The anatomy of plants with an idea of a philosophical history of plants, and several other lectures, read before the royal society / by Nehemjah Grew ...

CHAP. IV. Of the FLORID ATTIRE.

IN THIS Attire there is also much Elegant Vari∣ety, according to the Description we have given of it in the First Book. It always consists of several Suits; Ten, Twenty, Fourty, a Hun∣dred, or more, according to the Bigness of the Flower. And every Suit most commonly, of three distinct Parts, all of a Regular, but Different Fi∣gure. The utmost Part, is always like a little Flower with Five Leaves and a Tubular Base, like that of Cowslip. So that every Flower with the Florid Attire,* 1.1 Embosomes, or is, a Posy of perfect Flowers.

2. §. In some Flowers, every one of these Florets, is encompassed with an Hedg of Hairs; and every Hair branched on both sides almost like a Sprig of Fir;* 1.2 as in Aster Atticus, Golden-Rod, and others.

3. §. The Base of the Floret is usually Cylindrick, but sometimes Square, as in French Marigold. And the Leaves hereof which, for the most part,* 1.3 are Smooth on the Inside, in the same Flower are all over Hairy. And the Edges of these little Flowers, are frequently Ridged, or as it were, He m'd, like the Edge of a Band.

4. §. The midlemost of the Three Parts,* 1.4 which I call the Sheath, is usually fastened towards the Top,* 1.5 or else at the Bottom of the Floret. This is rather indented, than parted into Leaves. The Surface seldom Plain or Even, but wrought with Five Ridges, and as many Gutters running almost Parallel from the Top to the Bottom.

5. §. The Inmost Part,* 1.6 which I call the Blade, runs through the hollow of the Two Former, and so is fastned, with the Floret, to the convex of the Seed-Case. The Head and Sides of this Part, is always beset round about with Globulets, commonly through a Glass, as big as a Turnep-seed, or a great Pins-Head. In some Plants growing close to the Blade,* 1.7 as in the common Marigold; in the French, and others, upon Pedicils or little slender Stalks. These, as the Blade springeth up from within the Sheath, are still rubed off, and so stand like a Powder on them both. And sometimes, as in Cichory, they seem to grow on the Inside the Sheath, if it be split with a small Pin: as also in Knap∣weed, in which they are numerous. Yet in the Seed-like Attire, always more numerous, than in the Florid.

6. §. The Head of the Blade is always divided into Two,* 1.8 and some∣times into Three Parts, as in Cichory; which, by degrees, curl outward, after the manner of Scorpion-Grass.

7. §. The Description now given, agrees principally to the Corym∣biferous Kind, as Tansy, Chamemile, and the like. But in Scorgonera, as also Cichory, Hawk-Weed, Mousear and all the Intybous Kind, with many

more, the Attire is not separate from the Foliature, so as to stand with∣in that in one entire Posy; but every Leaf of the Flower hath its own Attire apart. For the sake of which, the Basis of every Leaf is formd into a little Tube or Pipe,* 1.9 whereby it embosomes its own Attire within it self. Consisting commonly of Two Parts, a Sheath and a Blade: the Leaf it self answering to the Floret in other Flowers.

8. §. In some Plants, besides the Attire or Posy in the midle of the Flower;* 1.10 the Leaves also have each their own to themselves, as in Marigold: yet this, as I take it, consisting only of one single Part, which answers to the Blade; the Leaf it self being as the Sheath.

9. §. In many Plants, this Florid Attire is very large; so that not only the Suits,* 1.11 but also the several Parts whereof every Suit consists, being throughly ripe and well blown open, are all visible to the bare Eye, as in Knapweed, and all the Thistle Kind. This Attire is all the Flower, that this sort of Plants have; being, though Empal'd, yet with∣out any Foliature.

10. §. And sometimes, there is little or no Flower besides this At∣tire, although extream small, as in Golden Rod, Wormwood and others. Where it may be noted, That the Medicine called Wormseed or Semen Santonici, is no Sort of Seed, but the Buds of small Flowers, or of the Florid Attire of that Plant.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Tab. 59.
• * 1.2

  Tab. 59.
• * 1.3

  Tab. 60.
• * 1.4

  B. 1. Ch. 5.
• * 1.5

  Tab. 60, 61, 62.
• * 1.6

  B. 1. Ch. 5.
• * 1.7

  Tab. 60, 61, 62.
• * 1.8

  Tab. 58, &c.
• * 1.9

  Tab. 62.
• * 1.10

  Tab. 61.
• * 1.11

  Tab. 61.