DESCRIPTION, is such a strong and beautiful representation of a thing, as gives the reader a distinct view and sa tisfactory notion of it.
Dsscatrrtom. In deeds and grants there must be a certain description of the lands granted, the places where they lie, and the persons to whom granted, 8c.c. to make them good. But wills are more fa voured than grants as to those descrip tions ; and a wrong description of the person will not make a devise void, if there be otherwise a sufficient certainty what person was intended by the testa tor. Where a first description of land, &c. is false, though the second be true, a deed will be void : contra, if the first be true, and the second false.
DEscnirrios, applied to botany, the natural character of the whole plant, in cluding all the external parts. In this respect the description of the species is distinguished from the specific difference, which regards the essential or striking characters only. A perfect or complete
description is not confined to the princi pal parts of plants, as the root, stem, leaves, and fructification ; but includes, likewise, whatever is conspicuous in their external appearance: as the foot-stalks of the leaves and flower ; the,stipube, or scales ; the bractex, or floral 'eaves ; the, glands, or vessels of secretion ; the wea pons of offence and defence ; the buds ; the complication, or folding of the leaves within the buds ; and the habit or gene ral appearance of the whole plant. The order to be observed in the description is that of nature, proceeding from the root to the stem ; next the branches ; then the foot-stalks, leaves, flower-stalks, and flowers.