27 



Flora ; of their utility, however, there can be but one opinion. With 

 the exception of Nos. 5 and 11 they are filled with magnified figures 

 and sections of the fruit and its appendages of such closely-allied spe- 

 cies as are best distinguished by a reference to those parts ; including 

 9 species of Potamogeton, 9 of Rumex, 27 of the 34 species of Um- 

 belliferae found in Shropshire, all the British Carices, and 18 species 

 belonging to other genera of Cyperaceae. In plate 5 are shown the 

 variations in the form of the leaves and mode of inflorescence of Che- 

 nopodium polyspermum, Linn., the erect, acute-leaved form of which, 

 at the suggestion of his friend Mr. Davall, Sir J. E. Smith described 

 and figured as a distinct species under the name of Chen, acutifolium, 

 in *Eng. Bot.' xxi. t. 1481 : and plate 11 is entirely filled with details 

 explanatory of the curious economy of Colchicum autumnale. 



In concluding this brief and imperfect notice of the 'Flora of Shrop- 

 shire,' we feel that we cannot too strongly recommend it to the notice 

 of our readers. For although, as a local Flora, it professes to treat 

 only of the plants of a single county, that county produces more than 

 half the number of species of flowering plants indigenous to the king- 

 dom. The descriptions are unusually full and carefully drawn up : and 

 when we add that some of the less understood species have been il- 

 lustrated by the critical remarks and observations of some of our most 

 eminent botanists, as for instance, many of the Hieracia and Orchideje 

 by Mr. Babington, the oaks by Professors Don and Graham, and the 

 Cerasi by Dr. Bromfield and Messrs. Borrer, Dovaston and Forster, 

 and that throughout the work there is constant reference to the state 

 of the science on the continent and to the works of modem continen- 

 tal botanists, we think we have good grounds for saying that the 

 ' Flora of Shropshire ' should be in the hands of every one who feels 

 interested in the botanical productions of the British isles. 



Aet. VIII. — Analytical Notice of No. 54 of the ' Supplement to the 

 English Botany of Sir J. E. Smith and Mr. Sowerby.'' Lon- 

 don : Longman & Co., Sherwood & Co., and the Messrs. Sowerby. 



The recently published number of this valuable and important work 

 contains interesting descriptions of Myriophyllum altemiflorum, DC. 

 Bryum Ludwigii, Schweegr. and Bryum annotinum, Hedw. ; and de- 

 scriptions and figures of Hemiaria ciliata, Bah. ; Potamogeton pree- 

 longus, Wulf. ; Orobanche barbata, Foir. ; Atriplex deltoidea, Bah. ; 

 and Lecidea Salweii, Borr. 



