71 
diagnosis of the plant to which it belongs. I see in my mind’s eye 
a state of confusion coming over systematic botany, such as was 
never witnessed in any branch of science; and I think it is the duty 
of every one who has the advancement of Phytology at heart, to 
oppose, by every means in his power, the lamentable condition which 
threatens to beset us. The opposition to the views advanced in the 
paper read anticipated from pharmacologists, will probably be more 
severe than that which Dr. Seemann has reason to expect from his 
botanical fellow-labourers. I will, therefore, mention a case bearing 
an analogy to the one above described. Pteris aquilina of England and 
Pteris esculenta of New Zealand differ from each other, in the root of 
the former being almost destitute of starchy matter, while that of the 
latter has an abundance of starch. Believing, as I do, that Pteris 
aquilina is the same all over the world, and that Pteris esculenta of 
New Zealand is specifically identical with P. aquilina of England, I 
account for the abundant development of starch in one locality, and 
its almost total absence in the other, by assuming that the physical 
constitution of New Zealand is more favourable to the development 
of amylaceous matter in Pteris aquilina than that of England; and in 
a similar manner does Dr. Seemann seem to account for the mealy 
and non-mealy sarsaparillas.” 
BERTHOLD SEEMANN. 
Kew, February 15, 1854. 
An Account of the Lichens of Cleveland, with their Localities. 
By Witu1am Mupp, Esq. 
Havine perused the pages of the ‘ Phytologist’ for some time, and 
observed the paucity of contributions towards the lichens of this 
country, it has occurred to me that a list of the species found in that 
part of Yorkshire called Cleveland would not be uninteresting. 
Before proceeding with the list, it will be necessary to take a glance 
at the arrangement of the genera. That of Acharius has been gene- 
rally adopted by lichenologists in this country. However, it seems 
probable, from the investigations that have lately been instituted, that 
this celebrated system will, like the more general one of Linneus, be 
wholly abandoned ; and in its room every writer upon lichens has 
proposed a new one of his own, of which, in truth, it may be said that 
it is impossible at present to say which will be adopted. 
