Makers of British Botany; a collection of biographies by living botanists
History
Makers of British Botany; a collection of biographies by living botanists
Botanists -- Great Britain -- Biography; Botany -- Great Britain -- History
Grew deals also with the vernation of leaves, and methods of bud
protection. He shews that their position and folding gives "two general
advantages to the Leaves, Elegance and Security, sc. in taking up,
so far as their Forms will bear, the least room; and in being so
conveniently couch'd, as to be capable of receiving protection from
other parts, or of giving it to one another; as for instance, First,
There is the _Plain-Lap_, where the Leaves are all laid somewhat
convexly one over another, but not plaited; being to the length,
breadth and number of Leaves most agreeable; as in the Buds of
_Pear-tree_, _Plum-tree_, etc. But where the Leaves are not thick set,
as to stand in the _Plain-lap_, there we have the _Plicature_; as in
_Rose-tree_, _Strawberry_, _Cinquefoyl_, _Burnet_ etc." Grew refers
also to rolled vernation, distinguishing between the "Fore-Rowl" and
the "Back-Rowl." He thus remarks on the hairy covering characteristic
of young leaves:--"the _Hairs_ being then in form of a _Down_, alwayes
very thick set, thus give that protection to the Leaves, which their
exceeding tenderness then requires; so that they seem to be vested with
a Coat of _Frieze_, or to be kept warm like young and dainty Chickens,
in Wooll."
In the year following the publication of _The Anatomy of Vegetables
Begun_, Nehemiah Grew produced a second treatise, under the title,
"An Idea of a Phytological History Propounded. Together with a
Continuation of the Anatomy of Vegetables; Particularly prosecuted
upon Roots. And an Account of the Vegetation of Roots Grounded chiefly
thereupon." In the dedications of his books Grew often reveals much
of his own personality, and of his attitude towards science, although
such revelations are apt to be mingled with the curious "conceits,"
and extravagant flattery, characteristic of the time. For instance he
dedicated this particular work to the President and Fellows of the
Royal Society, and after addressing to them some apologetic remarks
about his own performance, he takes heart of grace from the thought
that "how unpromising soever the Stock may be, yet the Fruit cannot
but be somewhat matured upon which You are pleas'd to shine." It
shews how strong the influence of fashion can be, when we find such
bombast coming from the pen of a man who, only a few lines earlier,
has written, with the perfection of simplicity, "Withal, I looked upon
Nature as a Treasure so infinitely full, that as all men together
cannot exhaust it; so no man, but may find out somewhat therein, if he
be resolved to try."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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