BOOK REVIEW 

 Flora of Southeastern Washington 



Some eight years have passed since Dr. St. John left the 

 State College of Washington, but a series of publications on the 

 Pacific Northwest still gives evidence, not only of his continued 

 interest in that region, but of the amount of data he must have 

 accumulated during his nine years at Pullman. His most recent 

 work^ supplies us with not only a local manual and valuable 

 notes on the plants of that area, but a careful study of the iden- 

 tity of these plants in relation to the rest of the flora of North 

 America. He does not give the impression of thinking that he is 

 saying the last word, even for the present, on the flora of the 

 region; in many genera he describes, so far as they are known, 

 but does not name, entities in groups needing further study. By 

 so doing he will enable future students to pick up the thread 

 where he has dropped it. In many cases, in addition to a simple 

 citation of synonyms, he discusses the opinions of those with 

 whom he may differ, and tells just how he has reached his con- 

 clusions. Again he wall be thanked by those w^ho wash not only 

 to name an occasional specimen, but to study the relationships 

 of the plants. 



A frontispiece presents a map of the area, with life zones 

 clearly shown in color. He steers a middle course between those 

 who make a fetish of such life zones and those who consider 

 them of little significance. 



"Detailed studies have shown that few, even of the indica- 

 tor, plants are absolutely constant to one life zone. If their en- 

 tire geographic range is considered it is often found that they 

 occur in two or more life zones. Also if a number of indicator 

 species of one zone are studied and their ranges mapped in de- 

 tail, it will be seen that their ranges do not exactly coincide. 

 Hence, the life zones do not seem to be scientific concepts ca- 

 pable of precise definition . On the other hand they are generaliza- 

 tions of the mass association of plants characteristic of the great 

 physiographic and climatic areas. They have a meaning and a 



1 Flora of southeastern Washington and adjacent Idaho. Harold St. John. 

 Pp. i-xxv-h 1-531, map, figs. 1-11, 1937. Students Book Corporation, Pullman, 

 Washington. Paper bound $3.20; cloth bound $3.70. 



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