19 



brief descriptions will help. Instead of technical descriptions there 

 are interesting notes on the biology and ecology of the species, their 

 use by the Indians, their relation to birds, insects and other desert 

 animals. The meanings of the scientific names are given and the 

 English or common names are given, or, in the majority of cases, 

 as the plants have no common name, one is supplied, often an Eng- 

 lish form or translation of the scientific one. To the reviewer this 

 seems unnecessary. Anyone who can distinguish between the species 

 can learn the scientific name as easily as the manufactured "com- 

 mon" one. 



As an example of the treatment of species we select one of the 

 fourteen species of Saltbush, Atriplcx Torrcyi (Gr. "not" -|- "to 

 nourish" — because it robs the soil, also the Latin name for "orache" ; 

 John Torrey). "Principally a Nevada species extending southeast 

 to the Mohave Desert of California and east to southwestern Utah. 

 The gray-scurfy branches and sharply angled twigs make up large, 

 almost impenetrable bushes 3-6 ft. tall. . . . Dr. John Torrey, 

 a New York botanist, specialist in mosses, in whose honor Sereno 

 Watson named this plant, was the describer of many of the species 

 collected b}^ Fremont in western deserts. He visited California in 

 1865, collecting in the region about Santa Barbara and in the Sierra 

 Nevada." In the same way biographical notes are given for 150 

 others whose names are commemorated in genus or species names. 



The scientific names used (without citation of authority or 

 synonyms) are "for the most part those used by Munz in his Manual 

 of Southern California Botany," which means that Dr. Jaeger is 

 conservative in his ideas as to genera and species. 



The volume is attractive and admirably adapted to its purpose 

 of a popular handbook of desert plants. The professional botanist 

 will find it a desirable supplement to the standard manuals with 

 much of interest about the plants omitted from these more technical 

 works. 



What Are the Vitamins ? 



What Are the Vitamins? Eddy, Walter H., Reinhold PubHshing Cor- 

 poration. 1941. 247 p. $2.50. 



Wm. J. BONISTEEL 



Thirty years ago Funk discovered a crystalline substance in ex- 

 tracts from rice polishings and the story of vitamins was launched. 



