SYSTEMATIC BOTANY, 5 
genus Scoliopus. Turning to the description of the only species de- 
scribed, we find it satisfactory. Upon referring to the Glossary of 
Generic and Specific Names in the back part of the book, we find why 
the plant was named Scoliopus Bigelovii. 
This picture represents part of a plant whose yellow 
flowers are among the first to greet the new year. 
It is shown as it would appear if cut down through 
the center after removing most of the outer leaves. 
The leaves and flowers all grow from the flat summit. 
of a thick root-stock. It will be noticed that the 
buds are younger as the center is approached. Possi-~ 
bly you have tried to analyze one of these flowers. 
If so, you probably got on nicely till you tried to 
find the ovary. I hope you kept searching and at 
last felt the satisfaction which rewards the discoverer. 
However, you can determine the name, and thus 
have the book tell you where the ovary is. The 
poorest eyes can see that the leaves are all radicals, 
that the four divisions of the calyx are reflexed; that. 
four broad petals and eight stamens grow upon it;: 
and that there is one pistil whose slender style bears: 
a globose stigma. You can not doubt that the plant. 
is to be sought under B.,,in Division 1, but you are: 
unable to say whether the ovary is superior or not. 
In such a case, search first for the order under the 
head ‘Ovary Scpenior;” and, if not satisfied 
there, try the head ‘‘Ovary axp Fruir [yrERror.”” 
Since there is but one pistil, you look under ‘‘* * Pis- 
til only one.” The plant is not a shrub, so you next. 
stop at “tt Herbs.” The first division under this is. 
the only one admissible, because the leaves are all 
radical. But in no case under this head is the num- 
ber of stamens eight. We therefore try the sub- 
head ‘2. Ovary aNd Fruit Inrerior,” ete. It is 
evident that the descriptive line, ‘‘Parts of the flower 
mostly in 4’s,” ete., is the only one that tits our 
plant, so we turn to p. 59, where we find nothing in 
\W) IB wal the description of the order Onagracez to rule our 
en Pow" plant out. The lines descriptive of the genera are 
all unsuited to our plant, except one, which refers us to the genus (Enothera, the de~ 
