RECENT BOTANICAL PUBLICATIONS, ETC. 175 
pedium acaule is labeled Fissipes, and Orchis is labeled Gale- 
orchis. Moreover Polygonum Convolvulus is in a cover 
marked Tiniaria instead of Bilderdykia; Oxalis violacea an 
O. stricta are both labeled Oxalis, while the nomenclature calls 
for Ionoxalis and Xanthoxalis, etc. 
In other words the nomenclature followed in the book is 
not always in accord with the one in the District Herbarium, 
which, of course, makes it rather inconvenient to the student. 
As a matter of fact the student will be obliged to locate the 
genera in the herbarium by means of the synonyms given in 
the Flora, and afterwards consult Gray’s Manual in order to 
find a correct diagnosis. 
With respect to the distribution of the plants as given in 
the present work, it would have been a great advantage, if the 
authors had read Professor Brainerd’s Flora of Vermont. In 
this excellent little book the author indicates the degree of 
frequency of occurrence by means of four adjectives: com- 
mon, frequent, occasional and rare; these terms are well ex- 
plained. Moreover Professor Brainerd holds the view, that 
“it is always a matter of justice to botanical explorers and of 
interest and stimulus to others to insert the names of the 
station and of the discoverer of a rare plant.” But the new 
Flora of the District does not give much credit in this respect 
and seems more inclined to belittle and ignore the work of 
others. The logical conclusion actually appears to be that 
the aim of the new Flora is not to open the path to knowledge. 
of the Flora of the District of Columbia, but of the Flora of 
the National Herbarium. 
' Exactly the same principle has been followed in another 
publication from the U. S. Natl. Museum, namely “The North 
American Species of Panicum” by Prof. Hitchcock and Mrs. 
Chase (1910). In this voluminous publication credit is given 
only to those who presented their specimens to the National 
Herbarium. Although Professor Hitchcock borrowed my 
complete collection of Panicum from D. C., Virginia, Mary- 
land and Florida, and although most of the rarer species had 
been recorded in lists of additions, I received no credit what- 
ever. Such procedure is unfair, and does not encourage one 
to render further assistance. Any effort to monopolize scien- 
