Mr.  Bentham  remarks  that  the  nearest  Order  to  Figworts  is  undoubtedly  that  of
Nightshades,  through  the  medium  of  Salpiglossids  ;  so  that  it  becomes  necessary  to
separate  them  by  a  purely  artificial  distmction,  considering  as  Nightshades  such  genera
as  have  a  plaited  corolla  and  5  stamens,  and  as  Figworts  all  those  in  wliich  either  the
fifth  stamen  is  wanting,  or  the  aestivation  of  the  corolla  imbricated.  The  line  would
thus  be  drawn  between  Petunia  and  Salpiglossis,  two  genera  closely  allied  in  habit.  In
the  first,  however,  the  decidedly  phcate  corolla  and  5  stamens  show  it  to  be  a  true
Nightshade,  whilst  the  shght  irregularity  of  the  coroUa  and  the  declinate  very  imequal
stamens,  indicate  an  approach  to  Salpiglossis,  which,  being  always  didynamous,  with  an
imbricately  eestivating,  or  obscurely  plicate  corolla,  is  a  genuine  Figwort.  Among
Verbascese  the  genus  Verbascum  which  is  pentandrous,  and  Celsia,  because  it  cannot  be
separated  from  Vex'bascum,  have  usually  been  referred  to  Nightshades,  although  no
plants  nearly  alhed  to  Verbascum  occur  in  the  latter  Order  ;  but  the  aestivation  of  the
corolla,  besides  the  general  habit,  leave  no  doubt  that  Bartling  and  others  are  right  in
classing  these  genera  among  Figworts.  A  better  reason  seems  to  me  to  be  furnished
by  the  manifest  tendency  to  lose  a  part  of  the  stamens,  which  occm's  in  Verbascum.
From  the  other  Orders  of  this  Alliance  the  Figworts  are  sufficiently  well  distin-
guished. They  differ  from  Pedaliads,  Gesnerworts,  and  Crescentiads  in  their  placenta
never  being  parietal ;  from  Bignoniads  and  Acanthads  in  their  albuminous  seeds  and
small  cotyledons  ;  from  Butterworts  in  then*  axile,  not  free  central  placentae.
