CURRENT LITERATURE. 
BOOK REVIEWS. 
Warming’s plant geography. 
THE GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION of plants has received much attention 
for many years, but the earlier observers could do little more than accumu- 
late facts and outline general zones. With the development of plant physi- 
ology it became possible to organize these facts upon a scientific basis, and 
this organization introduces us into the great modern field of ecology, of which 
8eographical distribution is a conspicuous part. Many recent contributions to 
this region of ecology are scattered through botanical literature, and the time 
has come for the summing up of results in some general work. Such a work 
has been prepared by Dr. Warming, and the German translation by Dr. 
Knoblauch? is now before us. It is impossible to give a compact review of 
such a work, as it is a compendium of important information; and little more 
can be attempted than to present a brief outline. It is to be hoped that the 
promised English translation will put the book promptly into the hands of 
English Students. In the introduction the prominent terms are defined. 
Floristic plant-geography deals with lists, districts, limits, and causes ; ecologic 
plant-geography, the subject of the book, considers adaptations, sociology, 
and physiognomy, « Life-forms” (epharmony) and “ plant-societies” (Pflan- 
zenvereine) are defined, the latter referring to those plant associations which 
take possession of certain conditions. 
The second section discusses the ecological factors and their effects under 
the followi 
Soil, the depth of t 
1 . . . 
= te physical Properties of the soil (the author regards the physical prop- 
€S as most im Ortant, as they control the water supply, which is the most 
: P 
im is 
Portant factor), effects of inanimate coverings on vegetation (snow and 
OE Aaa Dr. EuGen.—Lehrbuch der dkologischen Pflanzengeographie ; eine 
igte 8h im die Kenntniss der Pflanzenvereine. Deutsche vom Verfasser genehm- 
in : oo und vermehrte Ausgabe von Dr. Emil Knoblauch. 8vo. 
: Tiider Borntraeger, 1896. J. 
1896] 9 7 
173 
