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TREFACE.
Linnseus, considering only the external appearance of
the flower and fruit, despaired of finding this clue; but the
favourers of the older arrangements have bestowed so much
attention in examining the internal organization of plants,
particularly of the fruit and seed, and various organs, which
were neglected by the Linnsean nomenclators, that this
desirable point is now attained. The present work exhibits
the results of the latest investigations into the mutual
affinities of plants; and the synopsis of the subdivisions
attached to the several divisions furnishes a clue which will
enable a student to trace the connexion of the several parts,
and their dependence upon each other. When the author
considered the great pains which had been taken with many
of the families, and especially with those, which, from their
not plainly exhibiting the sexual organs, were huddled
together by Linnaeus in his twenty-fourth class, which
contains probably far more plants than all his other
twenty-three classes put together; and that there had not
yet appeared in this country any detailed account of these
researches, he was led to engage in preparing this system
for the use of the English students of this delightful species
of knowledge.
An essential difference exists between the mere deter-
mination of the name of plants, and the study of their
affinities to each other. The nomenclature of plants re-
tjuires the study of so many only of their organs, and such
a slight consideration of these as may suffice to determine
the difference that may exist betwixt any two plants that
might otherwise be confounded. The scientific study of
their affinities requires, on the contrary, the whole of their
organization to be kept in view, and the changes it may
undergo during their natural life ; hence there arises a
necessity for a more accurate discrimination of the various
forms of their organs than is required for the nomenclature
only. The botanists of the natural school have, therefore,
been led to invent a far greater number of terms than were
introduced into use when Linneeus wrote hi& Philosophia