346 MR, Jackson's index. 



Kensington, a curious form or variety of Molinid cctrulea Moench, 

 wliicb he gathered on Bisley Common. It was referred to Prof. 

 Hackel, who states that it differs from the type "chiefly by the 

 blunt apex of the flowering glumes, which are oblong, not sub- 

 conical lanceolate. The flowers are also somewhat smaller than 

 usual; the sterile glumes are broader and more blunt." Prof. 

 Hackel states that he has the same plant from the Tyrol (Kloben- 

 stein, near Bozen), that he believes it to be Molinia nbtiisa Peterm. 

 (in Flora, 1844, i. 235), and that he proposes to call it M. candea 

 var. obtusa. — E. G. Baker. 



NOTICES OF BOOKS. 

 Mr. Jackson's Index. 



Index Kewensis I'lantaruni Phaneroqamanim Nomina et Synonyma 



Confecit B. Daydon Jackson. Fasciculus iv. [4to, 



pp. 541-1299. Psidium to end.] Oxouii e prelo Clarendoniano 

 [Oct.] mdcccxcv. £2 2s. net. 



The conclusion of Mr. Jackson's great work brings with it 

 ground for satisfaction and disappointment. The former feeling, 

 of course, greatly predominates ; and all botanists will concur in 

 congratulating the compiler on having brought his laborious under- 

 taking to a successful issue. The constant opportunities which 

 I have had of checking the references enables me to join in the 

 congratulations with the fullest knowledge that they are well 

 deserved. The somewhat ample notices which have been given 

 of each part of the Index as it appeared have pointed out 

 that slips have occurred ; this was inevitable, but it is their 

 fewness, not their number, which is remarkable. An appendix 

 of "addenda et emendenda graviora hactenus notata " occupies 

 about forty pages of the present part, and includes such corrections 

 as have been made during the progress of the work. No reference 

 is made on the title-page to this appendix, which is therefore in 

 danger of being overlooked. 



This brings me to the serious omission which detracts greatly 

 from the interest and even from the usefulness of the book. When 

 noticing the first instalment,* I had reason to anticipate that, with 

 the concluding part of the work, Mr. Jackson would give an account 

 of its history. This, I venture to say, was tlie more necessary on 

 account of the (of course unintentionally) misleading preface by 

 Sir Joseph Hooker — a preface from which Mr. Jackson's name is 

 entirely omitted, the credit for the worlc being divided between Mr. 

 Darwin, Sir Joseph himself, and the staff of the Kew Herbarium. 

 Mr. Jackson's name indeed appears on the title-page, but in the 

 second place, while the book is lettered on the cover as by 

 "Hooker & Jackson." The erroneous impression is strengthened 



• Journ. Bot. 1802, 311. 



