Constantine Satmiel Rafinesque. 



entirely satisfied; in their various systematic arrange 

 ments these aberrant forms were noted, of course. These 

 plants of inserts sedis Rafinesque assumed to group, 

 and he established for them new generic appellations. 

 In the great majority of instances he never saw the 

 plants themselves when he thus attempted to establish 

 a new genus, but based his work on the descriptions of 

 the students from whom he borrowed. It also appears, 

 whether from ignorance or from indifference does not 

 here matter, that he gave names to plants already well 

 known, thus needlessly complicating the literature of 

 botany. These are his chief defects. On the other hand 

 there is to be considered an insight into natural group 

 ings which was far ahead of that of others of his time ; a 

 love for Nature that amounted to a passion ; a generosity 

 in the distribution of his plants and his papers that few 

 have emulated; a laudable ambition to be regarded the 

 first naturalist of his time. These are all commendable. 

 It is sad to reflect that the high ideals, which he had 

 before him in early manhood, were fated to non-realiza 

 tion. His botanical work demonstrates that he was the 

 creature of an unfortunate environment, the victim of 

 an unbalanced training, the intellectual scientific problem 

 of his day. 



