38 ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



NOTES ON THE NINTH EDITION OF THE 

 LONDON CATALOGUE OF BRITISH PLANTS. 

 Compiled by F. J. HANBURY. (London : G. Bell & 

 Sons, 1895. Price Sixpence.) 



By G. CLARIDGE DRUCE, M.A., F.L.S. 



THIS Catalogue, indispensable to every working botanist, 

 exhibits considerable improvement over the last edition, the 

 results of the systematic work at British Botany being fairly 

 well represented in its pages. In the eighth edition 1858 

 species were enumerated; in this no less than 1958 species 

 are included. These figures, moreover, do not quite represent 

 the additions, since many hybrids which were formerly 

 numbered are now placed under one of their supposed parents. 

 The names adopted for many plants differ from those given 

 in the preceding Catalogue ; but the change is in almost all 

 cases caused by following the only safe guide, i.e. the law of 

 priority of nomenclature. To this there are, however, some 

 exceptions, which shall be alluded to later on. British 

 botanists are greatly indebted to Mr. Hanbury for supplying 

 them with such a well-printed and useful work at so small 

 a cost. Any remarks which I may make of a critical 

 character, it need scarcely be said, are made with this feeling 

 of indebtedness ever before me ; and my only reason in 

 writing at some length about the Catalogue is that my 

 suggestions will have to run the gauntlet of criticism before 

 they are accepted, if indeed they be worthy of adoption. It 

 must be understood by every one that the subject of the 

 nomenclature of our British plants bristles with difficulties, 

 and that it is almost impossible to avoid mistakes, so that any 

 which I refer to are not pointed out in a carping spirit. 

 My only object is to make if possible a little improvement 

 in the method of citing certain names, and if possible to 

 advance the usefulness of the Catalogue, by giving such 

 suggestions as have struck me during my work at the 

 British flora ; and these suggestions are not made in an 

 ex catJiedra manner, as I well know that to some of them 

 exception may be taken. 



