2 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. [Proc. 3D Ser. 



If one examines the enormous mass of literature bearing 

 upon the great group of Angiosperms that has accumulated 

 and that is being rapidly augmented, one must be impressed 

 with the very great preponderance of work of an exclusively 

 descriptive character. Whether one examines descriptive 

 floras or monographs of special groups, the number where 

 the descriptions extend beyond a mere enumeration of ex- 

 ternal characters is astonishingly small. While this is usually 

 quite sufficient for the mere identification of a plant and 

 for determining its relation to nearly allied forms, it is quite 

 inadequate for settling questions of relationship between 

 more remote groups, and especially those of obscure affinities. 

 The constant addition of new forms to the already immense 

 list of known species but adds to the confusion which exists, 

 and out of which it seems hopeless to expect ever to bring 

 order. What is needed is not so much additions to this great 

 mass of undigested material, as some beginning of a more 

 thorough study of the materials at hand. How greatly would 

 the value of many an important monograph on a genus or 

 family be enhanced did it but include a connected account 

 of the whole life-history of one or two representative forms ! 

 Were this done, we should soon have a collection of data 

 upon which to make a beginning, at least, of a classification 

 of the Angiosperms, which would be something more than 

 mere guess work. Such minute histological study of all the 

 phases of development is of especial importance in those 

 simpler groups of both Monocotyledons and Dicotyledons, 

 where the floral parts are very simple, and where doubt arises 

 whether we have to do with structures primitively simple or 

 the result of degradation. The present chaotic condition 

 of taxonomy is beyond question largely due to the superfi- 

 cial methods which are adopted in classification. An in- 

 heritance from a former scientific era, these primitive 

 methods are held to with a persistency which does not augur 

 especially well for the future. 



The great advances made of late years in microscopical 

 technique, both in regard to preserving and staining methods, 

 and especially the use of the microtome, have been as yet 



