A NEW BRITISH FLORA. 95 



islands had long since been completely investigated, not a year 

 passes without the addition to our list of some well-distinguished 

 species, to say nothing of the numerous forms which swell the 

 enumeration of such genera as Piom, Riibiis, Hieraclum, and Salix. 

 The investigations which have been made in these and many other 

 genera — Carex and Potamogeton are ouly two out of many which 

 might be mentioned — have long needed correlation ; and the con- 

 tents of this Journal during the years since the last edition of 

 Babington appeared bear ample testimony to the increase of our 

 knowledge in many directions during that period. 



We understand that Mr. Linton will take the London Cataloijue 

 as a basis for his Flora, and in this — which by no means implies a 

 slavish adherence to that useful list — we think he will do wisely. 

 He will, as far as possible, describe each species or variety anew 

 from living material, and will aim at making especially clear the 

 distinctive features of closely-allied forms. While undertaking the 

 work himself throughout, save perhaps in one or two genera, he 

 will submit his manuscript where necessary to those who have 

 specially devoted themselves to certain groups : in this way the 

 unity of the work will be preserved, while the co-operation of 

 specialists — which has been promised — will be ensured. 



In some respects the Flora will be an advance bibliographically 

 on any of its predecessors. A reference (with date) will be given 

 for each species, as in the best continental floras — a feature, we 

 believe, first attempted for England in Mi-. W. R. Clarke's " First 

 Records of British Flowering Plants," published in this Joui-nal. 

 The most recent continental works will be consulted. In a word, 

 every care will be taken to make the new Flora thoroughly up to 

 date ; and those who know Mr. Linton's work both in the field and 

 in the study better than ourselves are convinced that, taking all 

 things into consideration, he is the best qualified of our present-day 

 British botanists to carry out the undertaking in a satisfactory 

 manner. 



Mr. Linton's share in the preparation of the type-sets of 

 brambles, willows, and hawkweeds which have been issued during 

 the last few years must have enabled him to obtain considerable 

 knowledge of these genera. We shall await with interest his 

 dealing with the last of these, the number of which threatens to 

 exceed either of the two others we have mentioned. At a time 

 when continental Vcirieties are claimed as additions to our British 

 list on the slightest possible pretext, and when mere states or 

 extreme forms of a series shading into one another are considered 

 in some quarters worthy of varietal or even of specific rank, it is 

 most desirable that a sane and well-balanced effort should be made 

 to distinguish between these and plants which have a just title to 

 inclusion in our text-books ; and we believe Mr. Linton will carry 

 out such an effort to the satisfaction of the field botanist and the 

 student. 



Another reason for the issue of a new Flora is to be found in 

 the withdrawal of Mr. Arthur Bennett from the continuation of the 

 supplement to English Botany. It is to be feared that no one will 



