448 Catalogue of Botanical Works. 



guished by having the first letter in a different type from the rest of the 

 word, as Pfnus and jtmiifolia; and aboriginal or doubtful names, generic 

 or specific, are wholly in a different type from that of the words which 

 precede or follow them, as Araucdria and Alioga. The advantage of this 

 plan is, that all those words not distinguished by some variation in the 

 type, may be found in a Greek or Latin dictionary, either single, as Hypo- 

 estes, or in their compounds, as rhodon, a rose, and dendron, a tree ; and 

 as to the other words, if much is not gained by knowing that they are clas- 

 sical, aboriginal, or commemorative, at least mystery is removed, and a 

 certain degree of interest communicated. 



5. When we have given English specific names, we have always literally 

 translated the scientific ones ; but, as it is frequently convenient to add to 

 the literal English some word or words descriptive of the plant, we have 

 distinguished these additions by a different type, as Salvia coccinea, scarlet- 

 fiowered Sage ; /'ris fcetidissima, most fetid Gladwin Iris. The advan- 

 tage of this improvement is that it will teach gardeners and other readers 

 to seek for meaning in all specific names : which names, as they are at pre- 

 sent Englished, or rather followed by English names, in the botanical cata- 

 logues, are for the greater part of no use to those who have not some 

 knowledge of Latin. Another advantage is, that some knowledge is ob- 

 tained of the meaning of Latin words of constant use in botanical works. 



We have adopted these three improvements in our Hortus Britdnnicus, 

 with the additional one of giving the derivations of the composed names; 

 and we would ask Dr. Hooker, Mr. Lindley, and the other editors or au- 

 thors of our botanical periodicals, whether it would not contribute to the 

 more general diffusion of a taste for, and knowledge of, botany, if they were 

 to adopt the same improvements in naming and describing the plants they 

 figure. We are quite certain there is not a tythe of their readers who 

 would not be benefited by such an improvement ; the spirit of the age in- 

 deed requires it, and therefore we trust they will listen to our suggestion, 

 and adopt it ; or, if they disapprove of it, assign their reasons. 



We have noticed, on the cover of a preceding Number, the wishes of some 

 readers that we should give the English names of the plants we enumerate, 

 as well as their scientific names. But by far the greater number of plants 

 have no English names, and the popular names of plants are so uncertain 

 in their application, that the purposes of science, and the spread of a taste 

 for plants, would be served by dropping many of the common English 

 names altogether, and adopting into the language the scientific names. 

 This result will unquestionably sooner or later take place to a considerable 

 extent ; but whether it does or not, we shall in the mean time give Eng- 

 lish names to all plants that have them; and, by accenting the scientific 

 names, those who feel a diffidence in pronouncing them will have that 

 impediment removed. 



British. 



Curtis' 's Botanical Magazine, or Flower Garden displayed; New Series. 

 Edited by Dr. Hooker. In 8vo. No. V. 3s. 6d. coloured ; 5s. plain. 



Ho. V. for May, contains 

 2754 to 2740. — Lodoicea Sechelldrum, Double or Seychelles-T^/awd Co- 

 coa Nut ; Palmae. A beautiful palm, rising from sixty to one hundred feet, in 

 the Isle Praslin, or Isle des Palmiers, one of the Seychelles islands to the 

 north-east of Madagascar. This palm has for a long time been the least per- 

 fectly known, and yet the most extensively celebrated.^Until the discovery 

 of the only spot in the world where the nuts grew, in the year 1745, they 

 were solely known from having been found floating on the surface of the 



