Floristik und Systematik der Phanerogamen. 125 



Rendle, A. B v The Classification of Flowering Plant s. 



(Vol. 1. Gymnosperms and Monocotyledons. Cambridge 



University Press. ' 1904. p. I— XIV and 1—403. With 187 



figures in the text. Price 10 s 6d riet. 



A systematic text-book, dealing with the various orders of Phane- 

 rogams in a more detailed manner, than the ordinary text-book, is a 

 long-felt want and when put in such an attractive form, as in the pre- 

 sent case, it is bound to be doubly uselul. In addition to a general con- 

 sideration of the two main groups in question a detailed description of 

 each individual order is given, in which the embryology frequently also 

 receives careful attention; scarcely any use however is made of ana- 

 tomical characters. The illustrations are well chosen and serve to ex- 

 plain many of the more difficult points. The historical introduction 

 (Chapter 1) gives a Condensed sketch of the evolution of Classification, 

 commencing with the herbals of the 16. Century and terminating with van 

 Tieghem's recent system. The third chapter is devoted to the Gym- 

 nosperms, which are classified as Cordaitales, Cycadales, Bennettitales, 

 Ginkgoales, Coniferales and Gnetales, fossil forms being treated of in con- 

 junction with the living ones. Chapter IV is devoted to a generai ac- 

 count of the Angiosperms., whilst the last chapter contains the con- 

 sideration of the various Orders, the System of Classification followed 

 being in general that of Engl er 's syllabus. An important feature of 

 the book is the general review of the series and orders of Monocotyledons 

 with respect to their affinities (p. 378— 3S5); the Pandanales are regarded 

 as the most primitive forms, leading on to the Spadicifiorae, whilst 

 another line of development is represented by the Helobieae, reaching 

 it highest expression in the Hydrocharidaceae. The Glumiflorae con- 

 stitute the lowest forms of a third series, which passes over to the Mi- 

 crospermae by means of Liliiflorae, Scitamineae and Farinosae repre- 

 senting side-lines. F. E. Fritsch. 



ROLFE, R. A., Epidendrum Endresil. (Orchid Review. No. 137. 



May 1904.) 



This is a native of Costa Rica where it was discovered in 1873 

 by Endres. 5 years later it was rediscovered by F. C. Lehmann 

 who sent home one or two living plants. It is a mountain plant with 

 terminal racemes of whitish-lilac flowers, with a few purple spots on 

 the lip and the column. The leaf-sheaths are strongly verrucose. It 

 blooms in winter. There is a photo of the plant flowering atKew early 

 this year. W. C. Worsdell. 



SCHUMANN, K., Ein Mesembrianthemum aus der Gruppe der 



Sphaeroidea S.-D. (Monatsschrift für Kakteenkunde. XIV. 



1904. p. 25—26.) 



Der Verf. bespricht zunächst die der Gruppe der Sphaeroidea an- 

 gehangen Arten der Gattung Mesembrianthemum im Allgemeinen 

 und theilt dann die ihm übersandte Abbildung einer Art mit, welche 

 wahrscheinlich noch nicht beschrieben ist, deren endgültige Feststellung 

 der Verf. jedoch hinausschiebt, bis ihm ein lebendes, blühendes Exemplar 

 zur Hand ist. Wangerin. 



Schumann, K., Neue und wenig gekannte Kakteen von 



den Anden Südamerikas. [III.] (Monatsschrift für 



Kakteenkunde. XIV. 1904. p. 26-29. Mit 1 Abbildung.) 



Ausführliche, durch eine Abbildung erläuterte Beschreibung einer 

 durch ihre eigenartige Tracht besonders auffälligen neuen Art Opuntia 

 pachypus K. Seh. n. sp., nebst Angaben über die geographische Ver- 



