The Vasculares, those possessed of flowers, form two great
subdivisions, according to their manner of growth, called Exogenic
and Enclogenm. In the Exogenous plants, the growth is by
layers, or a deposition of matter upon the outside, as shown in the
concentric layers of trees and shrubs ; in the Endogenous plants,
the growth is by a deposition of matter within the plant. In the
former, the bark, wood, pith, &c., are readily distinguished ;
in the latter, they are not. In the former, too, the new and
delicate matter is protected by the bark, from the inside of
which it is made ; in the latter, the ^ame protection is effected
by the place of its deposit in the interior of the plant.
The Vasculares are propagated by seeds, and are chiefly characterized
by the leaves. Some are propagated also by bulbs or
roots, and are found in the Endogenous division. The leaves
of the Exogenous plants have branching or netted veins very
generally ; but the Endogenous usually have veined leaves, or
leaves with veins rising from the foot-stalk, and running through
the leaf either curved or straight, and parallel and undivided.
By the veining of the leaves, these two important subdivisions
are, as a general fact, readily distinguished.
The seeds of the Exogense have two cotyledons, or are dicotyledonous
; those of the Endogenas are monocotyledonous.
A “ Catalogue of Plants growing without Cultivation ” in the
Commonwealth, arranged according to the Natural Method of
Lindley, as published and applied to the plants of this country by
Professor Torrey of New York, was given by Professor Hitchcock
in the Geology of the State already published by the Legislature.
The Orders of this “ Catalogue,” have been followed
in this Report on the Herbaceous plants, with the addition of
such Orders from Lindley, as the introduction of the cultivated
plants has made necessary. The changes made in some of these
Orders, both in Europe and our own country, are not sufficiently
settled to require a departure from the Orders of Lindley. It
was thought best, also, to follow these Orders, that the whole
Survey might be more symmetrical, and reference to the various
parts more easy and satisfactory. For the same reason, the
names of the genera and species in Professor Hitchcock’s Catalogue
have been retained, even in the few cases where it might
be supposed a later or earlier name was to be preferred. Some
additional species, since discovered or ascertained, have been put
in their proper places. For ease of reference to Lindley’s work,
his numbers of the several Orders have been given, although many
of his Orders are omitted, because we have no plants belonging
to them.
It has been supposed, too, that while the objects to be attained
by the Legislature in the Survey, required a systematic arrangement
in the outline, it was important that the descriptions should
be popular in their character, easy to be apprehended, and
not technical in their language, and that notice should be taken
of facts of importance or of interest in any respect. The botanical
name, with the usual abbreviation of the author’s name, has
been given, but without the synonymes ; because one name
would direct the botanist to the plant intended, and more names,
and even all the synonymes, would offer no advantage to the common
reader.
The cultivated plants have been introduced, whether raised in
the garden or on the farm, and many of the parlour ; whether designed
for ornament, food, clothing, or art, or manufacture. All
these were supposed to have been intended in the Survey of
Vegetable Life in the Commonwealth.
In drawing up this Report, besides the actual examination of a
great proportion of the plants, and the advantage of a long attention
to them, reference has been freely made to all the accessible
authors on our plants, to several of whom abundant and direct
acknowledgment is made. The descriptions of the Orders, however,
are chiefly from Lindley’s work already referred to, while
the properties and geography have been taken from him and any
others who have treated of them. It is too well known for remark,
that the works of Michaux, Muhlenburg, Rush, Bigelow,
Eaton, Torrey, Nuttall, Beck, &c., contain full scientific accounts
of nearly all the plants mentioned in this Survey. There is room,
doubtless, for the display of their economical properties, and their
application to art and manufacture, to the support, and ornament,
and enjoyment of life, to a much greater extent. The Agricultural
Survey will probably detail many particulars respecting the