286 
NOTICES OF BOOKS. 
EPIMELI® BorANIOX: auctore Carozo Bor. PRESL, M. et Ph. D. 
Of this quarto publication 192 pages with fifteen plates are devoted 
to the development of Dr. Presl’s peculiar views on the systematic group- 
ing of Ferns, and to the establishment of a vast number of supposed 
new genera and species. The remaining seventy pages form a kind of 
sequel to the ‘Botanische Bemerkungen' of the same author, already 
noticed by us (London Journal of Botany, vol. vii. p. 103); and we 
regret to say, the critical remarks we thought it necessary to make on 
that work are equally applicable to the present one. It exhibits the 
same reckless establishment of new genera founded upon incorrect 
analysis, mistaken affinities, and neglect of the labours of others, the 
same apparent desire to attach the author’s name to as many species as 
possible, and the same apparent antedating of the work by at least two 
years; for although it bears on the title-page the date of 1849, it does 
not seem to have been in the hands of booksellers till the commence- 
ment of 1852. 
Under these circumstances any detailed criticism might be superfluous, 
but, as many of the so-called new genera are taken from collections 
which have been very generally distributed, it may not be amiss to 
give some clue to such of them as have come under our observation. 
Grymania (p. 193) is Couepia as limited in Hook. Journ. Bot. 1840. 
vol. ii. p. 212. 
Adenopodia (p. 206) is in nowise distinct from Entada; the doubt 
formerly entertained on the question, owing to the fruit having been 
imperfectly known, is now removed by the examination of the ripe pod, 
which, as stated by Presl, is precisely that of Entada. 
Cymelonema, referred to Memecylee (p. 210), is a species of Urophyl- 
lum (Rubiaceæ), on which the stipules, being small and often nearly obli- 
terated, were overlooked by Presl, 
Hyperum trifidum (p. 211), from Brydges’ last Chilian collection dis- 
tributed by Cuming (not from Cuming’s own collection), is identical 
even as a species with Wendtia gracilis, Meyen, Ledocarpon Reynoldsii, 
Hook. Ic., and Martiniera potentilloides, Guillem. in Deless. Ie. Dr. 
Presl appears however to have examined a flower deprived by accident 
or by abortion of two of its stigmata. 
