G8 Flora of central France. 



the central region. Saint Amond is in France the only 

 certain locality of Farcetia clypeata,* the Spiraea hypericifolia 

 grows no where in such great abundance as in the vicinity 

 of Bourges, and the Trifolium elegans perhaps does not 

 present itself in any place in such considerable masses as in 

 the department of Nievre. 



The history of the botany of central France which follows 

 the introduction from which we have extracted the most 

 remarkable passages, offers great interest to persons who 

 devote themselves particularly to the study of the progress 

 of French botany. The author makes known the works of 

 many learned, but modest botanists, whose entire life was 

 consecrated to the exploration of the locality they inhabit. 

 After having enumerated the services rendered anciently to 

 the science by Caperon, Reneaulme, Gaston of Orleans, and 

 Robert his celebrated flower painter, by Morison and Mar- 

 chant, who directed the magnificent botanical garden which 

 this prince had founded at Blois, M. Boreau does not 

 omit any of the botanists of the last century who have con- 

 tributed to enrich, or better elucidate, the Flora of central 

 France. In fine, he comes down to our contemporaries, and he 

 delights to cite those who communicated useful documents to 

 him : it is thus that he pays a just tribute of acknowledg- 

 ment to M. le Comte Jaubert, to whom we owe the explora- 

 tion of a part of the department of Cher ; to M. Saul who 

 traversed in all directions the central region ; and to all the 

 botanists of the central departments who have studied with 

 zeal and perseverance, each their peculiar locality. 



We cannot dwell long on the chapters which compose the 

 first volume ; it will suffice to cite the title, to give publicity 



* The ruins of the castle of Montrond, where this plant abounds, 

 dates from the wars of la Frond, in 1652. It appears to have existed 

 there for a great length of time. M. Jaubert found it in 1820. It 

 is difficult to say how this plant of the East was propagated in this 

 locality, from whence perhaps it will soon disappear, those ruins having 

 been transformed into a public promenade. 



