21 



Notice of ' The Annals and Magazine of Natural History^ 

 No. 93. December, 1844. 



The botanical articles in this number are three : a continuation of 

 Mr. Ralfs' paper on the Desmideae, which was read before the 

 Botanical Society of Edinburgh, in last June ; an abstract by Mr. 

 Henfrey, of M. Gaudichaud's report on M. Duchartre's memoir ' On 

 the Organogeny of the Flower, and particularly of the Ovary, in 

 Plants with a free central Placenta;' and a review of Newman's 

 ' History of British Ferns.' 



Mr. Ralfs' paper describes the genus Cosmarium, of Corda, and 

 ten species, several of which appear to be new. They are 

 found, like the other genera and species of this obscure but not unin- 

 teresting tribe of plants, in boggy pools ; many of them by the author, 

 near Penzance and Dolgelly, others in Sussex, by Mr. Jenner, and in 

 various localities by other botanists. We have experienced much 

 pleasure in viewing these minute plants aided by a powerful micro- 

 scope ; and sincerely hope that through the labours of Messrs. Ralfs, 

 Jenner, and Hassal, they will, ere long, be introduced more fully to 

 the notice of our British botanists. 



The paper on Organogeny will be read with some interest by those 

 who study this abstruse yet highly important branch of botanical 

 science ; but we cannot venture on making a further abridgement, 

 and must be content with extracting this brief summary of the 

 author's views. 



1. All organization commences in the cell. 



2. Eveiy so-called appendicular organ of vegetation and fructification results 

 from a cell endued with vitality. 



3. The organized cell produces a bud of leaves, flowers, or ovules. 



4. All pre-exists in eveiy such bud ; no fresh organization is added to it, any more 

 than to the cell. 



5. The order of succession of the parts in the leaf or flower-buds, as well as in the 

 ovules, always takes place from the circumference to the centre. 



The review of the ' History of British Ferns,' is very flattering to 

 the author of that work, and is evidently written by one who is master 

 of the subject. 



Commencing with the Equisetacese, we observe the reviewer ad- 

 mits the necessity of the somewhat startling changes proposed in their 

 nomenclature, as : — 



