Notices respecting New Booh. 285 



remark still, " Umbel liferarum character generalis simplex ac 

 facilis, difficilis generum distinctio ac distributio." On the 

 other hand, when the genus is tolerably natural, it usually 

 happens that the species are proportionably obscure, as for 

 example in Saxifraga, Ranunculus, Rosa. 



The artificial state in which Linnaeus had left the umbelli- 

 ferous genera rendered it very desirable that a revision should 

 take place; and the learned author of the present work, with 

 the assistance of Sprengel and Cusson, who are great authorities 

 among these plants, has done well to undertake it. He has laid 

 aside the inflorescence, to which Linnaeus, contrary to his own 

 rules, had resorted for characters in this difficult tribe, and 

 has introduced new characters from the parts of fructification 

 alone. In addition, he is much disposed to rely on a part 

 which he calls the " floral receptacle," or disk, and which is 

 " a glandular ring, under the tumid bases of the styles, and 

 mostly united therewith, but differing in substance, and often 

 in duration, sometimes dilated into a thin undulated margin 

 or ruffle, in general somewhat enlarged as the fruit ripens, 

 sometimes withering, sometimes entirely wanting, finally sepa- 

 rated into two parts, one of which accompanies each seed." 

 This attempt to characterize the genera is new, and, as far as 

 a cursory study will justify an opinion, it appears likely to as- 

 sociate the species more naturally. The application of the 

 principle to living plants can alone establish its validity. It 

 has created the necessity of a fresh arrangement of die genera 

 as to the series, and the removal of many species from their 

 present station in the system. Thus Caucalis Anthriscus, in- 

 Jesta, and nodosa are now removed to Torilis, a genus of 

 Adanson's ; the daucoides and latifolia only, which are of 

 distinct habit, remaining behind. The old Scandix Anthriscus 

 is now Anthriscus vulgaris ; the Scandices having the " floral 

 receptacle five-lobed and coloured," while Anthriscus has the 

 same part "slightly bordered." The genus Myrrhis is new, 

 embracing the Linnaean Scandix odorata, Chcerophyllum te- 

 miilwn, aureum, and a new one from Mr. G. Don, aromaticum. 

 By the bv, why does the 'present author continue the trivial 

 name temulcntum, without referring to the original name of te- 

 mulum ? Linnaeus does not appear to have applied the epi- 

 thet, as Sir James notices, from any intoxicating quality which 

 the plant possesses, but it is probably barbarous Latin referring 

 to the swollen joints. So Sprengel calls it Myrrhis Icmula. 

 The Pig-nut, which has been changed and rechangccl be- 

 tween Bunium Bulbocastanum and jiexxiosum, is settled clown 

 here to be the latter plant, though Ray could scarcely mean 

 to designate the rarer plant by his common name. Sison 



inundatitm 



