NOTICES OF BOOKS. 



61 



10 ScropJiularinecB^ as many TJmhelliferts^ 16 CaryopJiyllece^ 32 Grasses^ 

 34 Cruciferce^ and 45 Compodt(B^ none germinated. l>om the consi- 



r 



deration of a vast number of facts, M. de Candolle concludes, that the 

 families whose seeds retain vitality longest are MalvacecB^ LeguminoscBy 

 Citcurbitacece, Solanece^ and Folygonem, The presence of oil in the seed 

 he regards as certainly obnoxious to retention of vitality in Cruciferce^ 

 Etiphorbiacece^ and Compodtce ; but when the seeds are buried deej^ly, 

 they may yet retain their vitality. Seeds with horny albumen, as those 

 of Ruhiace^^ also quickly lose their vitality. 



An article is devoted to the area occupied by species in relation to 

 the countries which they inhabit. Meyer's* researches in South 

 African botany, and Ledebour's on Eussian, afford the data for rea- 

 soning upon this subject ; of these, the South African plants appear 

 extremely limited, and the Eussian to have very wide ranges. Elabo- 

 rate calculations follow, to determine the relative dimensions of the 

 areas of the species of single weU-known Natural Families, 

 . Under the head of Phsenogamic plants with very extended areas, 

 details are given of a list of 117 species, which are found over at least 



one-third part of the surface of the globe ; these are 



lUinunculas aquatilis, Z. Sonchus asper, Fuehs, 



Potamoget 



>j 



repens, Z. 



Anagallii 

 Samolus 



Caltha palustris, L, 



Argemone Mexicana, J. Menyauthes trifoliata. 



CapsellaBursa-pastoriSjDC. Convolvulus arvensis, X, 



» 



» 



i9 



» 



perfoliatus, J. 

 crispus, Z. 

 pectinatas, Z. 

 Batans, Z. 



Erysimum cheiraathoideSjZ. Calystegia Sepiam, Br. Alisma Plantago, Z, 



Nasturtium officinale, Br, Hyoscyamus niger, Z. 



Sagittaria sagittifolia, Z, 



j> 



palustre, DC. Datura Stramonium, Z. Luzula campestris, DC, 



Cardamine hirsuta, Z. 



Solanum nigrum, Z. 



>» 



pilosa, Willd, 



Brosera rotundifolia, Z, Verbascum Thapsus, Z. Juncus communis, Ellis, 



Herpestes Monniera, Kunth 

 Veronica Anagallis, Z. 



« 



9» 



scutellata, Z. 



„ longifolia, Z. 



Spergula arvensis, Z. 



„ saginoides, Z. 

 Stellaria media, VilL 

 Arenaria rubra, Z. Limosella aquatica, Z. 



Cerastium vulgatum, L, Verbena officinalis, Z, 



viscosum, Z. 

 Oxalis eorniculata, Z 

 Tribulus terrestris, Z, 



» 



bufonius, Z. 



Roilb 



Ela^ocharis palustris, Br. 



serpyllifolia, Z. Sciq)U3 lacustris, Z. 



99 



maritimos^ Z. 



Carex muricata, Z, 



» 



Mich 



Thvmus 



Clinopodlum vulgare, L. 



f> 



» 



yf 



csespitosa, Z, 

 paludosa, Good. 



curta. Good. 



♦ His data however require extensive modification.— Ed. J. B. 



