1865.] Miscellaneous Botanical Works. 557 



British Flowering Plants and Ferns.* 



Professor Henslow was one of the first to publish a list of British 

 plants, with the view of facilitating exchange of plants. He was 

 succeeded in this by the Botanical Society of Edinburgh, which was 

 instituted by students in the year 1836. The Society while it held 

 meetings for the reading of papers, also made large collections of 

 plants for the purposes of exchange. This practice had been long 

 carried on by Edinburgh Botanists, in reference to their private 

 Herbaria, but the Botanical Society took it up on an extended scale. 

 Its members contributed largely — some of them giving between 3,000 

 and 4,000 specimens to the general stock in one season. Upwards of 

 100 members contributed, and the distribution of specimens required 

 the united labours of many zealous office-bearers. Rooms in the 

 University of Edinburgh were placed at their disposal, through the 

 kindness of Dr. Graham, the Professor of Botany. By this means 

 a large number of British and foreign species were very widely cir- 

 culated. The Society still carries on the distribution of specimens, 

 but on a more limited scale. In order to effect exchange it was 

 necessary to have a catalogue of British plants, on which members 

 could mark their desiderata. Accordingly in 1836 such a list was 

 published, and was very extensively circulated. It was arranged ac- 

 cording to an alphabetical method, and contained of flowering plants 

 and ferns 521 genera, 1,636 species, and 149 varieties. It also gave 

 information relative to the occurrence of plants within sixteen miles 

 of Edinburgh. The Edinburgh Flora reckoned 715 species and 18 

 varieties. 



A second edition was published in 1841, and contained 545 genera, 

 1,649 species, and 239 varieties. A third edition, in 1851, con- 

 tained 565 genera, 1,715 species, and 352 varieties. The present is 

 the fourth edition and contains 568 genera, 1,817 species, and 369 

 varieties. It is more complete than the former, and indeed is the 

 most perfect catalogue at present in Britain. It has been arranged 

 according to the natural method, and an alphabetical index of genera 

 is added with references to the pages in which the species are to be 

 found. 



In addition to the usual list of British plants, the present edition 

 of the catalogue gives, in an Appendix, a full list of the varieties of 

 British ferns, drawn up Mr. P. Neill Fraser. This is a useful list for 

 those who are fern fanciers, and who wish to collect the numerous 

 abnormal forms presented by ferns, whether in a native or a cultivated 

 state. 



We look upon this as the best list of the British Flora which has 

 been published, and we consider it well fitted for botanists who desire 

 to keep a record of the plants in their Herbaria, and to send notice of 



* ' Catalogue of British Plants, including the Flowering Plants, Ferns, and 

 Characese ; to which is appended a list of the varieties of British Ferns.' Fourth 

 Edition. Small 8vo. pp. 43. Printed for the Botanical Society of Edinburgh. 

 Edinburgh: Adam and Charles Black. London: Longman, Green, Longman, 

 Roberts, and Green. 



