Constantine Samuel Rafinesque. 103 



RAFINESQUE S WORK IN BOTANY. 



One of the most striking facts in connection with 

 the botanical work of Rafinesque consists in his con 

 stant onslaughts upon the artificial classificatory systems 

 of his day. Especially is this marked in his reviews 

 of the work of others. In these papers he spares not, 

 and herein lies one chief cause of the disrepute into 

 which he early fell among American botanists. He was 

 bold to a fault; he was quick to see new relations; he 

 was not always careful to work them out to the satis 

 faction of others, but insisted on their adoption without 

 the formality of a rigid demonstration. In this way his 

 propositions came to be regarded as dangerous innova 

 tions, for American science was yet under the domina 

 tion of the masters in Europe. Closet naturalists abroad 

 directed the investigators of this country what groupings 

 to accept and what relations to recognize. 



Of the genera and species established by Rafinesque, 

 and that are recognized in Gray s Manual of Botany, 

 there are thirteen genera, eight subgenera, and sixteen 

 species. With advancing years others will be added, 

 and the full sum of tardy justice eventually will be 

 reached. There only intervenes, preventing speedy rec- 



