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REVIEWS 



Urban's Symbolae Antlllanae 



The fifth volume of Professor Urban's valuable contributions 

 to West Indian botany, published under the above title, has re- 

 cently been completed by the publication of its third fascicle, and 

 forms a volume of 555 pages. It includes a continuation of the 

 bibliography of West Indian botany, written by Professor Urban, 

 a monograph of the genus Sniilax by O. E. Schulz ; one of the 

 family Celastraceae by Professor Urban ; the Sapotaceae by M. 

 Pierre and Professor Urban ; Olacaceae by Professor Urban : 

 Erythroxylaceae by Mr. Schulz ; descriptions of new Compos- 

 itae, and of a large number of new genera and species by Pro- 

 fessor Urban. The work is thoroughly indexed. 



These studies are of the highest importance to American 

 botanists, and are throwing a flood of light on the relationships 

 of West Indian plants. A very large number of species and 

 genera new to science have been described, and many species in- 

 correctly understood by previous authors have been elucidated, 

 and their descriptions perfected. Much care has been taken to 

 consult type specimens of the older authors and the amount of 

 close study which the investigation has called for is very great ; 

 Professor Urban has the gratitude of American botanists. 



Volume 4 of the Symbolae, given wholly to the flora of Porto 

 Rico, is as yet uncompleted, two parts having been published 

 several years ago. It is earnestly hoped that Professor Urban 

 will soon be able to finish this volume, inasmuch as it will form a 

 point of departure for all subsequent work on the flora of that 

 island. It is a list of species with descriptions only of novelties, 

 and no keys or other methods of determination are given ; but a 

 Porto Rico flora available for use by others may readily be pre- 

 pared, using Professor Urban's work as a basis. 



N. L. Britton. 



