The elements of botany / by Francis Darwin.

  • Francis Darwin
Date:
1896
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The elements of botany / by Francis Darwin. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Practical Biology of Mr Huxley and Dr Martin,—to which everyone, who teaches the elements of Natural History in this country, owes so much. We have not attempted to adhere to a small number of species, but have preferred to fix on certain phenomena and to make use, as far as the Schedule permits, of the plants which most strikingly and conveniently illustrate them. Thus instead of illustrating the morphology, physiology and natural history of flowering plants by means of Vicia faha alone, we use, in addition to the bean, Ranunculus, Silene, Chrysanthemum, &c. to illustrate floral structure; Caltha is used for the study of the ovule, Helleborus for the leaf, and the pear, cherry, gooseberry, sycamore, &c. for the fruit. In the same way we have tried to make use of the Cryptogams occurring in the First M.B. Schedule as illustrative of certain facts and conceptions. Thus Yeast and Spirogyra illustrate nutrition, as well as the general structure of plant-cells; Mucor, Spirogyra, and Pteris illus- trate reproduction. In selecting Helianthus and Quercus for histological work on the Spermaphytes we have been influenced by the fact that good practical descriptions of these plants exist in the Practical Botany of Professoi-s Bower and Vines, and in Professor Marshall Ward's book, The Oak. To both of these works I desire to express my indebtedness. Except where otherwise specified, the illustrations
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