122 BOTANICAL GAZETTE [ AUGUST 
ther statement. It is becoming increasingly evident, however, that the con- 
tinuation of the Sy#optical Flora could not have fallen into more competent 
hands. The most scrupulous care is evident upon every page of Dr. Robin- 
son’s work. While critical enough not to accept everything published, he 
which comes from carelessness. Judgment must always differ as to the 
taxonomic importance of certain characters, and the conception of variety, 
species, etc., is a variable one. Naturally, a work prepared by several 
authors, however carefully edited, will be more or less uneven, but this is 
inevitable, and it would seem that its possible disadvantage is far outweighed 
by the positive advantage of more rapid publication. 
Perhaps the most important pieces of fresh work are found in Dr. Robin- 
son’s revision of the Caryophyllacez, and Professor Bailey’s treatment of the 
Vitacee. 
A supplement of fifteen pages contains ‘additions and corrections” in 
connection with the first fascicle, so far as the editor has had time to consider 
carefully the fresh literature on the groups presented. It is announced that 
a third fascicle is now in preparation by Dr. Robinson to include the 
Leguminosze.—J. 
Plante Europeze.* 
Ir is a gratification to know that Richter’s “Enumeratio” is to be com- 
pleted, and by so competent an editor as Dr. Giirke, curator of the Botanical 
Museum of Berlin. The first volume of Richter’s work was published seven 
s ago, and at his death it seemed very doubtful whether it would ever be 
completed. The second volume was left in manuscript, but the accessions 
have been so numerous, and matters of range, synonomy, and nomenclature 
have become so modified that Dr. Giirke has been called upon to do a large 
amount of editing. He has concluded, also, to issue the second volume in 
fascicles, the first one of which is now before us. It is not necessary to 
explain the scope and importance of this work. Its purpose is fully stated 
in the title, and its quality is well known from the first volume. The present 
author adopts the sequence of Engler in Natirlichen Pflanzenfamilien, and 
in matters of nomenclature he is of the Berlin school, which accepts the 1753 
date and the law of priority, but thinks that the latter must not be too rigidly 
applied. The present fascicle introduces the ee extending 
from Juglandacee through Chenopodiaceze.—J. M 
4+Girke, Dr. M.—Plante Europee. Enumeratio systematica et synonymica 
plantarum phanerogamicarum in Europa sponte crescentium vel mere inquilinarum. 
Operis a Dr. K. Richter incepti. Tomus II. Fasc. 1. 8vo. pp. vit160. Leipzig: 
Wilhelm Engelmann, 1897. J. 5. 
