164 Analysis of' Scientific Books cmd Memoirs. 



be anxious to adopt. Free from all vulgarism, he has used pure English 

 words whenever they were applicable ; and in other cases has, either by 

 giving the Latin appellation an English termination, or by adopting the 

 Latin itself, established a phraseology which is, perhaps, as classical as 

 Botanical English can be rendered. 



We shall offer a few observations on the genera and species in the work. 



Zostera is still retained in the class Monandria, as is Chara, which to 

 us would appear with more propriety to rank among the Cryptogamice. 



The Salicorniafruficosa is considered by Smith as probably a variety of 

 S. radicans. We may observe that our specimen of S.fruticosa, given to 

 us by Professor De Candolle, and gathered on the shores of the Mediterra- 

 nean, is quite different from the British plant so called ; and, as Linnseus 

 quotes Sauv. Monspel., it is probable that he had the Mediterranean in- 

 dividual in view when he established the S.fruticosa. 



Callitriche autumnaUs of Linnaeus, which, in Fl. Brit, and Engl. Bot., 

 was considered but as a variety of C. aquatica, is now separated from it, and 

 its former old name is restored. We are of opinion that the difference mere- 

 ly arises from locality. The specimens from which Sir James Smith ap- 

 pears to have drawn up his description grew a foot deep under water. 



We have a new station for the exceedingly rare Veronica fruticulosa, 

 given at p. 18, Vol. I. ; it having been found upon Ben Lawers by Mr R. 

 Brown, whose accuracy, as the author observes, is beyond all doubt or 

 " supposition." We feel quite provoked with ourselves, that after having, 

 as we had believed, scoured almost every rock upon Ben Lawers, and some- 

 times at the risk of a broken neck, we should not have met with this plant ; 

 but we know from experience how very local are many of these alpine spe- 

 cies. We have gathered V. saxatilis in plenty on Ben Lawers. 



Sir James Smith observes of the V. serpyUifolia humifusa, that it is 

 scarcely even a lasting variety. In the Botanic Garden of Glasgow, it has 

 been cultivated for seven or eight years, and it retains all its characters. 

 Nor do we, upon its native mountains, find any intermediate state of it to 

 exist. 



The genus Cladium is adopted for Schwnus Mariscus. 



Schwnus albus and S. fuscns are referred to Rhynchospora, a genus of 

 which we have several species from North America. Isolepis of Brown 

 is united with Scirpus, as it differs only in the want of bristles around the 

 germen. Eleocharis is kept distinct. 



A new species of Eriophorum is added to the British list, viz. E. pubes- 

 cens, the E. angustijblium of Poiteau and Turpin, Fl. Par., but not of 

 other authors. It belongs to the division of the genus with many spikes ; 

 and it must be confessed that the species are very difficult to be discrimi- 

 nated from each other. 



Under the head of Graminew are some excellent observations upon that 

 extensive and natural family. We shall quote one passage in illustration 

 of our author's style. " Grasses (he observes) yield more sustenance to man 

 and to the larger animals, than all the rest of the vegetable kingdom to- 

 gether. Their herbage, so perpetually springing, and so tenacious of life, 



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