SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 5 
but is here reduced to a variety, as A. pallens foliosa, Hitche., and with 
it is included the A. multicalmis of some local plant lists. 
Sh 1B 12 
RECENT LITERATURE. 
Monographie du Genre Onothera, Par M. le Professeur Abhe H. Léveille, 
Le Mans, France, Fascicle II., 1905. 
It will be noticed that M. Léveille prefers the spelling Onothera, to 
that which we are accustomed to, the reasons having been discussed in 
the former fascicle. His views as to the plants to be included in this 
genus are diametrically opposed to those first set forth in 1835, by Spach, 
and recently revived by Raiman in elaborating the Onogracee for the 
Naturlichen Pflanzen-familien. For while these authors divide the Sen- 
nean- genus into no less than a dozen, M. Léveille not only keeps it whole, 
but adds to it Gayophytum, Clarkia, Boisduvatra and Hulobus. It were 
hasty to reject offhand the result of a special study, and not yet fully 
presented, but we very much doubt its acceptance by American botanists. 
We have not the space to enumerate the many changes made by the 
author in the rank and names of these plants so largely representd in our 
state. M. Léveille’s practice in the citation of authors for the new 
combinations made, is justly open to criticism. Invariably they are cred- 
ited to authors who never made them. Thus we have an Onothera Gayo- 
phytum lasiosperma, Greene. Now while Greene is responsible for a 
Gayophytum lasiospermum, he would undoubtedly repudiate the former 
combination. As appears to be inevitable, in European works theating of 
American plants, the names of places sometimes suffer such a ‘‘sea 
change’’ as to be nearly unrecognizable. Probably the same thing will 
occur when American botanists turn their attention to straightening out 
European genera. As in the previous fascicle the illustrations are in 
part from photographs of herbarting specimens, and in part from draw- 
ings, the latter usually the more satisfactory. There are also figures of 
the seeds of the several species, and many anatomical drawings. A third 
fascicle will complete the work. Sabai 
RECENT PUBLICATIONS. 
The genus Ribes in California, Muhlenbergia. Vol. 1, No. 5. 
Mr. H. H. Heller, the author of the above paper, has made a special 
study of the American species, and here presents the first systematic 
results of his work, to be followed, we understand, in due time, by a 
complete survey of the genus as it is represented on this continent, It is 
a very useful paper, inasmuch as it brings together the original de- 
scriptions of the 43 species which the author recognizes as occurring 
Within the state limits. He is to be commended for providing a key, 
evidently very carefully worked out. The usefulness of papers similar 
to the present one, is often greatly diminished by a neglect to provide 
them with any apapratus whereby a specimen may be traced to its ap- 
propriate species. A key, moreover, at least to some extent, is a test 
of the validity of species, which, if well founded, should possess char- 
acters definite enough to permit of a lucid arrangement. Judged by this 
test one is disposed to suspect that on a careful revision, Mr. Heller will 
decrease, rather than augment, the number of his species. 
BOTANICAL SECTION. 
This Section met at the Wilcox Building March 12. Dr, Davidson 
read a paper on the Revision of the Western Mentzelias and showed new 
specimens. A Communication from Geo, B. Grant on a proposed new 
genus of the Borage family was read. 
THEODORE PAYNE, Secretary. 
