i8gi.] 



Current Literature. 



269 



been obliged to search 



through Planter Wrightiatuc, Planim Lind- 

 heimeriancE, Plantcz Fendleriancz and dozens of other papers for the 

 information which this work presents in compact form. 1 



The present publication covers the Polypetalae ,and is the fore- 

 runner of others which will present our present knowledge of the 

 Flora of Western Texas, of whose vegetation so much remains to be 

 known. The National Herbarium deserves the praise of all botanists 

 for undertaking such a valuable project for making known the flora of 

 remote regions. When this area is completed there are other regions 

 that equally demand attention before the flora of our domain is thor- 

 oughly made known. On the other hand the botanical students of 

 Texas are laid under deep obligations to the National Herbarium for 

 furnishing a manual of their flora, and ought to be stimulated in the 

 coMection of material and notes that will assist in clearing up many 

 problems in distribution that the present work necessarily leaves 

 open questions. 



The name of the author is a sufficient guaranty of excellence in the 

 arrangement of the work. We note with pleasure a few minor points 

 which indicate a progressive spirit: (1) The use of the metric system 

 for all measurements. (2) The adoption of certain changes in nomen- 

 clature, recognized almost everywhere as necessary. (3) The change 

 of some ordinal names, as Violariec?, CaryopJiyllea>., Onagrariecz, etc. 



Space will not permit as full statistics of the Texas flora as would be 

 interesting. The following comparisons are given to show contrasts 

 of distribution and the richness of the flora in question: 



Orders 



Texan Flora. 



Ranunculaceae 

 Violarieae 



Malvaceae 



Leguminosae.. . 

 On «grarieae . . . 



Cucurbitaceae.. 

 Cactace 



Genera . 



7 

 2 



14 



6 

 10 



4 



Species. 



Chapman's Flora| Gray's Manual 

 So. States. | (6th Ed.) 



Genera. 



Spec it-s. 



21 



5 



53 

 203 



3* 

 12 



7* 



11 

 2 



12 



56 



8 



4 

 2 



54 



17 

 40 



191 



45 



4 

 6 



Genera. Species 



22 



3 

 11 



46 



7 



5 



2 



76 

 20 



25 



.56 



44 



5 



6 



•We shall await the completion of the work with great interest. 

 L. M. Underwood. 



•Coulter. John M.— Manual of the Phanerogams and Pteridophytes of 

 Western Texas: Polypetal*. Contrib. from U. S. Nat. Herb ii. no I. 8vo. pp. 

 I 52. pi. 1. Washington: Government Printing office. 1891. 



