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Show The Hijlory of P L A N T S. Clafs the Sixth. Order the Second. ,d ,HE X ANDRIA DIG Y N I A. P /ants which have in every flower fix Jlamina and two /lyles. 0 R Y Z A. ·T H E calyx is a glume, compofed of two valves, containing a 1ingle flower ; it is very fmall, and the valves are acuminated, and nearly equal in fize: the corolla is formed of two valves, obtufe, large, nearly equal, and permanent: the necrarium is compofed of two leaves, plane, very fmall, and fituated ~n the fides of th~ gerrnen; the leaves of it are narrow at the bafe, truncated, and deciduous: the ftamma are fix capillary filaments, of the length of the corolla : the ant~erre are bifid at the baf~ : the germen is of a turbinated figure: the ftyles are two, cap11lary and reflex: the ft1grnata ,are p)umofe, and are extended length way on the ftyles : there is ' no pericarpium : the corolla grow's to the feed, and becomes of an oblong, oval figure, compreifed, thin at ,the e'dges, and mark~p eace '{lay W~th .two lin~~ o,n the fides 7 the feed A ,fingJe, ,large, ·o'tlong, obtufe, · and ~ompreffed. 1 • J)l , . Of ~his genJty 1thew1i.s only' one known fpec.ies.; c • 1 1 n 1 : Lr.J II J • ' ) [. 0 R Y Z A. The root is compofed of a number of fibres; the radical leaves are a foot and a half long, and an inch broad, of a bright green colour, and fmooth. The ftalk rifes to four feet high; it is round, hollow, ftriat~d, and join ed; at every joint ftands a fingle leaf, long, thick, green, and narrow : at the fummit of the ftalk ftands a large pani· de, {orl)led of many ramo(eLpedicles,.,fupppijting ·the (rucrifi~tions, which are large, and of a yellowifb cojdur., excep.t th~ antherre,lf which are· purplilh. Rice is cukivated ;n vafi: ·al;>undanoe in tQe Ea(l for food ; ·it loves a ·wet foil. ' • r J / III 'I A T R A :p I H A X I s. J ' I ~ • ) T HE calyx is a perianthium, compofed of two coloured, permanent leaves, of a lanceolated figure, and placed oppofite: the corolla confifts of two roundifh, finuated petals, permanent, and larger than the cup: the ftamina are fix capillary fila· ments, of the length of the cup: the antherre are roundilh; the germen is comprelfed: there is no ftyle : the ftigmata are two, and capita ted : the cup ferves the office of a perianthium, !hutting up and including the feed, which is fingle, roundiili, and com· prelfed. Thefe charaCters fufficiently difiinguilh the Atraphaxis, without a farther defcription. I ) r Clafs the Sixth. Order the Third. ' a1 T R I G Y N I A. · I , Plants which have in each flower fix flamina and three )lyles. RUMEX. 1 HE calyx is a perianthium, com poled of three obtufe, reflex, permanent leaves: the corolla confifis of three oval petals .; they are larger than the leaves of the cup, otherwife, like them, conn~vent and coloured : the ftamina are fix very fhort, capillary filaments: the antherre are erect and didymous: the germen is of a turbinated form, but three-cornered : the ftyles are three, capillary, reflex, and ihew themfelves from betwe:n the connivent petals : the ftigmata are large and laciniated : the corolla ferves the office of a perianthium ; it becomes connivent and of a triquetrous figure, and inclofes a fingle, triquetrous feed. , This genus comprehends the Lapathum and Acetofa of authors. 1, Rumex Tbe HiJiory of P L A N T S. 1 • Rumex Jloribus hermaphroditis, valvulis integerrimis granulo notatis. 1he hermaphrodite-flowered Rumex, with undivided, granulated valves. 215loonp ~Otft. The root is large, oblong, divaricated, and tough. The leaves are large, ten inches long, and five · broad, terminating in a point; they ftand on long pedicles, and are full of veins, of a deep blood colour; the pedicles ~f the lea.ves are alfo blood red, and con_tain a juice which .fiains t?e hands, or any thmg that It touches, p~rple .. The ftalk IS four feet high, round, .finated, and hollow. The flowers are white, With a call of red and green, fmall, .an_d .cluftered at the top of the branches.. . It is a native of VIrgmta, and many other places. C. Bauhme calls It, Lapathum folio acuto rutecute ; others, Lapathum fanguineum. 2. Rumex jloribus hermaphroditis, Joliis ha.ftatis. The hermaphrodite-flowered, ha.ftated-leaved Rumex. Qtomnton ~otrtl. The root is flender, divaricated, and tough : the radical leaves ftand on long pedi ... des; they are three inches long, an inch and a half br:oad, and of a hafiated figure. The ftalk is ftriated, flender, and a foot and a half htgh: the leaves .fiand fingly at the joints. The flowers are large, and of a whitifh green colour, with a caft of red; they fiand in lax clu flers, at the tops of the. branche~. . It is common in our meadows. C. Bauhme calls It, Acetofa vulgans. 3· Rumex joliis cordato-fagittatis undulatis. The cordato.fagittated and undulated-leaved Rumex. The root is a foot and a half long, and three inches in diameter, of a dufky browniih colour on the furface, and of a bright yellow, variegated with purple, within. The leaves are a foot long, and feven inches broad .at. t?e ~afe, where they are. c01·dated, and as it were auriculated ; they gradually dJmtmlh m breadth to the pomt, where they are termindted obtufely, and often flightly emarginated; they a!e und~lated round the edges, of a bright green colour, and ftand on lo?g and very thtck ped1cles. !he fialk is very thick, fomewhat compre~ed, deeply finated, and about three fee~ h1gh ; it has at every joint a leaf, like the radtcal ones, but fmaller, and, from the middle to the top, fends out ihort branches, on :which the flowers ftand in little clufiers, or tufts, on ihort pedicles; the flowers are white, ~nd !'lloderately la.rg~. . . It is a native of China, Tartary, and S1bena; we have It m fome gardens. Juffieu calls it, Rhabarbarum folio oblongo crifpo undulato, flabellis fparfis; others, Lapathum bardanre folio. The root is gathered for ufe in autumn, fometimes in fpring, and is the Rhubarb of the lhops. . . . . The other fpecies of Rumex are very numerous, but. they ~111 be eafily drfitng~dhed by their names, the general face and manner of growmg bemg almoft the fame m all. The more fin gular are, I. The iharp-leaved Rumex. 2. The obtufe-leaved Rumex. 3· The golden-flowered Rumex. 4· The little, broad-leaved Rumex. 5· Thenarrow- leaved Rumex. 6. The broad-leaved, garden Rumex. 7· The great water Rumex. 8. The finuated-leaved Rumex, called Fiddle Dock. 9: The ftinking, maritime Rumex. I o. The pellitory-leaved, lEgyptian Rumex. 1 I. The Rumex, called prickly-feeded, Cretic Beet. 12. The tall, broad-leaved Rumex. Thefe are callc:d Lapatha, or Docks, by authors. Of thofe called Acetofre are, I. The great mountam Rumex. 2. The very long and narrow-leaved Rumex. 3. The arum-leaved Ru~ex. 4· The limonium-leaved Rumex. 5· The tuberous-rooted Rumex. 6. The round101- .leaved Rumex. 7· The roundifh, emarginated-leaved Rumex. 8. The Cretic, prickly Rumex, with narrow leaves. 9· Fhe round-leaved, ilirubby Rumex. 1 o. The fcutated-leaved Rumex. 1 1. The mulufid-lobed Rumex. 12. The round-leaved, Alpine Rumex. . ' I ·, IJ u: j G S CH E UCHZERIA. |