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that it is equal in number to that of some other understood: thus, isostemonous is said of plants the stamens of which are equal in number to the petals. De Cand.

2. Anisos, or unequal, is the reverse of the latter: thus, anisostemonous would be said of a plant the stamens of which are not equal in number to the petals.

3. Meios, or less, prefixed to the name of an organ, indicates that it is something less than some other organ understood: thus, † meiostemonous would be said of a plant the stamens of which are fewer in number than the petals.

4. Duplo, triplo, &c., or double, triple, &c., signify that the organs to the name of which they are prefixed are twice or thrice as numerous or large as those of some other.

The terms which express measures of length are the following:

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1. A hair's breadth (capillus, its adjective capillaris); the twelfth part of a line.

2. A line (linea, adj. linealis); the twelfth part of an inch.

3. A nail (unguis); half an inch, or the length of the nail of the little finger.

4. An inch (pollex, uncia; adj. pollicaris, uncialis); the length of the first joint of the thumb.

5. A small span (spithama, adj. spithamæus); seven inches, or the space between the thumb and the fore-finger separated as widely as possible.

6. A palm (palmus, adj. palmaris); three inches, or the breadth of the four fingers of the hand.

7. A span (dodrans, adj. dodrantalis); nine inches, or the space between the thumb and the little finger separated as widely as possible.

8. A foot (pes, adj. pedalis); twelve inches, or the length of a tall man's foot.

9. A cubit (cubitus, adj. cubitalis); seventeen inches, or the distance between the elbow and the tip of the fingers.

10. An ell (ulna, brachium; adj. ulnaris, brachialis); twenty-four inches, or the length of the arm.

11. A toise (orgya, adj. orgyalis); six feet, or the ordinary height of man.

12. Sesqui. This term, prefixed to the Latin name of a measure, shows that such measure exceeds its due length by one half: thus, sesquipedalis means a foot and a half.

13. † A millimetre 4 of a French line.

14.

A centimetre=4 French lines and 432

15. † A decimetre=3 French inches, eight lines, 1000

16.

=

A metre 3 feet, 11 lines, French; or, 39-371 inches English.

Obs. The last four terms are French measures, which are rarely used, and for which no equivalent Latin terms are employed.

6. Of Duration.

The terms in ordinary use to express the absolute period of duration of a plant are sufficiently precise for common purposes, but are too inaccurate to be longer admitted within the pale of science. I have, therefore, adopted the phraseology of De Candolle, as far as relates to words expressive of the actual term of vegetable existence.

1. Monocarpous; bearing fruit but once, and dying after fructification; as Wheat. Some live but one year, and are called annuals: the term of the existence of others is prolonged to two years; these are biennials: others live for many years before they flower, but die immediately afterwards; as the Agave americana. The latter have no English name. Annuals are indicated by the signs or ; biennials by ♂ or 2; and the others by .

2. Polycarpous (better sychnocarpous); having the power of bearing fruit many times without perishing. Of this there are two forms:

A. Caulocarpous, or those whose stem endures many years, constantly bearing flowers and fruits; as trees and shrubs. The sign of these is .

B. Rhizocarpous, or those whose root endures many years, but whose stems perish annually; as herbaceous plants. The sign of these is 24.

3. Hysteranthous; when leaves appear after flowers; as the Almond, Tussilago fragrans, &c.

4. † Synanthous; when flowers and leaves appear at the same time.

5. † Proteranthous; when the leaves appear before the flowers. 6. Double-bearing (biferus); when any thing is produced twice

in one season.

7. Often-bearing († multiferus); when any thing is produced several times in one season.

Besides the foregoing, those that follow require explanation:

1. Of an hour (horarius); which endures for an hour or two only; as the flowers of Talinum, Cistus, &c.

2. Of a day (ephemerus, † diurnus); which endures but a day, as the flower of Tigridia. Biduus is said of things that endure two days; and triduus, three days.

3. Of a night (nocturnus); which appears during the night, and perishes before morning; as the flowers of the night-blooming Cereus.

4. Of a month (menstrualis, † menstruus); which last for a month. Bimestris is said of things that exist for two months; trimestris, for three months.

5. Yearly (annotinus); that which has the growth of a year. Thus rami annotini are branches a year old.

6. Of the same year (hornus), is said of any thing the produce of the year. Thus rami horni would be branches not a year old.

7. Deciduous (deciduus); finally falling off; as the calyx and corolla of Cruciferæ.

8. Caducous (caducus); falling off very early; as the calyx of the Poppy.

9. Persistent (persistens, † restans, Linn.); not falling off, but remaining green until the part which bears it is wholly matured; as the leaves of evergreen plants, the calyx of Labiata and others.

