Copy 1, Volume 1

An arrangement of British plants, according to the latest improvements of the Linnean system / with an easy introduction to the study; of botany. Illustrated by copper plates. By William Withering.

  • William Withering
Date:
1830
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An arrangement of British plants, according to the latest improvements of the Linnean system / with an easy introduction to the study; of botany. Illustrated by copper plates. By William Withering. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    390/496 (page 302)
    en — nating in nine awl-shaped filaments, bent like the keel, and equal to it in length, alternately two longer and two shorter. Upper filament aw] or bristle-shaped ; similar in situation to, and lying upon the opening of the cylindrical part of the lower filament, simple, and a little shorter than that: separated from the others at the base, so as to give a vent on each side for the honey. Anthers ten, one upon the upper filament, nine upon the lower, small, equal in size, terminating. Pisr. single, superior. : Germen oblong, nearly cylindrical, slightly compressed, straight, as long as the cylinder of the lower filament, which incloses it. Style awl-shaped, or thread-shaped, ascending, agreeing in length and situation with the divisions of the lower filament, and placed in the middle of them, shrivelling. Summit downy as far as it is turned upwards, placed directly under the anthers. | S. Vess. Legumen oblong, compressed, blunt, with two valves, and a seam running lengthwise both above and below ; both seams straight, but the upper seam falling near the base, and the lower seam rising towards the end. It opens at the upper seam. i SEEps several, roundish, smooth, fleshy, pendent, marked with a prom1- nence caused by the young plant near the insertion of the eye. When the young plant is excluded, the side lobes retain the figure of half the seed, Receptacles proper to the seeds; small, very short, slender at the base, blunt and oblong at the part by which they are fixed. Inserted lengthwise in the upper seam only of the pod, but alternately, so that the valves being separated, the seeds adhere alternately to each valve. Ozs. This Class is perfectly natural, and the structure of the flowers ex- tremely singular: their situation is generally obliquely pendent. The figure of the Legumen is not of so much consequence in ascertaining the genera as some have imagined; but the Cup, which has been hitherto thought unworthy of notice, is of the greatest use. The Leaves should never be considered in forming the characters of genera. The Seeds of this Class furnish food for men, and other animals: they are farinaceous and flatulent. ‘The leaves are food for cattle. None of them are poisonous. Dr. Pulteney, in a note added to his translation of the Pan Suecicus, says, «< A general view of this Class shows at once how very acceptable ‘its <¢ plants are to almost all cattle ; cows and sheep refuse none, and horses «© not more than three out of the whole number with which they were “ tried. They afford the richest food for cattle, and are cultivated «© in divers parts of Europe, with all possible attention. With us, Trifolium pratense, (Clover) is mostly sown. Lately some trials * have been made with Hedysarum Onobrychis, (Saintfoin) and some «« have thought that it answers better than Clover. I say nothing of the * exotic Lucerne. Among these plants Anthyllis vulneraria is parti- cularly acceptable to sheep ; insomuch, that the separate cultivation of “<< ithas been recommended, but it will not succeed well except on chalky grounds.” (See Dr. Pulteney’s accurate and judicious work, entitled, A General View of the Life and Writings of Linneus.”) ~ “