species; the various structure and contexture of their several
vessels and organs, whose office it is to supply the whole plant with
all that is necessary to its being and perfection, after a stupendious,
tho' natural process; which minutely to describe, and analogically
compare, as they perform their functions, (not altogether so different
from creatures of animal life) would require an anatomical lecture;
which is so learnedly and accurately done to our hands, by Dr. Grew,
_Malphigius_ and other ingenious naturalists.

But besides this general definition, as to what is meant by trees,
frutexes, &c. they are likewise specifically distinguish'd by other
characters, leaves, buds, blossoms, &c. but especially by what they
produce of more importance, by their fruit ye shall know them: v. g.

The _glandiferae_, oaks and ilex's yield acorns, and other useful
excrescencies: The mast-bearers are the beech, and such as include their
seeds and fruit in rougher husks; as the chessnut-tree, &c. the wallnut,
hazle, avelans, &c. are the _nuciferae_, &c. to the _coniferae_,
_resiniferae_, _squammiferae_, &c. belong the whole tribe of cedars,
firs, pines, &c. apples, pears, quinces, and several other _edulae_
fruits; peaches, abricots, plums, &c. are reduc'd to the _pomiferae_: The
_bacciferae_, are such as produce kernels, sorbs, cherries, holley, bays,
laurell, yew, juniper, elder, &c. and all the berry-bearers. The
_genistae_ in general, and such as bear their seeds in cods, come under
the tribe of _siliquosae_: The _lanuginae_ are such as bed their seeds in
a cottony-down.

The ash, elm, tilia, poplar, hornbeam, willow, salices, &c. are
distinguish'd by their keys, tongues, _samera_, _pericurpia_, and
_theca_, small, flat and husky skins, including the seeds, as in so many
foliol's, bags and purses, fine membranous cases, catkins, palmes,
julus's, &c. needless to be farther mention'd here, being so
particularly describ'd in the chapters following; as are also the
various ever-greens and exoticks.

FOOTNOTES:

{13:1}

Qui serere ingenuum volet agrum,
Liberat prius arva fruticibus;
Falce rubos, filicemque resecat.

_Boeth. l. 2. Met._

{14:1}

Proinde nemus sparsa cures de glande parandum:
Sed tamen ante tuo mandes quam semina campo;
Ipse tibi duro robustus vomere fossor
Omne solum subigat late, explanetque subactum.
Cumque novus fisso primum de germine ramus
Findit humum, rur