REVIEWS AND ORITICISMS. 73 
opportunity lay open to Dr. Huth in the case of the typical 
species of this genus, M. minimus; for since this is the 
largest species of the whole seven, and is named “the 
smallest,” it is not only the most inappropriate name in the 
whole genus as we now have it, but more inappropriate than 
any name for any possible future Myosurus is likely to be. 
Eranthis and Coptis are retained in the rank of genera by 
Dr. Huth, though it is confessedly impossible to name a sin- 
gle character of any importance, by which the former is dis- 
tinguishable from Helleborus; and M. Baillon reduces both 
these small genera to that original out of which they were 
taken. We are of the opinion that Hranthis should be 
joined to Helleborus, and that Coptis is perfectly distinct by 
habit and strong vegetative characters, such as the coriaceous 
foliage, hard rootstocks, and roots of peculiar color and qual- 
ities. We also consider that on these accounts the plants 
are just as incongruous with Isopyrum, to which some have 
thought the species might be referred. We consider that it 
would be less unnatural to merge Isopyrum in Thalictrum 
even, than to unite Coptis to the former. Between Coptis 
and Helleborus, or Coptis and Isopyrum we perceive only 
certain close analogies of fruit structure, but no very near 
affinity; while to our view, between Isopyrum and Thalic- 
trum, there is close affinity, and little difference beyond that 
of the number of the carpels and the number of seeds in each. 
We did not know, until now, that either of these small 
genera, Hranthis and Coptis, had acquired so considerable a 
number of species. According to our author, who is a great 
conservative in the matter of species, Hranthis has seven 
and Coptis nine. The former is a genus of the Old World 
exclusively; the latter is partly of the same distribution, 
though with four American species. 
In the case of Actoca, a small genus still, and mainly 
American in its distribution, Dr. Huth has made an unsue- 
cessful study; or at least such will be the opinion of any 
American botanist who may have given much attention to 
hese plants. Dr. Huth recognizes only a single species of 
