178 Plora Cestrica.- 
rious characters in different places, and it is only by accurate 
observations, made in many districts of the country, tha 
American Botany can acquire the same precision as that of 
some foreign countries. The author of this work is evidently 
a man of accurate observation, a zealous lover and cultivator 
of botanical science, and eminently a practical naturalist— 
having constantly in view the cui bono while prosecuting his 
researches. The work is much more than would be implied 
by “ an essay towards a Catalogue,” as it is modestly term- 
ed by the author. To the name of each genus and species 
is annexed a neat concise description, with the synonyms, va- 
rious common names, time of flowering, and habitat ; and a 
brief notice is made of such plants as are known or ‘reputed 
to possess medicinal or other remarkable properties. The 
plan of the volume, the large full page, and the execution 
generally, we think very commendable. We subjoin the au-— 
thor’s remarks on a change he has sig essen in the name and 
piace of the Linnzean Class Icosandria 
“ The Class Icosandria is unquerdaualy a highly natural 
one—of which the name given by Linnzeus conveys no accu- 
rate idea: and yet his attention to the onc eae led 
him to exclude from it some plants which, in my opinion, 
ought to belong to it. It is called Teosandra, because the 
greater t have about 
twenty siamina. But this is by no means ee vac ial char- 
acter of the class; for Linnzus himself says ‘ Pro characte- 
n non assumendus est n humerus, cum omnes polyandri 
staminibus parieti interno calycis i insertis (non vero recepta- 
culo) hue amandandi sint.’ It is the insertion ofthe stamina 
upon the calyx which marks the true character of the class : 
and umbly coneeive that all hermaphrodite plants thus 
characterized ought to be referred to the same class, without 
regard to the number of the stamina. Hence I can perceive 
no good reason why the genus Ribes, which has but five ned 
ina, May not be introduced into this natural assemblage, a 
well as Evgenia, Rosa, and some others, in which the ites 
pretension to the name Iecosandria, strictly speaking ; yet 
they certainly all agree in the ete sy characteristic of the 
class. The same remark ma made in relation to some 
bi oot which the later aaa have already tran 
though they have ater’ than twenty stamina, 
pr as yr Cuphea, &c. it might: proba obably be 
