BOTANICAL INFORMATION. 123 
LiwpENBERG, Monographia Hepaticarum Generis Plagio- 
chile. Bonn, 1844. 
This is a very beautiful work, illustrative of a section, 
or group, of the genus Jungermannia, of which our well- 
known J. asplenioides may be considered the type ; and a very 
useful work too, if we could only bring ourselves to think that 
the numerous kinds here given were specifically different. 
It was with some hesitation that the writer of this notice, many 
years ago, added a few species to the group in question, 
then very limited, and which experience has shown to be 
liable to considerable variation. But here the species of 
Plagiochila are increased to ninety-six! The slightest change 
in the form of the leaf, the presence or absence or size of a 
tooth, direction of the foliage, and of the branches, the 
presence or absence of surculi, &c. &c., all and each are 
considered tokens of specific distinction, without taking into 
account the influence of soil, exposure and climate, for some 
or other of these plants are found in every quarter of the 
globe. On such slight foundations, no doubt the number might 
be still greatly augmented. * Such at least is our opinion, and 
we cannot but fear that a great disservice is done to the 
cause of Botany by the prevalent mania for increasing the 
number of species on insufficient grounds. We see it evinced 
in the botany of our country and of Europe, where the study 
of plants is attended with advantages that ought to lead to dif- 
ferent conclusions. In other respects, and as a series of 
figures, admirably, and no doubt faithfully delineated, ac- 
companied by ably drawn up characters and descriptions, and 
a geographical distribution of the supposed species, the 
work has our unqualified praise. 
Grisesacu, Spicilegium Flore Rumelice et Bithynice. 
The able author of the “ Genera et Species Gentianea- 
rum"* is publishing an elaborate book under the above title, 
* See the notice of this work in Taylors Annals of Nat. Hist. v. iii. 
pP. 115, 
