BOTANICAL EXPLANATIONS.

FLOWERS.

THERE are seven elementary parts in a flower, or, properly speaking, flower and fruit.

1. CALYX-The outer or lower part of the flower, generally not colored.

2. COROL--The colored blossom of the flower, within, or above the calyx.

3. STAMENS-The mealy or glutinous knobs, generally on the ends of slender filaments.

4. PISTIL-The central organ of a flower, the base of this becomes the pericarp or seed.

5. PERICARP-The covering of the seed; whether pod, shell, bag, or pulpy

substance.

6. SEED-The essential part, containing the rudiment of a new plant.

7. RECEPTACLE-The base which sustains the other six parts, being at the end of

the stem.

Any accidental appendage is called a nectary. The forms and positions of these organs, and of no other part, are employed in distinguishing the Classes, Orders, and Genera.

Double flowers, are formed by changing the stamens into petals. Botanists term these vegetable monsters.

INFLORESCENCE,

OR MANNER OF FLOWERING.

1. Whorl, an assemblage flowers surrounding the stem or its branches, constitute a whorl or ring; this is seen in the Mint and many of the Labiate plants.

2. Raceme, or cluster, consists of numerous flowers each on its own stalk or pedicel, and all arranged on one common peduncle: as a bunch of Currants.

S. Panicle bears the flowers in a kind of loose subdivided bunch or cluster, without any regular order; as in the Oat. A Panicle contracted into a compact, somewhat ovate form, as in the Lilac, is called a Thyrse or bunch; a bunch of grapes is a good example.

4. Spike, this is an assemelage of flowers arising from the sides of a common stem; the flowers are sessile or with very short peduncles: as the Wheat and the Mullein. 5. Umbel, several flower stalks of nearly equal length spreading out from a common centre, like the rays of an umbrella, bearing flowers on their summits; as Fennel, and Carrot.

6. Cyme, resembles an umbel in having its common stalks all spring from one centre, but differs in having those stalks irregularly subdivided; as the Snow ball and Elder.

7. Corymb, or false umbel, when the peduncles rise from different heights above the main stem, but the lower ones being longer, they form nearly a level or a convex top; as the Yarrow.

8. Fascicle, flowers on little stalks variously inserted and subdivided, collected into a close bundle, level at the top: as the Sweet William.

9. Head or tuft, has sessile flowers heaped together in a globular form, as in the Clover.

10. Ament, or catkin, is an assemblage of flowers composed of scales and stamens arranged along a common thread-like receptaclc, as in the Chesnut and Willow.

11. Spadix is an assemblage of flowers growing upon a common receptacle, and surrounded by a spatha or sheath, as in the Egyptian lily.

CLASSES AND ORDERS.

THE explanations of these must necessarily be very brief; my aim being rather to stimulate curiosity respecting the subject of Botany, than to impart instruction in the science. A few general facts, and a few of the first terms are all that can be given.

Flowers in the Linnæan system, are divided into twenty-four Classes. These Classes are divided into Orders; Orders into Genera; Genera into Species: Species are frequently changed into varieties.

The first ten Classes are distinguished by the number of their stamens;—thus. 1. Monandria,-1 stamen,-Flowering Reed is the only one of this class given. 2. Diandria,-2 stamens,-Lilach, Sage, Jasmine. etc.

3. Triandria,-3 stamens,-Crocus. Iris, Oat, etc.

4. Tetrandria,-4 stamens,-Witch-hazel, Holly. etc.

5. Pentandria,―5 stamens,-Violet, Flax, Woodbine. etc.

6. Hexandria,-6 stamens,-Lily, Sorel, Aloe. etc.

7. Heptandria,-7 stamens,-Horse-chestnut, etc. None of this class given. 8. Octandria,-8 stamens,-Nasturtion. etc.

9. Eneandria,-9 stamens,-Laurel, etc.

10. Decandria,-10 stamens,-Rue, Pink, Hydrangea.

11. Dodecandria,-12 to 19 stamens,-Mignonette, etc.

12. Icosandria,-20, or more, standing on the calyx. Rose, etc.

13. Polyandria,-always 20 or more, on the receptacle.-Buttercup, Larkspur, Peony, etc.

14. Didynamia,-4 stamens, 2 of them uniformly the longest.-Fox-glove, Balm, Thyme, etc.

15. Tetradynamia,-6 stamens, 4 of them uniformly the longest,-Gilly Flower, Honesty, Queen's Rocket, etc.

16. Monodelphia,-stamens united by their filaments in one set, anthers being separated, Geraniums, Hibisnus, etc.

17. Diadelphia,-stamens united by their filaments in two sets-flowers papilionaceous, or butterfly-shaped.

18. Polydelphia,-stamens in 2 sets, united at the bottom by the filaments.-Orange, St. John's Wort, etc.

19. Syngenesia,-stamens 5, united by their anthers in one set, flowers compoun

China-aster, Daisy, etc.

20. Gynandria,-stamens stand on the germ, style or stigma, separate from the base of the calyx and corol. Orchis, etc.

21. Monacia,-stamens and pistils in separate flowers on the same plan-Amaranth, Pine, Nettle, etc.

22. Diacia,-stamens and pistils on separate plants. Yew, etc.

23. Polygamia,-stamens variously situated-sometimes on flowers with pistils, sometimes stamens only-Mimosa, etc.

24. Cryptogamia,-the flowers of this class are invisible to the naked eye-Lichen Moss, etc.

ORDERS.

THE first thirteen orders are distinguished entirely by the number of pistils. The names of these orders are,

1 Gymnospermia-seed naked.

The 14-th Class has 2 orders-2 Angiospermia-seed in capsules.

15th Class-2 orders-2 Siliquosa-pod long.

1 Siliculosa-pod short.

16, 17, 18-th Classes-In these the orders are determined from the number of sta

mens.

19. Class-5, orders I. Equalis.-2. Superflua. 3. Frustanea. 4. Necessaria. 4. Se

gregata

20, 21,st Classes--Orders have the same names as the preceding Classes.

22.d Class-has 8 orders, the first seven named from the number of stamens-the 8 th Monodelphia, because the stamens are united in one set.

23,d Class has 5 orders Monacia, stamens and pistils in separate flowers on the same plants. Diacia-stamens, &c. as different plants. Triccia--on three flow

ers.

24.th Class-is divided into 6 families Felices, (Ferns,) 2. Musci (mosses) 3. Hepaticae, (liverworts) 4. Algae, (sea-weeds) 5. Lichenes, (lichens,) 6. Fungi, (mushroons.)

POISONOUS PLANTS.

1. Plants with 5 stamens and one pistil, with a dull-colored lurid corol, and of a nauseous sickly smell, always poisonous. As Tobacco, Thorn-apple, Henbane, Nightshade.

2. Umbelliferous plants of the aquatic kind and a nauseous scent are always poisonous. As Water-hemlock, Cow-parsley. But if the smell is pleasant and they grow in dry land, they are not poisonous. As Fennel, Dill Coriander.

3. Plants with labiate corols, and seeds in capsules, frequently poisonous. As Snap-dragon, Fox-glove.

4. Plants, from which issue a milky juiec on being broken, are poisonous, unless they bear compound flowers. As Milk-weed, Dogbane.

5. Plants having any appendage to the calyx or corol, and eight or more stamens, generally poisonous. As Columbine, Nasturtion.

Plants with few stamens, not poisonous, except the number be five; but if the number be 12 or more, and the smell nauseous, heavy and sickly, the plants are generally poisonous.