353 



nervo paulo infra apiceni evanescente, valido. Seta In 

 caule terminalis, vix semi-unciam longa, gracilis, flavo- 

 rubicunda. Capsula ovato-oblonga, supra medium leni- 

 ter contracta, rufo-fusca. Operculum conico-acuminatum, 

 in rostro, capsula subaeque longo, terminatum. Calyptra 

 dimidiata, pallide flavo-fusca. 



I am not aware of any species of Gymnostomum that ap- 

 proaches this in character ; nor do I know that it has been 

 found by any Botanist except Dr. Gillies, in the place above 

 mentioned. 



Tab. LXXV. Fig. 1, Tuft:— wa<. size. Fig. 2, Single 

 Plant. Fig. 3, Stem-leaf. Fig. 4, Leaf of an innovation. 

 Fig. 5, Portion of a leaf to show the reticulation. Fig. 6, 

 Capsule. Fig. 7, Operculum. Fig. 8, Calyptra: — all 

 but Jig. 1 more or less magnijied. 



NEW BRITISH FLORA, BY DR. HOOKER. 



It has often been a matter of surprise to us, that notwithstanding: the 

 very numerous Floras of Great Britain which have appeared, not one 

 has been published under such a form as to comprehend, in the smallest 

 space, all that is essential (excluding as much as possible all superfluous 

 matter) for determining the classes and orders, the genera and species of 

 our native plants. 



Those which are most valuable, and too much cannot be said in their 

 praise, are unquestionably the English Flora of Sir J. E. Smith, and the 

 Compendium Florm Britannicce. of the same learned author. But without 

 any disparagement to their merits, it may be stated, respecting the former, 

 that its bulk forbids the study of it elsewhere than at home ; Avhile the 

 latter, expressly designed for use in the field, is too circumscribed in 

 the characters of its species, (rarely extending to more than two or three 

 lines,) to afford essential assistance, except to those already well versed 

 in the science. 



An attempt to steer a middle course between these two extremes— that 

 is, to give, besides specific characters of every species, such descriptive 

 matter and diagnosis as may be requisite to its further elucidation — was 

 made by Dr. Hooker in his Flora of Scotland; and the progress of his 

 own Students in the University of Glasgow, who have been in the daily 

 habit of using it during the session, together with the rapid sale of a very 



