VOL. II. | Recent Literature. 75 
in the preparation of monographs would, we think, somewhat re- 
duce the number of our species, especially in Graminez. In this 
connection we might call to notice the descriptions of Alopecurus 
Howellii and Alopecurus Macounii, in the present work (pp. 87 and 
88). 
The assistance afforded by the translation of ‘‘ The True Grasses” 
in the preparation of the analytical tables is. acknowledged in the 
Introduction, and thanks are returned to Prof. Hackel for the priv- 
ilege of using this work, although the translation is an American 
production and copyrighted by the publishers. 
There are a number of “slips” which might trouble or confuse 
the student. We are told on the first page that the floral organs, 
the palet, the lodicules and the floral glume, “‘ constitute a spike- 
let.”’ Only the first glume in the Andropogonez is said to be 
‘¢ more indurated than the inner ones.” Over Oryza, on p. 4, the 
empty glumes are described as ‘‘ awnless, the flowering glume and 
palet much compressed laterally.’’ These characters are supposed 
to enable us to distinguish Oryza from Leersia, which follows, and 
which has “flowering glumes awnless;” we are not told whether 
the glumes are compressed or not. In the tribe Oryzee, the empty 
glumes are said to be “two or none, very seldom numerous.” 
Hackel says “empty glume two or more, very seldom numerous. 
In most of our species of this tribe the empty glumes are wanting. 
The grain in Sporobolus (p. 5) 1s characterized as “ loosely enclosed 
or naked.” On the same page the flowers of Epicampes are said 
to be ‘‘large’’ and ‘‘ not awned.” 
In this first part some twenty species are described for the first 
time, and a few of these are characterized as new. 
We hope that greater care will be exercised in the preparation of 
the second part, which the author hopes to publish “ within a few 
months.’’ In the Introduction, criticisms are invited, and we only 
regret that a work so excellent in its object should be so open to 
criticism. If through what has here been said, the character of 
part 2 reaches a higher plane, we shall only be too glad to publish 
the fact. F. LAMSON SCRIBNER. 
Fossil Botany: Being an Introduction to Paleophytology from the 
Standpoint of the Botanist. By H. GraF zU SoLMs-LAUBACH, Pro= 
fessor of Botany in the University of Strasburg. Authorized Eng- 
lish Translation. By Henry E. F. GarNsEy, M.A. Among re- 
