VOL. Iv. ] Reviews. 419 
library, and be puzzled by the names of that obscure treatise 
commonly called ‘‘ The Botany of California 
The species are of course split to the iteacse, the most trivial 
attribute furnishing sufficient cause for resurrecting an old 
synonym or making a new si sassannes The descriptions, when not 
compiled, with the mor ters omitted, are descrip- 
tions of specimens instead ‘of species; in a very large number of 
cases so defined—or undefined—that no distinction is shown—the 
organs mentioned in one diagnosis being omitted from others; 
often absurd misstatements are made, for example, the ‘‘ rich 
brownish red” Nuphar polysepalum,; the ‘‘ capsular, circum- 
scissile” fruit of Garrya; or Campanula exigua, found “ only the 
very summits of the highest mountains, Diablo, Tamalpais, and 
Hamilton” when in fact it is most abundant at moderate or low 
elevations, such as the upper end of Mill Valley, perhaps 500 
feet; Bolinas Ridge, 1600; and St. Helena just above the toll 
house — which is only 2300 feet above sea level 
The principle upon which genera are united or divided is past 
finding out. Bigelovia for instance of which only two species 
occur in his limits, has them divided between Ericameria and Iso- 
coma; Lonicera separates into Caprifolium and Distegia; Hemizonia 
into Calycadenia, Blepharizonia and ‘‘ Centromadia” a new genus 
for the pungens group; etc.; while he coolly unites Spirostachys a 
genus with flowers borne in the axils of persistent scales, and 
albuminous seeds with a dorsal nearly straight embryo, into 
Salicornia a genus bearing its flowers in excavations of the 
joints, seeds without albumen and with conduplicate embryo; 
and Eremocarpus with imbricate sepals and 1-locular ovary into 
Croton which has usually valvate sepals and 3-locular ovary, 
passing over Crotonopsis with nearly the characters of Eremo- 
carpus. 
Attention has been called in a previous paper* to Prof. Greene’s 
scanty knowledge of the flora of even his immediate vicinity. In 
the preface to his book he asks those who may make use of it 
to furnish a record of additions within its limits. We subjoin a 
few, which readily occur to us:—Brasenia peltata, Bouldin Island; 
_Wislizenia refracta, Lathrop to Stockton; Polygonum Parryi, 
* Zoe IV. 68. 
