230 Botanical Writings of Rafinesque. 



different from liistera. — 5. Isotria, and 6. Odonectis, are apparent- 

 ly both founded upon Pogonia vertidllata. — 7. Carpanthus [ax- 

 illaris,] is said to be a submersed fern, growing in Pennsylvania 

 and New Jersey. — The three remaining genera belong to Fungi. 

 Sixty new species are also described, many of which may be 

 identified, and should not be overlooked. — The few notes on the 

 properties of some North American plants, [No. 3.] contain noth- 

 ing worthy of particular notice. 



The plants described in the Precis des decouvertes, are chiefly 

 Sicilian : there are, however, several new American genera and 

 species oi Algm and Fungi, and one new phanerogamous genus, 

 viz. Tussaca, which is the Goodyera of Brown ; the latter pub- 

 lished, not in the same year with his own, as Rafinesque else- 

 where states, but one year previous, viz. in 1813. We have nev- 

 er seen the Specchio delle Scienze; but learn from a list given by 

 Rafinesque in an advertisement, that several of the new genera 

 of plants it contains, are repubhshed from the Medical Repository : 

 but here Psycanthus and Triclisperma first appear, (both founded 

 on Polygala, the latter equivalent to ChamcBhuxus ;) also Cra- 

 foi'dia, which is still a puzzle, and Bivonea, which is founded on 

 Jatropha stimulosa. The remainder, so far as they are noticed 

 by succeeding botanists, are referred as synonyms to diff'erent 

 exotic genera; but of several we find no subsequent mention, ei- 

 ther by Rafinesque or others. Among these are Kinia and Wilso- 

 nia, which, being doubtless dedicated, the one to a German col- 

 lector in this country, who corresponded with Muhlenberg, and 

 the other to the well known ornithologist, were probably founded 

 on plants of the United States. 



We have thus noticed, somewhat in detail, the earlier labors of 

 Mr. Rafinesque, in North American botany.* In these, he had 

 certainly shown no little sagacity ; and, considering his limited 

 advantages, he must be deemed a botanist of unusual promise for 

 that period, notwithstanding the defects which, increasing in after 

 life, have obscured his real merits, and caused even his early wri- 



* As early as 1808, Rafinesque had commenced the practice, (not uncommon at 

 that day) of changing generic names when they were not conformable to the Lin- 

 nasan canons, or even when they were too long or too short. Thus Calinux was 

 proposed for Pyrularia, Michx. {Hamiltonia, Willd.,) Lyonia for Polygonella, Michx. 

 Osmodium for Onosmodium, Michx. -Src. — Most of the new genera, &c., published 

 in the Medical Repository, were republished by Desvaux, in his Journal of Bota- 

 ny, vol. 2, 1809. 



