* 230 Botanical Writings of Rafinesque. 
different from Listera.—5. Isotria, and 6. Odonectis, are apparent- 
ly both founded upon Pogonia verticillata.—7. Carpanthus (ar- 
illaris,) is said to be a submersed fern, growing in Pennsylvania 
and New Jersey.—The three remaining genera belong to Fungi. 
é Sixty new species are also described, many of which may be 
identified, and should not be overlooked.—The few notes on the 
properties of some North American plants, [No. 3,] contain noth 
: ing worthy of particular notice. oe 
The plants described in the Précis des découvertes, are chiefly 
Sicilian: there are, however, several new American genera and 
species of Alg@ and Fungi, and one new phanerogamous genus, 
viz. Tussaca, which is the Goodyera of Brown ; the latter pub- 
lished, not in the same year with his own, as Rafinesque else- 
where states, but one year previous, viz. in 1813. We have nev- 
er seen the Specchio delle Scienze; but learn from a list given by 
Rafinesque in an advertisement, that several of the new genera 
of plants it contains, are republished from the Medical Repository : 
~ but here Psycanthus and Triclisperma first appear, (both founded 
on Polygala, the latter equivalent to Chamebucrus ;) also Cra- 
fordia, whichis still a puzzle, and Bivonea, which is founded on 
Jatropha stimulosa. The remainder, so far as they are noticed 
by succeeding botanists, are referred as synonyms to different 
exotic genera; but of several we find no subsequent mention, el- 
ther by Rafinesque or others. Among these are Kinia and Wilso- 
nia, which, being doubtless dedicated, the one to a German col- 
lector in this country, who corresponded with Muhlenberg, and 
the other to the well known ornithologist, were probably founded 
on plants of the United States. 
We have thus noticed, somewhat in detail, the earlier labors of 
Mr. Rafinesque, in North American botany.* In these, he had 
certainly shown no little sagacity ; and, considering his limited 
advantages, he must be deemed a botanist of unusual promise for 
that period, notwithstanding the defects which, increasing iD after 
life, have obscured his real merits, and caused even his eatly Wr 
* As early as 1808, Rafinesque had commenced the practice, (not uncommon at 
that day) of changing generic names when they were not conformable to the Lin- 
nan canons, or even when they were too long or too short. Thus: Calinux wa 
proposed for Pyrularia, Michz. (Hamiltonia, Willd.,) Lyoniafor Polygonella, Mic 
Osmodium for Onosmodium, Michz. &¢c.—Most of the new genera, &¢., published 
in the Medical Repository, were republished by Desvaux, in his Journal of Bota 
ny, vol. 2, 1809. 
