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II. REGNUM ORGANICUM .—THE ORGANIC KINGDOM.

I. SUBREGNUM VEGETABILE.—THE VEGETABLE SUB-KINGDOM.Division I. Cryptogamia.—Flowerless Plants.

Cryptogamia, Linn. —Acotyledones, Joss. —Cellulares, lire .— Ackookaw, Lind.

Essential Character. — Substance of the plant usually composed of cellular tissuechiefly, either in a spheroidal or elongated state; spiral vessels or ducts only presentin the highest orders. Stem either increasing by an extension of its point, or by aregular or irregular development in all directions from one common point; notincreasing perceptibly in thickness or density when once formed. Cuticle generallydestitute of stomata. Sexual organs, and consequently flowers, absent. Reproductiontaking place either by spores or sporules [spora seu sporulce ], which are inclosed incases called theca \sporangia\ , or imbedded in the substance of the plants; or elseby a mere dissolution of the utricles of cellular tissue; germination occurring at nofixed point, but upon any part of the surface of the spores (Limlleg).

Fig. 68.

Structure of Cryptogamic Plants.

piiftSI

Mil

mwmm

a. Longitudinal section of a stem.

b. Transverse section of a stem.

c. Stem of a moss with leaves and theca,

or seed-case.

d. Leaf of a moss magnified.

e. Leafy thallus of a lichen with apothecia.

f. Crustaceous thallus of a lichen with

apothecia.

g. Fungi of the highest tribe.

h. i . Fungi of the lowest rank.k. Conferva magnified.

Order 1. Al'g.e, Juss. —The Sea-weed Tribe.

Aluack-V, Lind.

Essential Character. —Leafless, flowerless plants, with no distinct axis of vegeta-tion, growing [with very few exceptions] in water, frequently having an animalmotion, and consisting of simple vesicles lying in mucus, or of articulated filaments,or of lobed fronds, formed of uniform cellular tissue. Reproductive matter eitheraltogether wanting, or contained in joints of the filaments, or deposited in theca ofvarious forms, size, and position, caused by dilatations of the substance of the frond.Sporules with no proper integument, in germination elongating in two oppositedirections ( Lindley ).

■properties. —None of the plants of this order are poisonous. A mucilaginous orgelatinous matter ( carrageenin, pectin) and sugar ( mannite ) render several species

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