285 



really no light task, for I quite believe, in some ex- 

 tensive genera he has given twice the number of 

 species he ought to do : witness Thalictrum, Aco- 

 nitum, Helia?ithe?num, &c. I have this moment re- 

 ceived a good many of his supposed species of the 

 latter genus from Montpellier, and these will enable 

 me to make some corrections. When I may think 

 him wrong without sufficient materials to prove him 

 so, I shall copy his characters and state my opinion. 

 I can make nothing of his Drabce ; — indeed I am 

 greatly puzzled with our Scotch species. What 

 varieties of hirta we have from the Arctic regions ! 

 These I think will throw some light on De Can- 

 dolle's doubtful ones. 



As to terminology, you cannot differ in opinion 

 from DeCandolle upon this subject more than I do. 

 Much harm has, I think, been done to science bv 

 the numerous newly invented terms, many of which 

 are worse than useless. I shall adhere as closely as 

 I can to your language, and I assure you, that one 

 great cause of my rejoicing at the appearance of 

 your English Flora, before my going to press 

 with the System of Plants, is, that I shall thus be 

 able to profit by your latest ideas upon the subject. 

 I think in general I have followed you pretty closely. 

 I would prefer, however, cordate to heartshaped, per- 

 haps from custom ; as I would lanceolate to lance- 

 shaped : neither is, perhaps, generally received En- 

 glish. The word even does not express to me what 

 smooth does — which I have been in the habit of 

 applying to a surface free from roughness ; whilst 

 glabrous I have used to signify a surface free from 



