232 



natural relationships and put in as part of a mixture labeled 

 " Primo-Carex Kiikenthal." Of course it will be recognized that 

 there are a good number of species with one spike which are very 

 closely related, but such a group as is here created is as unnatural 

 as it is needless. 



The author, too, is bold indeed in at times reducing critical 

 species to varieties of some other species more or less closely 

 related, when he apparently has had no specimens of the species 

 so treated at hand ; nor has care always been taken to see that 

 keys and group descriptions accord with description of species in 

 the group. For example, Carex siibiilata Michx. is put in a 

 group characterized by an enlarged style-base, but that species 

 itself is described as without such a base. Again there are 

 numerous species which it would be hard to key into the groups 

 recognized by the use of the keys to the groups. 



The strong and valuable features of the work to the American 

 botanist are the manner in which the value of characters taken 

 from the rootstock and lower part of the culm and from the style 

 are emphasized and made use of These are characters which 

 have been too long neglected in this country, and if noticed will 

 much simplify the study of some of the more difificult'groups. 

 The vast amount of synonymy collected will prove of great 

 assistance, although it is very evident that it is neither entirely 

 exhaustive nor altogether properly disposed of The key char- 

 acters in the smaller groups are generally arranged with care and 

 differences between closely related species are sharply brought 

 out. The descriptions too as a rule are full, although many more 

 measurements should have been given. There are numerous 

 excellent plates scattered through the volume and the printer's 

 part of the work is thoroughly well done. 



It may then in closing be said that as a first attempt at one of 

 the most difficult tasks to which a botanist could apply himself, 

 the work is worthy of high commendation indeed, -but as far as 

 the American species are concerned the author has unfortunately 

 been much handicapped by lack of material, and has not made 

 as much use as he might of American literature. 



Kenneth K. Mackenzie 



