The Generic characters-the characters which show to what Genus a flower belongs-are not very distinct. We only perceive that the Petals are all in one, cut into five divisions lying flat when quite blown, and only joined in the centre like the spokes of a wheel. This is called a wheel-shaped blossom, (Fig 2.) We perceive that the Capsule, the case which contains the seed, is round; and that there is but one cell withinside of it, containing many seeds. This agrees with the Generic description of the Anagallis, Pimpernel, with one species of which we must be very familiar, as the beautiful little scarlet flower, with spotted leaves, that almost covers our corn fields, called by the common people shepherd's warning, from the closing of its flowers before rain. But the plant we are examining bears no striking resemblance to that. The leaves which grow all along the prostrate stem we find to be almost round, but rather tapering towards a point at the end; and they have no dots underneath. The stem is reddish and slender, and creeps upon the ground, running some distance and then striking fresh root. The fruit-stalks are very slender and long, growing up from the stem and turning in every direction with their delicate flowers. These are of the palest pink, with seven distinct lines of deeper pink on each Petal, which make it very difficult to mistake the flower: and we immediately decide it to be the Anagallis Tenella, Bog Pimpernel, growing usually on wet heaths, meadows, and turfy bogs.

PLATE 7, FIG. 1.-The Class Pentandria has seven Orders, distinguished, as the preceding, by the number of Pistils in each flower. Of these, the first Order, Monogynia, is as usual the most numerous. It contains many of our most intimate acquaintances.

The Primula, Primrose, which comprises the Cowslip, Oxlip, &c. we need not describe.

The Viola, Violet, including the Heart's-ease, or Pansy, is also familiar to us. It is of many species, but one only is distinguished by its perfume; the sweet white

Violet being but a variety of the blue, and not a distinct species.

Ribes, Currants and Gooseberries, are found wild of various species, and are more readily cultivated with us than in warmer climates, to which they are strangers.

Myosotis, Mouse-ear Scorpion-grass, or Forget-menot, is so much distinguished by its English name-its pink and blue flowers, intermingled on the same stem, with a bright yellow in the centre, are so often imitated, we scarcely can be unacquainted with it in nature.

Lithospermium, Gromwell, is a common flower of various colours, which we cannot well distinguish without a particular description.

Anchusa, Alkanet, is a large plant with blue flowers. A foreign species of it is sold for dying red.

Cynoglossum, Hound's tongue, is a large plant, of which one species may be readily known by its small flowers of a dull crimson, a colour not very common, and by its unpleasant smell.

Palmonaria, Lungwort or Bugloss, is not very common. The blossoms are first red, then changing to blue. Symphytum, Comfrey, is of a yellowish white, with nothing particularly to distinguish it.

Borago, Borage, we know as a garden herb, remarkable for its roughness and brilliant blue flowers. Asperngo, Catchweed, is rare, and small.

Lycopsis, Bugloss. The English name of this plant is applied to so many different Genera, that it can only mislead us but it is generally applied to a harsh rough sort of plant, covered with bristles, and bearing for the most part blue flowers.

Echium, Viper-grass or Bugloss, is a most brilliant flower, growing large and abundant on waste places, very rough with bristles, and bearing flowers of the brightest blue, intermixed with pink buds.

Cyclamen, Sow-bread, has but one wild species, which is marked by the flower being bent back as if broken. Menyanthes, Buckbean, is a water plant of great

beauty, distinguished by the Petals being fringed at the edges. One species is a strong bitter, and sometimes used instead of hops; also as a medicine.

Hottonia, Water Violet, is also a water plant, of which the feathery leaves float under the surface, while the pale lilac blossoms rise in full spikes above the water, with a beauty too striking to be overlooked.

Lysimachia, Loosestrife or Money-wort, is a very beautiful flower, of several species, but all yellow.

Polemonium, Jacob's Ladder, has a blue flower, and eleven pair of small leafits on each leaf.

Azalea, Rosebay, trails upon the ground, the flower of a bright red.

