278 TEXT-BOOK OF BOTANY. 



name of Aster ophylUtes by the new generic designation Calamocladns. 

 All the species he included under the new name were species of 

 Aster ophylUtes : his purpose was to show that they were the branch- 

 lets and foliage of Calamites. Annularla was retained as a separate 

 genus of aquatic plants whose leaves floated on the surface of the 

 water. Our knowledge of Annularla has somewhat advanced since 

 Schimper's time. As Mr. Seward says, we now know that the vegeta- 

 tive branches possess the same type of structure as Calamites, and 

 that the strobih are of the Calamostachys type. Nevertheless 

 AiDiularia is retained as a distinct genus from Calamocladns. 



Only confusion can come from such treatment of genera. But this 

 is a necessary outcome of the author's view of nomenclature. He holds 

 that in determining the name of a genus or species each student 

 must choose for himself what course to follow in each case. It is 

 therefore sufficient to decide which name shall be adopted that it 

 appears to be "convenient," " more euphonious," or "non-com- 

 mittal." Endless confusion must follow such a practice. This it 

 is the object of a right system of nomenclature to avoid. Botanists 

 everywhere accept the Latin binominal introduced by Linnseus. In 

 Russia or Japan, in Germany or England, the same double name 

 is applied to the same species. This can be secured only by 

 following some accepted system of nomenclature. Such a method 

 has been formulated, and has been adopted by all systematic 

 botanists, save a few cranks whose superior wisdom or profound 

 ignorance leads them in other lines. We urgently commend the 

 DeCandollean code to the consideration of Mr. Seward, with the 

 conviction that it will give greater clearness to the presentment of 

 his own views, and an easier apprehension of them by others. 



W. C. 



A Text-book of Bota^iy. By Drs. E. Stkasburger, F. Noll, H. 

 ScHENCK, & A. F. W. ScmMPER. Translated from the German 

 by H. C. Porter, Ph.D. 8vo, pp. 632, with 594 illustrations 

 in part coloured. Macmillans: London & New York. 1898. 

 Price IBs. net. 



Messrs. Macmillan have been well advised to publish an English 

 translation of a text-book of botany the usefulness of which in its 

 original German form is shown by the fact that it has in less than 

 four years reached a third edition. The most striking difference 

 between the original and the translation is in the price, that of the 

 former being 7.5 marks, that of the latter 18s., a remarkable difference 

 which cannot be entirely accounted for by the plain green cloth 

 covers which in the English form replace the paper ones of the 

 German. The paper and printing of the original are quite equal to 

 that of the translation, and the figures distinctly superior. Messrs. 

 Macmillan presumably best know their own business, but we, in our 

 ignorance, would have thought a book at two-thirds the price would 

 have been a better commercial speculation, and from the students' 

 point of view an indubitable advantage. Many, however, of those 

 who can afford to pay the price will be glad to have the opportunity 

 of reading in their mother tongue a text-book of botany which is in 



