388 BOTANICAL NEWS. 
But our purpose was to examine the part of the Prodromus just pub- 
lished, and not the position of the Order. Boissier had already mono- 
graphed the Huphorbiee in the first part of the volume; the remainder 
of the Order is here described by Dr. Miiller, who assumes the dis- 
tinetive designation Argoviensi, to distinguish him from the numerous 
Miillers who have devoted or are devoting themselves to botanical in- 
quiries. Dr. Müller is a “lumper " of species ; he has reduced many 
forms that were considered good species. He derives his specific 
diagnosis chiefly from the characters of the flowers, considering those 
of the leaves, ete., to beof less importance and of value only for dis- 
tinguishing varieties. The volume consequently does not greatly in- 
crease the numbers of the Zuphorbiacee, although it contains many 
new forms. 
Dr. Müller introduces an innovation, which is to us very objection- 
able, and which we hope will not be perpetuated, as it will inevitably 
introduce endless confusion, impossible to be cleared up, into our 
already confused botanical nomenclature. Without altering the name, 
but because he includes forms that had before been excluded, he dis- 
places the name of the author of the species, and attaches his own to 
it. Thus, Mercurialis perennis is not of L. but of Müll. Arg. Were 
this to be adopted, every “ lumper ” in reviewing a genus or family 
would be entitled to place his name after all the species, and, his 
“ splitting " successor in the same work, giving a different value to his 
We trust M. De Candolle will hesitate before he permits such a source 
of confusion a permanent admission to the Prodromus. 
BOTANICAL NEWS. 
: h Mettenius was born on the 24ih of November, 1823, at 
Frankfort-on-the-Maine, where his father was a merchant. He attended the 
model school, and afterwards the school of Director Stellway, both at Frank- 
fort, and subsequently became a pupil of the gymnasium of the same city, 
. which he attended until 1841. In the spring of 1841 he went to the Univer- 
xy of Heidelberg, coe dese ta ie study of medicine. Sarean 
ir tha- A g 
OCtOr OL 
Medicine, his inaugural disser. 
NN ey De eit (Francofurti ad M, 1845, 4to). In the spring of 
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