DESCPtlPTIVE BOTAXY. 163 



the history of his science, and avail ourselves in some in- 

 stances of the results of his investigations. 



253. 



The necessary saving of room demands, that in citations 

 proper abbreviations should be employed. The names of 

 writers, who might be confounded with one another, are given 

 at greater length. The Gmelins can only be distinguished 

 by adding their Christian names. The younger Linnaeus is 

 commonly denoted by the addition of ^/. The cited works 

 themselves are denoted by intelligible abbreviations, which 

 should always be explained in a register. The number of 

 the pages in which plants are mentioned, is always given 

 without prefixing the superfluous letters, pag. or p. Plates 

 are referred to according to their number, with the prefixed 

 t. or tab. 



The place of a description is marked by *. When we are 

 doubtful whether a synonym suits, we add an interrogation 



(?) 



254. 

 Vulgar names are of importance principally in the Floras 

 of particular countries. To these they should be appro- 

 priated, and it is a reprehensible waste of space, when in \ 

 general works, or even in Floras, all barbarous names are pro- 

 duced. This is an employment which ought to be left to the 

 followers of Menzelius and Nemnich. 



VL On the Form, of Botanical Works. 

 A. Monographs. 



255, 



By a Monograph we understand a complete accotmt of 

 any one family, tribe, or genus, nothing being neglected 

 which is necessary for a perfect knowledge of it. Such ac- 

 counts have i,n the highest degree promoted the progress of 



L2 



