264 



foliosa, the former being a tall plant with flowers conspicuously 

 displayed like Iris versicolor, the latter a low plant with flowers 

 hidden among the leaves. The treatment of the Orchidaceae is 

 a disappointment, and but two of the views expressed in recent 

 works by Dr. Rydberg are adopted, and these to a very small 

 extent. His views may well not all be correct, but to reject them 

 almost in toto is a fairly sure indication that they have not been 

 given the consideration they deserve. 



Of the earlier dicotyledonous families, the Salicaceae show the 

 greatest changes and have undoubtedly been the most carefully 

 studied. All the hickories but two receive names under Carya 

 different from those in the sixth edition. Again we congratulate 

 the staid Bostonians, as we also do on that pet of the Vienna 

 rules, ^^ Madura poinifera" , formed by arbitrarily ruling out 

 Rafinesque's genus Toxylon, in favor of Nuttall's later Madura, but 

 recognizing as good Rafinesque's specific name published at the 

 same time as his genus and tacking it on to Nuttall's genus. 

 Verily a case of the tail being better than the head ! Polygonum 

 shows many changes, the results of Dr. Small's and Professor 

 Robinson's studies being incorporated. Among the smaller 

 genera the treatment of Asariim is noticeably deficient. 



In general it may be said that so many changes have not been 

 found necessary in the latter half of the work as in the first half, 

 and many more of Dr. Gray's ideas continue to be there incor- 

 porated. Several groups, however, in which activity has been 

 great in recent years are entirely changed. Of course, the most 

 noticeable example of this is Crataegus, in which Mr. Eggleston, 

 who professedly treats the group in a tentative way only, has 

 done most excellent work. His group divisions apparently rep- 

 resent work of the most thorough character and the species he 

 recognizes represent something more than individual trees. In 

 glancing over the treatment of Rubus, however, one feels much 

 inclined to join in the evident opinion of the editors that much 

 more work must be done to understand the genus. It is evident, 

 too, that the different groups of blackberries have been given a 

 very uneven treatment. 



Viola shows the result of the long continued and scholarly 



