278 Notice of a Flora of North America. 
stance before us, as sections of one large family, than in endeavy- 
oring to circumscribe them as separate orders, where no sufiicient 
natural characters appear to exist. We feel convinced, indeed, 
that the onward progress of the science will have a tendency 
rather to diminish than increase the number of orders, which 
have been so largely multiplied since the days of Jussieu.» Nor 
is it surprising that such should have been the case, since the 
introduction of ‘new plants irreconcilable with the characters of 
any of the families indicated by that great physiologist, required, 
from time to time, the establishment of such additional orders as 
appeared to limit and define their respective properties and pecu- 
liarities. But with our increased, and daily increasing, knowl- 
edge of vegetable forms, we become acquainted with genera so 
exactly intermediate in character between what have been 
regarded as separate groups, or orders, existing in nature, that 
we are compelled to view the dividing lines as of secondary, of 
subordinate value ; and hence, we conceive, will arise the neces 
sity of reuniting some, perhaps ultimately many, orders 
considered as distinct. It is in this way only, that pane of 
plants can be preserved as natural alliances ; and any approach 
towards artificial arrangement will be deprecated by every true 
botanist, who feels that his province is limited to the observation 
of kindred tribes, and the elucidation of such characteristics as 
they are severally found to present. No doubt the types of new 
and very distinct orders are yet to be discovered, but we repeat 
our conviction, that for the present, at least, the number will, 
“pao the whole, be rather reduced than augmented. 
_ Under the sub-order Loganiew, is described a second species 
of the very interesting genus Celostylis, 'T. and Gr., collected 
in. Texas by the late Mr. Drummond. In Valerianacea, We 
have a new species of Valeriana from the West, and two neW 
species of Fedia; collected on the plains of Arkansas, by Mr. 
Nuttall. pa ae an interesting, forming @seP} 
rate secti fa NX (phon: li ») which ‘jg almost € 
De Candolle, having t seein. of the former, ih the it 
stamens and stigmas. of the latter.” The genus Va 
is accordingly reduced to a section of Fedia. Pass 
pees ee incwhichinwe> have. — — 
