2 j The Scottish Naturalist. 



description in the body of the text might profitably have been 

 made. We do not see why Mimulus luteus, Claytonia perfoliata, 

 Rumcx alpinus, Vinca ??iajor, &*c, (all considered as naturalized 

 plants) should have been described, while Angelica Archangelica 

 Asperula taurina, Petasites a/bus, Nardosmia fragra?is, Prenan- 

 thes purpurea, Veronica peregrina, &c, are dismissed with two or 

 three words. 



Dr. Hooker, departing from the method adopted in the 

 majority of the manuals of British plants, has reduced many 

 species (so-called) to the rank of "sub-species." This plan has 

 no doubt its conveniences, but for our part we do not quite 

 believe in the terms "sub-species" and "sub-genus" (the latter 

 however not being used in the "Student's Flora." It may be 

 noticed that the Batrachian Ranunculi are (following the views 

 of Boswell Syme), reduced to three species — aquatilis (five sub- 

 species), Lenormandi and hederaceus ; Rubi to four species, 

 Chamcemorus, saxatilis, Idceus, and fruticosus (twenty-one sub- 

 species, arranged by Baker) \ the genus Rosa to five species, 

 (also revised by Baker), spinosissima, villosa, rubiginosa, (each 

 with three sub-species), canina, (three series and twenty-nine 

 varieties), and arvensis, (two sub-species) \ Hieraciu?n, (also 

 revised by Baker), to eleven species, (several sub-species) ; Salix 

 to seventeen species, (the species according to Andersson, the 

 varieties by Syme) ; and Carex to fifty-eight species, (eight sub- 

 species). 



There are many other points of interest that we should like to 

 notice, but our space will not admit of doing so at present. 

 Botanists will find that the "Student's Flora" is worthy of its name, 

 and no one should neglect to avail himself of this valuable 

 addition to the number of British Manuals. 



We give a few extracts relating to Scottish plants ; the re- 

 marks within [ ] are our own. 



Ranunculus sccleratus, rare in the north J [Is it ever found inland in the north ?] 

 Cheiranthus Cheiri, old walls, naturalized ; [Very abundant on the rocks of 

 Kinnoull and Moncrieffe Hills, etc., in Perthshire, and perhaps native there.] 

 Nasturtium sylvestre, from the Forth and Dumfries, southwards ; [Abundant 

 near the Tay.] Hesperis matronalis, not even naturalized ; [If Dr. Hooker 

 will visit the above mentioned hills he will, we think, find cause to change his 

 opinion.] Reseda luteola, doubtfully native in Scotland ; [Apparently native 

 in Perthshire.] Reseda lutea, from Haddington, southwards j [From Fife, 

 southwards.] Malva rotundifolia, rarer in Scotland ; [Generally near the sea?] 



