CATALOGUK OF WELWITSCIl's AFEICAN PLANTS. 25 



Aubl, (1775) for Ahodeia Tliouars (1807) ; Damapana Adans. 

 (17G3) for Smithia Ait. (1789) ; Coluteastmm Heistr. ex Fabric. 

 (1763) for Lessertia DC. (1802) ; Cacara Thouars (1806) for Pachy- 

 rhiziis Rich. (1825) ; Botor Adans. (1763) for Fsophocarpus Neck. 

 (1790) — are samples of the substitutions which will provoke the 

 advocates of "convenience" to use strong language : occasionally, 

 indeed, it must be owned that there seems some excuse for the plea, 

 if any but a logical course were followed — as when Dollcholns Medik 

 (which is certain to be confused with Dolichos) replaces RlujncJwaia , 

 which it antedates by three years. To such alterations in speUing 

 as Cajan and Scsban for what have been more recently known as 

 Cajanm and t^csbania we sball soon become accustomed, just as 

 British botanists have come to accept the return to Atenaria trinervia 

 in the name which Smith altered to trinervis (the latter form does 

 not even appear in Jackson's Index). Those who would criticize 

 Mr. Hiern's action will lind the best opportunity for doing so in 

 Crassuvia, which is substituted for BnjophijlUun ; in this instance 

 alone, as it seems to us, he has "strained principles until they are 

 in danger of snapping." 



As a result of following Dr. Kuntze, the initials "O.K." are 

 appended to a vast number of species, for that author, encroaching 

 as it seems to us on the province of tlie monographer, took to him- 

 self all the species contained in the genera which he superseded, 

 without that careful examination which alone can justify such 

 wholesale transference. In some genera, however. Dr. Kuntze 

 missed certain species which are first allocated there by Mr. Hiern, 

 and of course take his name; while others — Dolicholiis, for instance 

 — are here for the first time restored. 



But something must be said about the plants themselves. It 

 is evidence of what has been said earlier in this notice that so many 

 new species yet remained to be described : this occurs mainly, 

 though by no means entirely, in the orders for which Welwitsch 

 did not lend his material to the authors of the Flora of Tropical 

 Africa. There is one new genus — Epinetrum, in Menispennacrcc, of 

 which only the male plant is known, so that its position in the 

 order is doubtful. Only the novelties are fully described, but to 

 almost every species are added the copious notes which Welwitsch 

 attached to his specimens— notes which testify as forcibly as the 

 plants themselves to the extraordinary care and labour which he 

 bestowed upon his collections. It may be said that these, and the 

 very minute descriptions of the localities, might have been further 

 condensed ; but they contain noteworthy remarks, and it would, not 

 have been easy to decide what to omit. Many of the orders are 

 preceded by an interesting summary by Welwitsch, dealing with 

 the general appearance of the plants, their position in the local 

 flora, their characteristics, uses, names, and the like. Mr. Iliern 

 has carefully embodied with the MS. notes those published by 

 Welwitsch in the Aiiontawenti),' and the Si/nopse ; he has cpioted every 

 number, not only of the herbarium, but of the supplementary 

 carpological collection. A complete bibliography of the species 

 would have been out of place ; but Mr. Hieru has cited for each 



