Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, first edition - Volume I, A-B.pdf/761

This page needs to be proofread.
XXX (639) XXX

B O T and opening from within when ripe : The receptaculum is a kind of column binding the capfules together. The Seeds are folitary, and kidney-ftiaped. SYNGENESIA POLYGAMIA AEQUALIS. LeonTodon, or Dandelion. The common Calix.is oblong, and imbricated. The interior fcales are linear, parallel, evjual, and open at the top; the exterior fcales are fewer in number, and frequently refledted at the bafe. The compound Corolla is uniform and imbricated. The fmall hermaphrodite corollee are very numerous and equal. The corolla proper to each flofcule confifts of one ligulated (/'. e. plain and expanded outwards), linear, truncated (/. e. terminated by a tranfverfe line), and fiveteethed petal. The Stamina confift of five very fmall capillary filaments : The anthers are connected together, and form a cylindrical tube. The GERMENof the pijlillum isfituate below the proper corolla. The ftylus is filiforme, and nearly of the fame length with the corolla: The ftigmata are two, and turned back in a fpiral form. This, plant has no pericarpinm. The Seeds are.folitary, oblong, rough, and terminated by a long pappous ftipes (3 r). The receptacle, or common bafe of the flofcules (9), is naked, and full of fmall hollow points. GYNANDR1A PENTAND III A. Passiflora, or Passion-flower. The Calix is a perianthium confiding of five plain,, coloured leaves, fimilar to thofe of the corolla^ The Corolla confifts of five plain obtufe femi-lanceolated leaves, of the fame magnitude and figure with thofe of the calix. The neflariam is a triple corona, the exterior of which is longed, furroundtng the dylus within the petals, and ftraitened above. The Stamina are five, fubulated, open, and connefled to the dylus at the bafe of the germen : The antherse are oblong, obtufe, and incumbent. The Pi STiLLUM'Cocfids'of an erefl cylindrical dylua, upon the top of which an. oval germen is placed : The dyli are three, thicker, and wider above : The digmata are roundifh knobs. The Pericarpiu^i is a ftediy, fuboval, one-celled berry, reding upon the ftylus. The Seeds are numerous, oval, and each of them in-clofed in a fmall membraVne. MONOECIA TETRANDRlA. Urtica, or Common Nettle. The Calix of the male flowers is a four-leaved peri-anthium; the leaves are roundifli, concave, and obtufe.

A N Y. 639 The Corolla has no petals ; but there is a fmall urceolated (/. e. an inflated flcin, gibbous on each fide) nedla rium in the centre of the flower. The Stamina confidsof four fubulated open filaments, of an equal length with the calix, and one of them is placed between each leaf of .the calix : The anther# have no cells. The Calix of the female flowers is a double-valved, oval, concave, ereft, perfident perianthium. The Corolla is wanting. The p 1 s t 1 l lu m has an oval germen, no dylus, and a downy digma. They have no pericarpium. The Seed is Angle, oval, Ihining, and a little comprefled. Thefe examples will not only illudrate mod of the generic terms, but will likewife fix them in the mind more fuccefsfully than any formal explanation. A careful perufal of them will enable any perfon to underhand the defcriptions in the Genera Plantarum of Linnaeus, although he fhould not be much acquainted with the Latin language. But the young botanid, after advancing this far, mud dill be conduced a dep further. Though he may be able to reduce plants to their claffes, orders, and genera, he is hitherto totally ignorant of the fpecific characters. Before he be able to invedigate the fpecies, he mud again fubmit to learn a confiderable nnmber of terms necdfary for that purpofe. Lift of Terms neceffary for invefligating the Spe cies of Plants. Simple Leaves. Fig. 37. Orbiculatum, globular. 38. Subrotundum, roundifh. 39. Ovatum, (haped like an egg. 40. Ovale, oval or elliptical. 41. Oblongum, oblong. 42.. Lanceolatum, in the form of a dart,, or tapering or. each fide to a point. 43. Lineare, like a line, or of the fame breadth and thicknefs- throughout. 44. Suhulatum, tapering to a point, like an awl. 45. Reniforme, fhaped like a kidney. 46. Cordatum, like a heart, 47. Lunulatum, refembling a crefcent or half moon. 48. Triangulare, three-cornered. 49. Sagittatum, like an arrow. 50. Cordata-fagit tat urn, refembling both a heart and an arrow'. yi. Hafnium, like a fpear or lance. $2. Tiffurn, cut in at the top. 53. Tribolmn, confiding of three (y5) lobes. y4. Preemcrfim, i. e. as if a piece were bit out of the fore-part of the leaf, yy. Lolatum, confiding of lobes, orfegments cut to the middle of the leaf, and convex at the edges. y6. ^uinangulare, confiding of five angles. yy. Erofum,