Convolvulus, Bindweed, we need not to describe: the splendid white flowers that wind themselves about our hedges with so much grace, are at least familiar to us; the more obscure species so far resemble them in form as to be immediately recognized.

Campanula, Bell-flower, must be also known to us-it is of many species, considerably differing from each other, except in the bell-like form of the blossom.

Phyteuma, Rampion, bears its blue blossoms in a round

head.

Lobellia, Gladiole, is found only in mountainous countries-one species being a water plant, the other very rare.

Samolus, Water Pimpernel, is a tall plant, with small white blossoms, growing in wet ditches, and remarkable only for being found in almost every part of the world, under the greatest varieties of climate.

Lonicera, Honeysuckle, is among the beauties of this class. We are told that the small wood of one species is used in Sweden for the tubes of tobacco pipes.

Jasione, Sheep's Scabious, may deceive us both by its name and its first appearance, from the resemblance it bears to flowers of another class, and dissimilarity to the flowers of this, arising from its crowded head and common calix.

Verbascum, Mullein, is a very tall and handsome plant, in some species five or six feet high, wearing its flowers, mostly yellow, in a tall spike. One species is improperly called the Yellow Foxglove.

Datura, Thorn Apple, better known to us by its specific name of Stramonium, is a strong poison, and speedily proves fatal if incautiously taken. But the root and stem dried and smoked like tobacco, is now considered very beneficial in asthmatic disorders. It has a white blossom, with a thorny seed vessel, and deeply-cut leaves.

Hyoscyamus, Henbane, is a plant of very uncommon appearance, and extremely offensive smell. Its dingy flowers, exquisitely veined with purple, and large deep purple anthers, its strong capsules, thick stems, and strangely-shaped leaves, all crowded together and enveloped in clammy wool, distinguish it from every other plant. It is considered poisonous, but is very much used as a medicine.

Atropa, Deadly Nightshade, is also a strong poison. It is remarkable in its beautiful berries.

Solanum, Nightshade, is the Genus we before mentioned as containing the Potato. It does not bear any very strong affinity to the former, though it has the same English name: it is distinguished by the anthers being almost united, is probably in some degree poisonous, and is often medicinally used.

Chironia, Centaury, is the elegant little plant, whose starry flowers, of the purest pink, forming themselves into a level head, cannot fail to have attracted our attention.

Rhamnus, Buckthorn, is altogether green, bearing black berries. The male and female flowers are on different plants. Some parts of it afford a fine yellow dye, and the wood is preferred for making charcoal for gunpowder.

Euonymus, Spindle-tree, is a singular and handsome shrub, with greenish-white flowers and purple berries. It is not common in all parts of the kingdom.

Impatiens, Balsam, or Touch-me-not, is remarkable for the jerks with which the Capsule opens on the slight

est touch.

Hedera, Ivy, is our familiar acquaintance. It is but of one English species, though varying so much in the shape of the leaf. When trailing on the ground it does not flower, and has a three-lobed leaf. But when climbing walls or trees, the leaves become egg-shaped, and it bears an abundance of green flowers.

Illecebrum, Knotgrass, is an obscure trailing plant. Glaux, Sea Milkwort, is also obscure, with flowers at the base of the leaves, and growing in salt marshes. Thesium, Toadflax, is without blossom, the Stamens growing on the Calix.

Vinca, Perwinkle, we know, as very common in our gardens, not differing, we believe, from those that are wild.

These are the whole of the British Plants contained in the first Order of our fifth Class. By reason of their being so numerous, we must defer the remaining Orders of this Class to a future number, not wishing to fill up too many of our pages with what our readers may consider but a dry description. We are aware that it is insufficient of itself to enable the student to determine the name of any plant on finding it—but if, as. soon as the Class and Order have been ascertained, the general appearance of the flower be compared with our slight description, the maze of confusion in which a beginner finds herself lost, will be in some degree cleared, and she may turn to her Botanical Catalogues with more confidence of success. Also where the common name of a plant is known, and a difficulty presents itself in determining in what Class to range it, our summary will, we think, be found useful. Our aim is now, as throughout our work, to assist the use of other books, not to supersede them.