CHAPTER II.

POPULAR APPLICATION OF THIS METHOD OF CLASSIFICATION TO

BRITISH WILD PLANTS.

"Flowers! flowers! that by the wayside spring,

So delicate and wild;

With what a strange delight they fill

The wond'ring, laughing child!
It grasps their leaflets close awhile,

Then strews them wide around,

For many a joy it hath to spare
Along its verdant bound.

"Frail flowers we call them, prone to fade

Ere one brief season flies;

Yet down the smitten strong man falls,

And in a moment dies;

Time wears away the arch of rock,

And wrecks the ancient throne;

But here they are, unchanged as when

On Eden's breast they shone."

SIGOURNEY.

THE first step towards ascertaining the Family of a plant is to determine under what general division it may be found. The particular family may then be ascertained by means of some convenient analysis of the families under each division.

D

RULES FOR

ASCERTAINING

I.

THE GENERAL DIVISION UNDER

WHICH THE FAMILY OF A PLANT MAY BE FOUND.

As the most striking and interesting flowers are the most elaborate in structure, the simplest method is to proceed progressively, by determining what they are not, until the inquiry be limited to one or two families, with the definition of which they must be carefully compared. The Division to which a plant belongs may be ascertained by putting a series of questions, which every plant will answer to the discriminating eye, and the investigation cannot fail to prove both amusing and instructive. Each question involves some essential principle of structure, and gradually brings to view the relation of the plant under inquiry to all other plants.

N.B. The figures § 1, § 2, § 3, &c., refer to the sections. of the foregoing chapter. The numerals I. II. III., &c., refer to the general divisions analysed under the next head of the present chapter, and also to the Analysis of each Division in PART II. With any flower and accompanying foliage before us, inquire, 1. Is it Cryptogamous? If the plant has pistil and stamens it cannot be. (§ 2.) If it is without true flowers, then refer to Division VI.

2. Is it Endogenous? This will be mostly decided by the veining of the leaves, and by the proportional number of the parts of the flower. (§ 3.) If the leaf has parallel veins, so as to be easily torn into strips; and if the floral leaves, stamens, &c., are in 3's or 6's, then refer to Division V.

3. Is it Monochlamydeous ? none? (§ 4.) Refer to Division IV.

Has it but one vestment or

4. Is it Monopetalous, with the stamens attached to the corolla, and both free from the calyx? The corolla and stamens generally coming off together, and the calyx being inferior. (§ 4, § 5 c.) Then it belongs to Corolliflora. Refer to Division III.

5. Is it Polypetalous, with the petals and stamens free from the calyx, the calyx often falling off? (§ 5 a.) It belongs to Thalamiflora. Refer to Division I.

6. If it evidently does not belong to any of the above-named Divisions, it must belong to Division II. This indirect method of approaching a difficult division will be found the most practicable. However, to complete the series of questions, inquire,

Are the corolla and stamens attached to the calyx, the corolla being either Polypetalous or Monopetalous? (§ 5 b.) It belongs to Calyciflora. Refer to Division II.

N.B. The Monopetalous plants belonging to this Division have the calyx superior.

By means of this series of questions, the general division under which a Family may be found is determined; the next point is to ascertain the family itself. This is accomplished by means of some analysis of the families under each Division.