204 



BOTANICAL GAZETTE. [ August, 



Cr> ptojsamic Botany. 



Although it is true that " no general handbook to cryptogamic bot- 

 any has appeared in the English language since the Rev. M. J. Berkeley's, 

 in 1857," as Bennett and Murray remark in the first sentence of the in- 

 troduction to their new text-book, yet the subject has received good 

 treatment in several general works both by English authors and through 

 translations. A new text-book devoted exclusively to this section of sys- 

 tematic botany must therefore show itself superior to what is already 

 published, in other ways than having a separate binding, in order to be 

 fully acceptable. There is no doubt that the new " Handbook of Cryp- 

 togamic Botany n by Bennett & Murray 2 presents the subject in the main 

 in accordance with the latest views and in convenient compass for the use 

 of students. In attempting to cover the whole ground uniformly, the 

 authors have scarcely escaped the tediousness of a bare enumeration of 

 facts. The facts can be relied upon, however, as judiciously collated di- 

 rectly from authoritative sources. 



The subject is subdivided as follows : (1) Vascular Cryptogams, (2) 



Muscinese, (3) Characese, (4) Algae, (5) Fungi, (6) Mycetozoa, (7) Proto- 

 phyta, the last including diatoms and bacteria. This is not a classification 

 that a majority of advanced systematists are likely to favor, particularly 

 as to the separation of the algae and fungi into distinct groups. It is well 

 that the myxomycetes should not masquerade as fungi ; but it is difficult 

 to see why the bacteria are not equally entitled to autonomy, instead of 

 being thrust among the protophytes as the only non-chlorophyllous mem- 

 bers of that group. If the classification of the thallophytes adopted by 

 the authors is one for convenience, it invites little criticism, but if it is to 

 show relationship, there are as many inconsistencies in it, to say the 

 least, as in that of Sachs, which most later works have adopted. 



We can not but think that the authors are unfortunate in their at- 

 tempts to improve the commonly accepted terminology. Not until bot- 

 anists make a serious attempt to anglicize such names as geranium, pe- 

 tunia and gladiolus into gerane, petuny and gladid is it likely that they 

 will adopt selerote, epiderm and antherid for sclerotium, epidermis and an- 

 theridium. But if one is to adopt changes of this kind in order to sim- 

 plify technical language, why not be consistent and use prvthal for pro- 

 thallus and sore for sorus ? Other considerable changes in accepted usage 

 are the use of the term sperm and its combinations for the sexually pro- 

 duced spore, and the restriction of the meaning of reproduction. 



Aside from the strictures noted we have only praise for the work. 

 It is an excellent epitome of present knowledge on the subject, with many 

 references to the principal original publications, numerous fine illustra- 

 tions, and the right kind of paper, typography and binding. M<*ny of the 

 illustrations will be familiar to students of Sachs' and de Bary's works, 



•Bennett. Alfred W., and Murkay, Geobge.— A handbook of cryptogamic botany. 



pp. 473; 378 illustrations. 8vo. London : Longmans, Green & Co,, 1889, 



