FLORE DU BAS ET DU MOYEN-CONGO 283 



In other fields we notice that the literature quoted includes 

 papers on Tertiary plants found in many different localities, such 

 as Java, Crete, and California. The most noteworthy work of the 

 two years on Mesozoic plants was in the papers of Kidston and 

 Gwynne Vaughan on the Fossil Osmundaceae, Nathorst on some 

 members of the Bennettiales, and Jeffrey on some Conifers. 

 Among the advances in our knowledge of Palaeozoic plants during 

 the period, we are especially reminded of the work of Prof. Oliver 

 and Mrs. Arber on the Gymnosperm seeds, and of the work of 

 Paul Bertrand and W. T. Gordon on some of the curious Palaeo- 

 zoic ferns. 



But the importance of Jongman's bibliographical review does 

 not lie in reminding us of the more important work of the period, 

 but rather in the analysis of the hundreds of smaller papers which 

 are not readily accessible, and which we should probably never see. 

 The species-index often reveals references in papers where these 

 might be least expected. Undoubtedly the use of these biblio- 

 graphies will not only save labour, but make for thoroughness and 

 completeness in the work of many botanists, and it is to be hoped 

 that the issue of the volumes will be continued. 



H. H. T. 



Flore du Bas et du Moy 'en-Congo : Etudes de Systematique et de 

 Geographie Botanique. Ser. v., Tome hi., Ease, iii. Par 

 Emile de Wildeman. Brussels. Nov. 1912. 



It is now some years since M. de Wildeman began a syste- 

 matic study of Congolese botany as represented in the Brussels 

 Museum by consignments of plants from Belgian lovers of Nature, 

 for the most part officers of the Congo State, who have devoted 

 their leisure to the praiseworthy object of bringing to light the 

 vegetable treasures of that large and still imperfectly known portion 

 of the African continent. Like all its predecessors, this "Etude," 

 issued in the well-known sumptuous form and beautifully illus- 

 trated, is complete in itself, and contains a full index, not only of 

 scientific but also of vernacular names. Though for certain 

 groups the services of experts have from time to time been enlisted, 

 the brunt of the labour involved has fallen upon M. de Wildeman 

 himself, whose studies have therefore, of necessity, been wider in 

 their scope than is usual in these days of high specialization. He 

 has been further handicapped by want of access to the large 

 number of type-specimens, whose preservation in this country and 

 at various Continental centres has resulted from the activity of 

 explorers, British, German, and French, in territories bordering 

 on the Belgian Congo, which have a flora in many respects similar 

 to its own. That some bad species should have been made was, 

 in the circumstances, inevitable, and it says much for M. de 

 Wildeman 's courage and devotion that he has not been deterred 

 by this from pursuing the object he had in view and bringing it so 

 far on the road to realization. 



In the publication under notice will be found an exhaustive 



