172 THE JOURNAL OP BOTANY 



In looking through this manual we are reminded of the general 

 acceptance at the present time- of the once much controverted 

 doctrine of symbiosis in lichens. Ignored by Crombie in vol. i., 

 and indignantly repudiated by Nylander and Leighton, it is 

 assumed as an undoubted fact by the author of the present 

 volame. Indeed, not the least interesting and valuable feature of 

 the book is the mention under each genus of the particular algal 

 form that constitutes the " symbiont," or messmate, in the com- 

 position of the lichen. 



It is hardly necessary to say that this manual is indispensable 

 to the student of British Lichens. While no futile attempts at 

 " popularizing " them are made by the sacrifice of technical ter- 

 minology, the somewhat pedantic and deterrent style of preceding 

 Lichen-Floras has been happily avoided, and thus it may well be 

 hoped that recruits will be enlisted for the practical study of 

 these interesting plants. That increased activity of this kind 

 has manifested itself of late is proved by the success of the 

 recently established Exchange Club of British Lichens, which 

 already can boast of members from all parts of the United King- 

 dom, and has resulted in the discovery of a considerable number 

 of species new to the British Flora, or even to science, all of 

 which are described in the addenda to this volume. The few 

 misprints observed are mainly in local names, and are no doubt 

 due to defective handwriting on labels ; one contributor, at any 

 rate, feels he must cry med culpa in this respect ! It need only 

 be added that no more effective proof could be given of the rich- 

 ness of the National Herbarium than the fact that a catalogue of 

 species therein contained, described by an expert, becomes an 

 admirable and exhaustive Manual of British Lichens. 



H. P. Keader. 



Flora of Jamaica : containing Descriptions of tlie Floivering Plants 

 knoivn from the Island. By William Fawcett, B.Sc, 

 F.L.S., and Alfred Barton Eendle, D.Sc, F.E.S. Vol. i. 

 Orchidacese. Pp. xviii. 150, 32 plates. Price 10s. 6d. 

 Dulau, Soho Square, W. 

 This w^ell-printed and well-illustrated volume is the first instal- 

 ment of an important undertaking for which the Trustees of the 

 British Museum are responsible. That such a work was in pre- 

 paration has been known to the readers of this Journal, in whicli 

 the descriptions of the new species contained therein have from 

 time to time been printed, but these in their necessary isolation 

 from the text could give no notion of the extent of the complete 

 enumeration. The combination of authors is a happy one, for 

 Mr. Fawcett left the Museum to become Director of Public Gar- 

 dens and Plantations in Jamaica and there had the opportunity 

 for twenty-one years of studying its flora in situ, and was able to 

 obtain the loan of all the material in the Jamaican Herbarium 

 and of a fine series of drawings made at the Gardens, under his 

 supervision, by Miss Helen A. Wood ; while Dr. Eendle's long 

 connection with the Department of Botany has familiarized him 



