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Show 602 The Hiflory of P L A N T S. Clafs tbe '!wenty Firfl. Order the Third. MON.lECIA TETRANDRIA. P !ants which have Jeparate male and female flowers on the fame plant1 . and have in each of the male .flowers four jlamina. . U R 1~ I C A. I N the male flowers, the calyx is compofed of four leaves, and there is no corolla: the necrarium is fituated in the center, and is of the figure of a cup. In the female flowers, the calyx is formed of two valves: there is no corolla, and the feed is fingle. Urtica Joliis oppojitis, ame1~tis fruEtiferis globojis. The oppojite-leaved Urtica, with the fruEtiferous amenta globqfe. 3tbell\oman ~ettlt. The root is creeping and fibrated : the plant grows to three feet in height : the fialk is erect, thick, firm, of a deep green colour, and hairy : the leaves fiand in pairs, oppofite to one another; they are two inches and a half long, two inches broad, pointed at the extremity, and deeply ferrated about the edges : the male flowers are fq1all and greenilh, or yellowiih: the fruit is large, rounded, and refembles little balls: the plant is all over hairy, and flings on the touch, in the manner of the common Nettle, only more violently. It is a native of fome parts of England, and is kept in our gardens. C. Bauhine calis it, U rtica urens pilulas fer ens; Lobel and others, U rtica Romana. The other fpedes are, 1. The tr~partite-leaved, tall, Siberian U rtica. 2. The common, tall Urtica. 3· The little, annual Urtica. 4-· The great, racemous, Canada Urtica. 5· The myrrhis-leaved, Canada Urtica. 6. The great, hazel-leaved Urtica. The leffer, Roman Nettle, called Urtica pilulifera parietarire foliis, is only a variety of the other. B U X U S. I N the male flowers, the calyx is formed of two leaves : the corolla confifis of two petals, and there are in it the rudiments of a germen. In the female flowers, the calyx confifis of four leaves; the corolla of three petals: the fiyles are three; the fruit is a capfule, with three beaks, and contains three cells, with two feeds in each. Of this genus there is but one known fpecies, though authors have divided it, from it's varieties, into feveral. B u X u s. The root is brachiated : the ihrub retains it's leaves all the winter : it grows to two feet in height, fometimes to a great deal ~ore : it's trunk is thick and robufi ; it's - branches numerous: it's bark is rough and whitiih; it's wood is yellow, and very firm: the leaves are ihort, obtufe, and of a deep green colour: the flowers are fmall and yello~ : ~he .fruit is a dry capfule, of the bignefs of a fmall pea. It 1s wild m many parts of England. C. Bauhine calls it, Buxus arborefcens. A L N U S. l N the male. flowers, the ~alyx confills of a fingle leaf, divided into four fegments at . . the ~xtremtty, and contams three flowers: the corolla is compofed of a fing]e petal, d~v~ded ~nto four parts. In the female flowers, the calyx is formed of a Jingle leaf, and dtVlded mto five fegments; it contains two flowers: the fruit is a roundiih cone, and the feeds are angulated. Of this genus there is but one known fpecies. ALNus. 71Je i!i}iory of P t A N T s.~ A i N ti s, The root .is brac~iated and fpreading: the tree rifes to twenty-five feet high, or more, fomet1mes wJth a fingle trunk, but more ufually with a number of !hoots together: the bark is fmooth and purplilh; the leaves are roundi!h, of a duiky green colour, two inches, or more, in diameter, and glutinous to the touch : the flowers are !mall and greeniih • the fruit is a little cone, fcarce fo large as a nutmeg~ The fhrub is common with us by waters. C. Bauhine calls it, Alnus rotundifolia glminofa viridis. It's leaves are ufually even at the edges, but fometimes they are curled, or undulated, fometimes ferrated a little, and fometimes they are rather oblong thaQ roundiih : authors who have obferved thefe feveral varieties have raifed them to fpecies, and made eight or ten Alni out of one. BETULA. I N the male floWer; the calyx is formed of a fingle leaf; and is divided into three fegments, and contains three flowers : the corolla is formed of a fingle petal, divided into four parts. In the female flower, the calyx is alfo formed of a fingle leaf; and is lightly divided into three fegments; but it contains only two flowers • the fruit is a cylindric cone : the feeds are on each fide edged with a membrane. Betula Joliis acuminatis firratis. 7he Betula, with pointed, firrated leaves. 3tbt l/DittJ);; tttt. The root is large and fpreading: the tree ufually grows with a regular trunk, to a confiderable height; the branches are numerous; the young lhoots flender, tough; and depending; the bark of thefe is purpli(h ; that of the trunk whitiili : the leaves ftand on long pedicles; they are of a roundifh figure, but terminate in a point, ferrated, of a deep green colour, and about two inches in diameter: the male flowers hang in iuli, or katkins: the fruit is a cone, of a cylindric figure, and fmall. It is common in our woods. C. Bauhine and others call it,. fimply, Betula. Clafs the Twenty Firjl. Order the Fourtb. M 0 N 1E C· I A P E N T A N D R I A. Plants with male and female flowers Jeparate on the fome plant, and with jive jlamina. X ANT HI U M. I N the male flower, the common calyx is imbricated; the corolla is compofed of a fingle petal, divided into five fe 1 gments, and of an .infun.dibuliform lhape ; the re ... ceptaclc is paleaceous. In· the fema1e flowe:, the calyx 1s an mvol~cr.um, formed o.f two ]eaves, and containing two flowers: there IS no corolla •. the frmt IS a dry, muncated drupe, divided into two parts, containing two cells, and m each a fingle feed. X anthium caule inermi. 7be not prick!J )talked Xanthium. Jtbt ldftt J./5ur::llock. The root is oblong, .fmall, white, and fibrated ~ the plant ;i(es to two feet high 1 the fialk is thick~ hairy, but not prickly, and is ufually fpotted : t~e leaves fiand on long pedicles; they are large, roundilh, crenated, and uf~a~ly redd1fh; the~ are foft to the touch, and hairy: the male flowers are fma11 a~d wh1tilh; t~ey frand m cl.ufie~s in the ala! of the leaves : the fruit is oblong and echmated, and flicks to any thmg_ Jt touches, in the manner of the . common burs of the Bur-dock, whence the Engh~ name. · h · h · 1 ll: It is wild iq feme parts of England, b~t is not COJ?mon ; I ~et WH. Jt t. 1~ a fummer in Lincoln!hire. C. Bauhine calls 1t, Lappa mmor, Xanthmm Dwfcondis. h 3 T e |