igo ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



BOTANY. 



SCOTTISH MOSSES, by David Lillie (fount. Bot., 1908, pp. 

 172-173), enumerates additions to the records of Northern counties. 

 West Sutherland (108), one variety ; Caithness (109), five species ; 

 Orkney (m), four species and two varieties; Shetland (112), nine 

 species and three varieties. 



THE SUBSECTION EU-CANIN^E OF THE GENUS ROSA. By Major 

 A. H. Wolley-Dod. (Joiirn. Bot., 1908, Appendix, pp. 1-64.) A 

 very full discussion of the various forms, British and foreign. 



BOOK NOTICES. 



LIST OF BRITISH PLANTS : Containing the Spermophytes, 

 Pteridophytes, and Charads, found either as Natives or growing in a 

 Wild State in Britain, Ireland, and the Channel Islands. By George 

 Claridge Druce, M.A., F.L.S. (Oxford, Clarendon Press, January 

 1908. 2S. 6d. in wrapper, 35. 6d. in cloth, interleaved.) 



THE LONDON CATALOGUE OF BRITISH PLANTS : Tenth edition. 

 (London, February 1908. George Bell and Sons. gd. in wrapper, 

 is. 3d. in cloth, interleaved.) 



Of these two lists we may refer first to the familiar London 

 Catalogue, which has so long been a help to British botanists, but in 

 recent years had been left behind by the results of critical study of 

 the flora, especially in certain genera. Comparing this edition with 

 the ninth, which was issued in 1895, one finds many new names, 

 some of which are additions to the list, while others have been 

 rendered necessary by the labours of systematists during recent years 

 in the effort to arrive at a generally valid nomenclature. The new 

 edition has 2075 numbered as species, while the ninth had 1958 ; 

 but the apparent increase is largely due to the separation as species 

 of forms treated in the earlier issue as named varieties, e.g. Papaver 

 Lecoqii. In Rubus the numbers are raised from 99 to 116; in 

 Rosa from 20 to 31, mollis and tomentosa being now replaced by 

 12 numbers; in Hieradum from 104 to 113 ; Euphrasia offidnalis, 

 L., has been replaced by 15 numbered "species"; and Rhinanthus 

 Crista-galli, L., by 7. These examples must suffice to show how 

 the mass of additions is largely accounted for by the critical study of 

 certain genera. Besides the increase in the numbered forms there 

 is a large addition to the named varieties and forms, e.g. under Viola 

 of the tricolor group. Several hybrids also find a place in the new 

 edition that were not noticed in the last one. The actual list 

 occupies 44 pages, or 4 more than previously. To its preparation 

 the services of specialists have been freely given, and are acknow- 



