or by seeds germinating on the plant. The seeds of the grasses have but one lobe, or are not naturally divided into parts, like the apple seed and the bean; therefore these are said to be monocotyledonous.

The stems of gramineous plants, like those of all the monocotyledons, are of that kind which grow internally, or from the centre outward, and are therefore called endogenous.

With regard to the duration of the grass-like plants, some are annual; as wheat, rye, and oats, whose roots die after the grain or seed is matured. The meadow grasses are perennial; their herbage dying in autumn, and the roots sending out new leaves in the spring.

The family of grasses is one of the most natural of all the vegetable tribes: the plants which compose it, seem, at the first glance, to be so similar, that it would appear impossible to separate them into species, much less into genera; but scientific research and close observation present us with differences sufficient to form a basis for the establishment of a great number of genera. The essential character of the oat (Avena) consists in the jointed, twisted awn or beard, which grows from the back of the blossom; the oat is also remarkable for its graceful panicle. The rye (Secale) has two flowers within the same husk. The wheat (Triticum) has three flowers within the same husk; the interior valve of the corolla of the wheat is usually bearded. The filaments in the rye and wheat are exsert, that is, they hang out beyond the corolla; from which circumstance these grains are more exposed to injury from heavy rains than those whose filaments are shorter.

Perhaps, in the whole of the vegetable kingdom, although there are many plants of much greater brilliancy of appearance, there are none which are so important to man as the grass family.

Linnæus, who was distinguished for the liveliness of his fancy, no less than the clearness of his reasoning powers, seemed to delight in tracing analogies between plants and men: establishing among the

Filaments-pistils--Roots of grasses--Manner in which grasses are propagatedSeeds How do the stems of the grasses grow?--What is said of the duration of grass-like plants?-What is remarked of the separation of the grasses into genera and species?-Describe the oat, the rye, and wheat-What is said of the importance of the grass family?

former a kind of aristocracy, he called grasses, the plebeians of the vegetable kingdom. To them, indeed, belong neither brilliancy of appearance, nor delicacy of constitution; numerous, humble, and rustic, and at the same time giving to man and beast the sustenance necessary to preserve life, the grasses may well be compared to the unassuming farmer, and mechanic, to whom society is indebted for its existence and prosperity, far more than to the idle fop or blustering politician.

The grasses are supposed to include nearly one sixth part of the whole vegetable world; they cover the earth as with a green carpet, and furnish food for man and beast. Some of these, most valuable as furnishing food for cattle, are herds-grass, (Phleum pratense,) meadow-grass, (Poa,) orchard-grass, (Dactylis,) and oats. Those which are used in various ways as food for man, are wheat, rye, barley, and Indian-corn; the latter botanically called ZEA mays, although of the natural family of the grasses, having a culm-like stalk, and other distinguishing characteristics of grass-like plants, is placed in the class Monoecia, because the stamens and pistils are separated in different flowers, growing from the same root. The styles, long, slender, and exserted, form what is called the silk; they are thus favourably situated for receiving the fertilizing pollen which is showered down from the staminate flowers.

The fruit of corn, wheat, rye, &c., is called grain. Grain, then, consists of the seed with its pericarp; these are not easily distinguished from each other till the grain is ground into flour; the pericarp separating from the seed, then forms what is called the bran; and the seed, the flour or meal.

The Sugar-cane (SACCHARUM officinarum)* is of the grass family; it is supposed to have been brought from the south of Europe to the West Indies. The stem or culm, which sometimes grows to the height of twenty feet, affords the juice from which the sugar is made.

The Bamboo, (ARUNDO bam,) of the East Indies, a species of reed which is said to attain, in some situations, the height of sixty feet, is also of this class.

The Sedge (Carex) is a gramineous plant, but it bears staminate and pistillate flowers, and is therefore placed in the class Monecia. The carexest constitute a very numerous family of plants.

α

*See Appendix, Plate ii. Fig. 2.

Fig. 124.

Fig. 124 represents two magnified flowers of the orchard grass, (Dactylis glomerata;) at a, is a calyx composed of two valves; these are compressed, keeled acute; one valve is shorter than the valves of the flowers, the other longer; the calyx is common to the two flowers; b, shows the valves of the

+ The plural of carex, according to the Latin termination, is carices.

Glomerata signifies a cluster, alluding to the crowded panicles of flowers.

The parts of the calyx, and also of the corolla, are sometimes called glumes; they are all much alike in appearance, being merely a set of sheaths, for the purpose of protecting the stamens: they are not distinguished by any difference in colour from the leaves or stem. The anthers, which are usually yellow, are the only part of the flower of the grasses which is coloured. Resembling the keel of a boat.

What did Linnæus call the grasses ?-Which are among the most valuable grasses for cattle ?-Which for the use of man?-What is said of Indian corn?-What is grain ?-Sugar-cane-Bamboo-Sedge-What does Fig. 124 represent?

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