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Elements of Botany, Plate 2

Benjamin Barton Smith1804/1804

Library of Virginia

Library of Virginia
Richmond, VA, United States

Plate description from Elements of Botany:

"Fig. 1. The bulb (bulbus, s. radix bulbosa) of the beautiful Atamasco-Lily (Amaryllis Atamasco), a native of the southern parts of the United-States. A. The bulb. B. B. Two offsets or suckers, from the lower end of the bulb. C. The radicle (radicula) which in the opinion of many writers is the only true root portion. Fig. 2. A tranverse section of the same bulb, intended to show its tunicated or coated structure, a. a. b. b. Two eyes, or places, from which proceed the flowers, c. The radicle. Fig. 3. The root of the Fumaria Cucullaria, commonly called Dutchman's Breeches. A. A. Two bulbs, b. b. Small succulent scales, protecting the lower parts of the bulbs, each of which is capable of becoming a perfect plant. This figure may be said to represent the grumose root (radix grumosca). Fig. 4. The fusiform root (radix fusiformis) of the Wild-Carrot (Daucus Carota). A. A. The main body of the root, or descending caudex, in the language of Linnaeus. B. B. Mark the commencement of the ascending caudex, or stem. Fig. 5. The stem and root of a species of Orchis. The root may be called a palmated root (radix palmetto). A. The principal body of it. B. B. The smaller succulent portions. C. The ascending caudex.

Fig. 6. The Cymbidium hyemale of Willdenow, commonly called, in some parts of the United-States, Adam and Eve. A. B. The two principal bulbs, constituting what Linnaeus calls the bulbus duplicatus, s. testiculatus. C. C. The smaller more fibrous-like portions of the root. D. The radicle. E. The plicated or folded leaf (folium plicatum). Fig. 7. The root and a portion of the stem of the beautiful Limodorum tuberosum of Linnaeus (Cymbidium pule helium of Swartz), which grows abundantly in the neighbourhood of Philadelphia. A. A. The radicle. B. C. Two small suckers. Fig. 8. The scaly bulb (bulbus squamosus) of the Lilium super- bum. A. The radicle. B. The scaly portion. Fig. 9. The root, &c, of the Devil's Bit, or Veratrum luteum of Linnaeus (Melanthium dioicum? of Walter.) It is a good example of the premorse, or abrupt root (radix praemorsa). A. The extremity of the root, which appears as if it had been off. B. The radicles. C. Portions of the leaves, which are all radical (folia radicalia), in this plant. Fig. 10. The granulated root (radix granulata) of the White Saxifrage (Saxifraga granulata). A. A. Granules of the root attached to the fibres, or radicles. Fig. 11. The horizontal root (radix horizontalis) of the May-apple (Podophyllum peltatum). A. The ascending, caudex, or a portion of the stem. B. B. b. b. The main body of the root, as it creeps, or spreads, in an horizontal direction, under the ground. C. C. C. Fibres proceeding from the main root.

"All the plants that are referred to in this plate are natives of the United-States, with the exception of the White Saxifrage, in Fig. 10. This is a native of many countries in Europe."

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