10. Withering, or fading (marcescens); not falling off until the part which bears it is perfected, but withering long before that time; as the flowers of Orobanche.

11. Fugacious (fugax); falling off, or perishing very rapidly; as many minute Fungi, the petals of Cistus, &c.

12. Permanent (perennans); not different from persistent: it is generally applied to leaves.

13. Perennial (perennis); lasting for several years.

7. Of Colour.

The most useful books to consult for the distinctions of colours are Syme's Book of Colours, and the chromatic scale in the Duke of Bedford's publication upon Ericas.

The best practical arrangement of colours, as applied to

plants, is that of Bischoff, in his excellent Terminology ; what follows is chiefly taken from that work.

There are eight principal colours, under which all the others may be arranged; viz. white, grey, black, brown, yellow, green, blue, and red.

I. White (albus; in words compounded of Greek, leuco-). 1. Snow-white (niveus); as the purest white; Camellia japonica.

2. Pure white (candidus; in Greek composition, argo-); very pure, but not so clear as the last; Lilium candidum.

3. Ivory-white (cream colour; eburneus, eborinus); white verging to yellow, with a little lustre ; Convallaria majalis.

4. Milk-white (lacteus; in words compounded of Greek, galacto-); dull white verging to blue.

5. Chalk-white (cretaceus, calcareus, gypseus); very dull white, with a little touch of grey.

6. Silvery (argenteus); a little changing to bluish grey, with something of a metallic lustre.

7. Whitish (albidus); any kind of white a little soiled.

8. Turning white (albescens); changing to a whitish cast from some other colour.

9. Whitened (dealbatus); slightly covered with white upon a darker ground.

II. Grey.

10. Ash-grey (cinereus; in words compounded of Greek, tephroand spodo-); a mixture of pure white and pure black, so as to form an intermediate tint.

11. Ash-greyish (cineraceus); the same, but whiter.

12. Pearl-grey (griseus); pure grey, a little verging to blue.

13. Slate-grey (schistaceus); grey, bordering on blue.

14. Lead-coloured (plumbeus); the same with a little metallic

lustre.

15. Smoky (fumeus, fumosus); grey, changing to brown.

16. Mouse-coloured (murinus); grey, with a touch of red.

17. Hoary (canus, or incanus); a greyish whiteness, caused by hairs overlying a green surface.

18. Rather hoary (canescens); a variety of the last.

III. Black.

19. Pure black (ater; in Greek composition, mela- or melano-), is black without the mixture of any other colour.

Atratus and nigritus; when a portion only of something is black; as the point of the glumes of Carex.

20. Black (niger); a little tinged with grey.

nigrescens.

A variety is

21. Coal-black (anthracinus); a little verging upon blue. 22. Raven-black (coracinus, pullus); black, with a strong lustre. 23. Pitch-black (piceus); black, changing to brown. From this can scarcely be distinguished brown black (memnonius).

IV. Brown.

24. Chestnut-brown (badius); dull brown, a little tinged with red.

25. Brown (fuscus; in Greek composition, phao-); brown, tinged with greyish or blackish.

26. Deep-brown (brunneus); a pure dull brown. Umber-brown (umbrinus) is nearly the same.

27. Bright brown (spadiceus); pure and very clear brown.

28. Rusty (ferrugineus); light brown, with a little mixture.

of red.

29. Cinnamon (cinnamomeus); bright brown, mixed with yellow and red.

30. Red-brown (porphyreus); brown, mixed with red.

31. Rufous (rufus, rufescens); rather redder than the last.

32. Glandaceus; like the last, but yellower.

33. Liver-coloured (hepaticus); dull brown, with a little yellow. 34. Sooty (fuligineus, or fuliginosus); dirty brown, verging upon

black.

35. Lurid (luridus); dirty brown, a little clouded.

V. Yellow.

36. Lemon-coloured (citreus, or citrinus); the purest yellow, without any brightness.

37. Golden yellow (aureus, auratus; in Greek composition,

chryso-); pure yellow, but duller than the last, and bright. 38. Yellow (luteus; in Greek composition, xantho-); such yellow as gamboge.

39. Pale yellow (flavus, luteolus, lutescens, flavidus, flavescens); a pure but paler yellow than the preceding.

40. Sulphur-coloured (sulphureus); a pale lively yellow, with a mixture of white.

41. Straw-coloured (stramineus); dull yellow, mixed with white.

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