176 



JOHN LINDLEY 



When it is remembered that Bentham, who elaborated the 

 orchids for the Gejtera Plantarum, held broader views of generic 

 limits than the majority of botanists, the fact that 114 or more 

 than a third of the genera retained are Lindleyan is a striking 

 testimony to the accuracy and range of Lindley's work in the 

 group. Pfitzer in the work already cited retains 127 of Lindley's 

 genera. In no other great family probably has one man left so 

 large a mark as Lindley has left in the Orchidaceae. In this 

 connection it may be added that 40 of Robert Brown's Orchid 

 Genera and 50 of Blume's are retained by Bentham and Hooker. 



The number of species of orchids known in his time Lindley 

 doubtingly estimated at 3000. Collectors since that time have 

 increased that number probably to 6000. The fact that about 

 1 100 species of orchids are known from British India, out- 

 numbering those of any other family by about 300, will 

 doubtless surprise the majority of botanists. 



Before closing this notice of a remarkable and versatile man 

 some reference must be made to his pioneer work in the field of 

 paleobotany a subject that has markedly advanced in recent 

 times at the hands of Lindley's fellow-countrymen. In co- 

 operation with Hutton there were published (1831 1837) the 

 three volumes of Lindley and Hutton's Fossil Flora of Great 

 Britain, an authoritative work, profusely illustrated with figures 

 of the known fossils, and by no means entirely superseded at 

 the present day. The introductory chapters to the volumes 

 bear the mark of Lindley's handiwork, and that to volume III. 

 contains the results of an extensive series of experiments carried 

 out by Lindley to determine the capacity of various plants to 

 resist the agencies of disintegration. These results have become 



