220 Notices respecting New Booh. 



thors. The typographical arrangement claims no small share 

 of praise ; and the various heads of information under each 

 species catch the eye in a convenient and instantaneous way. 

 Indeed we can suggest no improvement in this department, 

 unless the habitats, as in the Flora Britannica, had been ex- 

 pressed in a different type. 



A few only of the novelties, which are to be found in peru- 

 sing this work, can now be noticed. Salicomia radicans and 

 frirticosa are said to be possibly varieties, and most of our best 

 botanists concur in this view. Callitriche autumnalis, which is 

 aquatica y of Fl. Br., is now first admitted on the authority of 

 that keen observer, Dr. Wahlenberg. The lovers of Flora 

 will be glad to see Veronica hirsuta established as British, and 

 for which we are indebted to Mr. James Smith, who belongs 

 to that useful class, the Scotch gardeners. Has the learned 

 author ever noticed the St. Vincent Rock's specimens of 

 V. hybrida ? One of our lynx-eyed friends always insists that it 

 is distinct from the Humphrey Head plant. The V. Allionii of 

 Hooker is, with propriety, made a variety of officinalis. Schcenics 

 Mariscus, on the authority of Brown, affords the type of a new 

 genus called Cladium. Fedia, comprehending the old Valeriana 

 locusta (now F. olitoria) and dentata, is immutably established. 

 Schoenus albus andfascus furnish another new genus, created by 

 Vahl, called Rhynchospora, — the only real Schccnus left being 

 nigricans. Eleocharis, again, embraces Scirpus palustris and 

 some others allied in habit; but why ccespitosus should still be 

 left among the Scirpi does not satisfactorily appear. The articu- 

 lated style is the character of the new genus. Cyperus Jiiscus 

 appears here from Hooker's Flor. Loud., but its claim to be a 

 native is probably to be suspected. Friophorum pubescens is 

 new, from Cherry Hinton near Cambridge. 



The Grasses have undergone great changes, by the division 

 of the artificial genera, and by a new arrangement of their 

 proximities. The old Pkleum paniculatum is now asperwn, 

 which is the more common and appropriate name. Phalaris 

 arcnaria is now a Phleum. The genus Trichodium of Michaux 

 and Schrader, to which our Agrostis canina and setacca were 

 supposed to belong, by habit as well as by character, is not 

 admitted. The total absence of the inner valve does not seem 

 essential, as may be seen in T. rupestre, which is considered 

 as an indubitable species of this genus. The A. setacca seems 

 scarcely to be known by the continental botanists. It is to 

 Curtis that we are indebted for the first complete establish- 

 ment of this specier. His figure and description are, as usual, 

 clear and accurate, and leave nothing to be desired. Withering 

 mistook it for A. alpina, from which it differs widely in the pani- 

 cle, 



