"The European is inventive, governed by laws, and wears tight clothing."

"Natural bodies are divided into three kingdoms of nature: viz. the mineral, vegetable, and animal kingdoms. Minerals grow, Plants grow and live, Animals grow, live, and have feeling."

"Every plant is a book, which, if we want to understand, we must learn its language."

"The species and the genus are always the work of nature [i.e. specially created]; the variety mostly that of circumstance; the class and the order are the work of nature and art."

"Whoever wishes to be a good botanist must be a good observer."