Dates of the “ Nova Genera” of Humboldt, Bonpland and Kunth 
By JoHN HENDLEY BARNHART 
Every student of systematic botany is familiar with the abbre- 
viation ‘“ H.B.K.,” and this at once brings to his mind the great 
Seven-volume work, ‘‘ Nova genera et species plantarum,” com- 
monly credited to Humboldt, Bonpland and Kunth; although 
the editorial work upon it was wholly Kunth’s, and Baron von 
Humboldt’s only contribution appears to have been the introduc- 
tory essay. This work was the most extensive of several which 
constituted the botany of Humboldt and Bonpland’s “ Voyage,” 
and different from the rest in the language employed, this being 
Written in Latin, the others exclusively in French. 
Having occasion recently to determine the date of publication 
of a certain portion of this work, and knowing that as it appeared 
in parts the title-page dates could not be depended upon, I under- 
took to ascertain the pagination and dates of all the original fas- 
cicles. The only recent reference to this subject which could be 
found was in a paper published in the Journal of Botany for June, 
1901.* The authors of this paper appear to have been investigat- 
ing the facts surrounding the publication of the zoological portion 
of Humboldt and Bonpland’s “ Voyage,” and to have accumu- 
lated incidentally considerable information relating to the botan- 
ical volumes ; and a debt of gratitude is certainly due them for 
‘Placing their results within the reach of all. 
Messrs, Sherborn and Woodward seem to have given us an 
accurate and fairly complete account of the “ Plantes équinox- 
iales,” “ Melastomes,” “ Rhexies,” “ Mimoses "and “ Graminées” 
of the Voyage reports, but as much cannot be said of their attempt 
to elucidate the “« Nova genera.” On one page they give a sum- 
Mary of the seven volumes, showing that these consist of 55, 51, 
57, 39, 54, 68 and 66 sheets or signatures respectively ; on the 
following pages they list the fascicles as announced from time to 
time in the « Bibliographie de la France,” from which it would 
2208 Keer ance an ee 
ccur, Sherborn, C. D., & Woodward, B. B. The Dates of Humboldt and Bonpland’s 
Voyage.”” Jour. Bot. 39 : 202~205. Je. 1901. 
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