THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 11 



be attained only in greater and therefore more costly " Floras," 

 such as Bentham and Mueller's ^^ Flora Australiensis." The 

 descriptions are rendered in a particularly modified dichotomy,, 

 admitting of finding out quickly the name of any order, genus or 

 species. The systematic arrangement is according to the simplified 

 Jussieu — De Candolle system, as partly effected long ago by 

 Achilles Richard, and in latest times carried further by F. v. 

 Mueller. Indeed the drift of thought in recent systematizing on 

 phanerogamous plants tends to limiting the incongrous mono- 

 chlamydous division to the Gyranosperms, distributing its various 

 ordinal constituents among the other dicotyledonous families, 

 a tendency happily followed by Mr. Moore and commenced 

 already with Brongniart and variously continued up to the most 

 recent times by Jean Mueller — (even one of the Floras of the 

 Colonial Series, that by Prof. Grisebach on the British West- 

 Indian Islands, being written on these more novel principles). Mr. 

 Moore has wisely not encumbered his Flora with foreign elements,, 

 inasmuch as presenting also the immigrated plants disturbs the 

 originality of the picture of any indigenous vegetation to be 

 unfolded ; so in his work he limits the record of the introduced 

 plants to a simple list of names, the characteristics of these kinds 

 of plants being with the utmost of ease found out from British 

 home-works, anywhere readily available. The exclusion alluded 

 to has another advantage ; it admits of the possibility of finality 

 in a flora, whereas such works must ever remain incomplete, 

 should permanently immigrated weeds or garden- or field- 

 fugitives become regarded as constituents of any " native flora." 

 It is a merit also of this new Australian phytographic volume 

 that the author did not feel himself bound by long usage to- 

 exclude organographic improvements; so for instance he employs 

 the term " ovulary" in consonance with that of ovules, instead of 

 the word ovary, which should remain with many other botanic 

 terms exclusively zoographic. 



For the difficult task, accomplished by the publication of this 

 work, Mr. Moore has had during the last dozen years the meri- 

 torious aid of Mr. Betche, who shared assiduously both in the 

 work of the field and study-room. An historic sketch of the 

 progress in the knowledge of New South Wales plants is given, so 

 also from B. D. Jackson's records, a list of botanic authors 

 quoted, further an explanation of generic and specific names, and 

 a full organography. This valuable book should therefore in 

 every respect fulfill the expectations raised, and promote vastly 

 and permanently knowledge of the lovely and grand vegetation of 

 New South Wales, whether for educational or industrial or recrea- 

 tive aims. The print, paper, and binding are exquisite, and thus 

 due praise should also be accorded to Ch. Potter, Esq., and his 

 staff at the Sydney Government Printing-office. 



