VOL. IV.] Reviews. 419 



library, and be puzzled by the names of that obscure treatise 

 commonly called " The Botany of California." 



The species are of course split to the utmost, the most trivial 

 attribute furnishing sufficient cause for resurrecting an old 

 synonym or making a new species. The descriptions, when not 

 compiled, with the more important characters omitted, are descrip- 

 tions of specimens instead of species; in a very large number of 

 cases so defined — or undefined — that no distinction is shown — the 

 organs mentioned in one diagnosis being omitted from others; 

 often absurd misstatements are made, for example, the "rich 

 brownish red" Ahiphar polysepalum; the "capsular, circum- 

 scissile " fruit of Garrya; or Cainpaymla exigua, found " only the 

 very summits of the highest mountains, Diablo, Tamalpais, and 

 Hamilton " when in fact it is most abundant at moderate or low 

 elevations, such as the upper end of Mill Valley, perhaps 500 

 feet; Bolinas Ridge, 1600; and St. Helena just above the toll 

 house — which is only 2300 feet above sea level. 



The principle upon which genera are united or divided is past 

 finding out. Bigelovia for instance of which only two species 

 occur in his limits, has them divided between Ericameria and Iso- 

 coma; Lonicera separates into Caprifolium and Distegia; Hemizonia 

 into Calycadenia, Blepharizonia and " Centromadia " a new genus 

 for the />««^^«i' group; etc. ; while he coolly unites Spirostachys a 

 genus with flowers borne in the axils of persistent scales, and 

 albuminous seeds with a dorsal nearly straight embryo, into 

 Salicornia a genus bearing its flowers in excavations of the 

 joints, seeds without albumen and with conduplicate embryo; 

 and Eremocarpus with imbricate sepals and i-locular ovary into 

 Croton which has usually valvate sepals and 3-locular ovary, 

 passing over Crotonopsis with nearly the characters of Eremo- 

 carpus. 



Attention has been called in a previous paper* to Prof. Greene's 

 scanty knowledge of the flora of even his immediate vicinity. In 

 the preface to his book he asks those who may make use of it 

 to furnish a record of additions within its limits. We subjoin a 

 few, which readily occur to us: — Brasenia peltata, Bouldin Island; 

 Wislizeriia refrada, Lathrop to Stockton; Polygonum Parryi, 



* Zoe IV. 68. 



