CLASS XII.
Corolla-plants.
1710. Corollæ stipaceous, having free stamina; ovaria with stunted septa, and numerous marginal seeds—Carnations, Violets, Cistaceæ, Siliquosæ, Papaveraceæ, Guttiferæ.
1711. The stalk passes through all the stages of formation, from the nodose herb unto the shrub and tree. The leaves occur likewise under all forms, modes, division, and arrangement. The plants of this class are found in all climates, and yield etherial or volatile and fatty oil with resins. They divide first of all into quinary and quaternary; the former being mostly herbs with a hollow capsule; the latter herbs, shrubs, and trees, with siliquæ or berries.
1712. Their strength or virtue resides in the flower, which, is therefore of large size, beautifully coloured, sweet-scented, is frequently appreciated and adopted as an ornament. On the contrary, the ovarium and seed are stunted. The former is a siliqua or hollow capsule, which therefore supports the numerous smaller seeds on the septum.
1713. First order, Corollariæ parenchymatosæ. Nodose herbs with spathose leaves, quinary corollæ, and ten stamina; many seeds upon a columellar or median placenta situated within a hollow capsule—Portulaceæ, Carnations.
1714. Second order, C. vaginatæ. Herbs, shrubs, and trees, with similar but mostly multi-staminal corollæ, and seeds on the capsular septa—Droseraceæ, Hypericineæ, Violaceæ, Cistaceæ, and Bixeæ.
1715. Third order, C. axonales. Herbs with quaternary corollæ and a siliqua—Siliquosæ.
1716. Fourth order, C. florales. Bushes and shrubs with quaternary corollæ and numerous stamina; ovarium a siliqua or multi-valvular hollow capsule—Capparidæ, Berberideæ, Papaveraceæ.
1717. Fifth order, C. fructuariæ. Trees with quaternary and quinary corollæ, numerous stamina, and a fruit—Guttiferæ. They divide into the usual sixteen families. (Vid. Tab. B.)