FOLLICLE. A simple pod, opening down the inner suture. LEGUME, A simple pod, dehiscent into two pieces. Dry, dehiscent. LOMENT. A pod which separates transversely into joints. CAPSULE. Any dry, dehiscent, seed vessel. COMPOUND FRUIT. Fruit from several pistils combined. STROBILE, (or cone,) collective head, generally conical, of numerous hard, membranous bracts, covering naked seeds. GALBALUS. Small, rounded cone, with succulent, enlarged scales. Ex. Juniper berry. FORMS OF SEED. Orthotropous. Straight; no change in direction of parts. Campylotropous. Curved; the mycrophyle brought near the Anatropous. Inverted, mycrophyle brought near the Funiculus. Ex. Volet. Amphitropous. Half inverted, short raphe. Ex. Mallow. NUMBER OF COTYLEDONS. Mon, di, poly, cotyledonous. BOTANICAL ARRANGEMENT OF PLANTS. The two great ends of classification, are: 1st, To exhibit the relationship existing among plants, and bind them into a systematic whole. 2d, To enable the learner to readily ascertain the name and place in the system. The necessity of classification, to facilitate study, is no better exemplified in any branch of science than Botany. From the earliest times in which we have any record of the study of plants, botanists appear to have felt the want of some mode of throwing them into groups; but the difficulty has been to know what parts of the plant are to be compared; to discover which plants most resemble each other; and on this score the most eminent botanists have differed. Some, as for example, Tournefort, chose the flower, and placed all the plants that had cup-shaped flowers in one class, and those that had bell-shaped flowers in another. Others, as for example, Caesalpinus, took the fruit for the point of comparison, and put all the plants with globe-shaped fruits in one class, those having flat fruits in another, &c. None of these, however, were followed; and not until Linnæus' time did any method become popular. His method based upon the number of stamens and pistils, seemed to place within the reach of every one who could count, a simple method of classification. The imperfections of this method, in time, became apparent to students of Nature. Plants thus classified were thrown together, having no natural analogy; hence, in later days, his system (called the artificial or sexual system, because founded on the stamens and pistil) has given place to the now popular NATURAL SYSTEM, which has been the base of works for the past sixty years. It was first suggested by Jussieu, greatly improved by De Candolle, Lindley, Gray, and others. All botanists, of whatever school, divide plants into classes, orders, genera, species and varieties. CLASSES. Plants resembling each other in some grand leading features, although differing in minor particulars. Ex. Exogens and Endogens. NATURAL ORDERS, OR FAMILIES. These terms are interchangeable. The former used with the Latin name of the group, the latter with the English. Thus, Ord. Magnoliaceæ---Magnolia family. Orders consist of a number of plants that very closely resemble each other in some leading particular. They may have the same fruit or some such marked features or properties in common. They are groups of kindred genera, generally named by extending the name of the principal genus, in the nominative plural, e. g., Rose, Rosacea, short expression for Plantæ Rosaceæ, Rosaceous plants. The family resemblance in many of the orders is so prominent, that to even the uneducated eye, it is quite discernable. Ex. Compositæ, Cruciferæ, Leguminos, Umbelliferæ, &c. GENERA, (plural for Genus). By the binominal system of nomenclature, the botanical name of a plant expresses its generic and specific origin, the former being a substantive, as Quercus; the latter, generally an adjective, as alba, rubra, &c. Plants which are members of the same genus oftentimes resemble each other, not only in the position and number of the organs of fructification, but in the same general appearance of the flower. SPECIES. Indicates the individual plant, a collection of which composes the genus. Species are distinguished by some marked peculiarity of form or construction, so as to be easily recognized. VARIETY. Indicates the individuals of a species, which differ from each other in some not very important points, such as having double or semi-double flowers, &c. GENERAL CLASSIFICATION. CLASS I. EXOGENOUS OR DICOTYLEDONOUS PLANTS. a. POLYPETALOUS DIVISION, with both calyx and corolla, the latter of wholly separate petals. b. MONOPETALOUS DIVISION, with both calyx and corolla, the latter united more or less into one piece. c. APETALOUS DIVISION, i. e., with only one sort of floral envelope, or even none at all. CLASS II. ENDOGENOUS OR MONOCOTYLEDONOUS PLANTS. a. SPADICEOUS DIVISION. Flowers on a spadix or fleshy spike. Perianth, none, or not corolla like, no glumes. b. PETALOIDEOUS DIVISION. The flowers not on a spadix, and the perianth, or part of it, more or less corolla like. c. GLUMACEOUS DIVISION. The flowers enveloped by glumes, (chiefly bracts,) no manifest perianth. NATURAL ORDERS. In exhibiting the relationship which subsists among plants,and to bind them into a systematic whole, they are always arranged in such order, and under such successive grades, that each group shall stand next to those which it resembles in all, or in the most important respects, thus showing the plan of nature in the vegetable world. In this list of some of the prominent orders, such an arrangement is adhered to (following Gray's classification.) The most perfectly organized plants are represented in the first order, descending from this by successive gradation to the least perfectly organized. [For COMPLETE DESCRIPTION of Orders, see Manual of Botany.] CLASS I.-EXOGENOUS OR DICOTYLEDONOUS PLANTS. a. Polypetalous Division. RANUNCULACEA. Crow-foot family HERBS, with acrid, watery juice. LEAVES. Stalks dilated at base, exstipulate. STAMENS, numerous, hypogynous. FRUIT, follicles or achenia; carpels, distinct; embryo, minute. SEED, small, fleshy albumen. (Sepals, petals, stamens, pistils, all distinct and unconnected.) Sub Order.-1. RANUNCULE, Fruit, achenia. 2. ACONITE, Fruit, follicles. 66 66 66 3. CLEMATÆ, only one, with opposite leaves. MENISPERMACE.E. Moonseed family. WOODY CLIMBERS, bitter, tonic, and narcotic plants. Hypogynous, dicecious, 3-6-gynous. FRUIT, a one-seeded drupe; large or long, curved embryo in scanty albumen. PAPAVERACEÆ. Poppy family. HERBS, juice, milky or colored and narcotic. LEAVES, alternate, exstipulate. FLOWERS, with parts in two or four. Calyx, deciduous, two sepals. Petals, spreading, imbricated or crumpled in bud. Stamens, numerous, distinct. FRUIT, a one-celled pod, many seeded. SEEDS, with fleshy or oily albumen. CRUCIFER.E. Mustard family. HERBS, with watery, pungent juice. FLOWER, cruciform, tetradynamous. SEEDS, campylotropous, no albumen, filled by large Embryo, which is much curved. FRUIT, a pod, either a Silique or Silicle. CISTACEE. Rock Rose Family. LOW SHRUBS AND HERBS, Leaves, simple, mostly entire; the lower, opposite; upper, alternate. FLOWERS, regular, distinct, Hypogynous. Calyx, persistent. Corolla, three to five petals. Stamens, indefinite. FRUIT, one-celled, three to five valved pod, with as many parietal placenta borne on the middle of the valves. SEEDS, albuminous, orthotropous. LEGUMINOS.E. Pulse family. LEAVES, alternate stipulate, usually compound. FLOWERS. Corolla, Papilionaceous, seldom regular. Stamens, ten, in one or two bundles-Mono or Diadelphous. Ovary, one-celled, one or many seeded. FRUIT, a Legume. SEEDS, without albumen. |