1914] Deane,— Maria L. Owen 159 
In 1888 appeared the work Mrs. Owen had so earnestly been pre- 
paring, “A Catalogue of Plants growing without cultivation in the 
County of Nantucket, Mass.," published in Northampton, Massachu- 
setts, by the Gazette Printing Company. The six years that inter- 
vened between these two publications were busy ones. She enlisted 
many botanists to aid her in securing additions to her list and further 
information in regard to known species; she carried on a large corre- 
spondence; and she sent her doubtful species to proper authorities for 
accurate determination. It was the good fortune of the writer to 
witness much of this enthusiasm in his visits to the Island to aid the 
cause, in company with Judge J. R. Churchill of Dorchester, Massa- 
chusetts, and Rev. Dr. Thomas Morong of Ashland, Massachusetts. 
It is a work that reflects much credit upon its author and will always 
remain a true representation of the knowledge of the flora of the 
Island at that time. 
The Catalogue contains a preface giving a description of the Island 
and of the botanical work done upon it and of the botanists who had 
aided her. The annotated list covers 75 pages, embracing 787 species 
and varieties, and one form, and includes a list of marine algae. This 
is an increase of nearly 300 over the 1882 list, while the notes accom- 
panying the species lend added interest and information to the work. 
In this list Mrs. Owen was enabled to report Onosmodium virginianum 
and Ceratophyllum demersum from authentic specimens, discovered 
since the publication of the former list where the names were cited on 
the authority of President Hitchcock of Amherst fifty years before. 
It is to be regretted that Mrs. Owen did not make a complete her- 
barium of the plants represented in her list, but the species were 
verified always with great care, and the more uncommon ones were 
always preserved in some collections. She writes on January 15, 1887, 
that specimens scattered through herbaria are her authorities for the 
Flora. After its publication Mrs. Owen carefully kept track of the 
additional species that were discovered from time to time, the seg- 
regates that were made, the extensions of range, etc., and she always 
meant to publish these data, but advancing years compelled a relaxa- 
tion in this pleasant but strenuous work. Her botanical interests 
were broad and her trips to Europe and in her own neighborhood 
were enriched by her interest in the plants about her. Many a rarity 
she sent to her friends as the result of these excursions. 
1The Flora of Nantucket is being published by Mr. E, P, Bicknell in the 
numbers of the Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club. 
