560 Tentamen phridographia'. 



Bibliographical Notices. 

 Tentamen Pteridographice, sen Genera Filicacearum, presertim jnx- 

 ta venarum decursum et distributionem exposita. Auctore Ca- 

 rolo Bor. Presl. Pragse, 1836, 8vo. pp. 290. 



Although published in 1836, this very interesting work has only 

 just come in our way, and we hasten to bring it under the notice of 

 our readers. As the title indicates, it is an attempt to determine 

 the genera of Filices, according to characters mainly derived from 

 the venation of the frond. 



"Dignitas vasorumseu nervorum venarumve/'observesthe author, 

 " in diguoscendis plantis jam eo usque cognita est, quod ex contem- 

 platione illarum in foliis diversissimis plantae monocotyledonese a di- 

 cotyledoneis facile discerni possunt. Dispositio nervorum vel ve- 

 narum in laminis foliaceis indicat compagem organorum, in quibus 

 obvenit, et cum dispositione vasorum in truncis et petiolis eonten- 

 torum arctissimo cohseret vinculo. Hasc vasa in organis foliaceis 

 Filicacearum tamquam costse, venae et venuloe palatn fiunt et ex 

 supra allatis causis maximum in describendis dividendisque Filici- 

 bus possident argumentum. Filicacese compage venarum anatomi- 

 ca ab omnibus aliis vegetabilibus phanerogamis quam maxime dif- 

 f'erunt ; hac ex causa venae Filicacearum characterem essentialem 

 et validissimum ex interna structura harum plantarum desumtum 

 preebent." 



The work is illustrated by twelve folding plates rilled with a 

 great number of accurately drawn and beautifully executed figures, 

 exhibiting the venation and fructification of the genera. Perhaps 

 M. Presl has in some cases pushed his principle a little too far, 

 and formed genera of groups which might have been retained with 

 advantage as sections. The number of new genera amount nearly 

 to fifty ! There is no doubt that venation has been too much ne- 

 glected, and that henceforth it will be held of primary importance 

 in defining the genera of this large and beautiful family. 



Bryologia Furopcea seu Genera Muscorum Europceornm Monogra- 

 pkice ilhistrata. Auctoribus Bruch et W. P. Schimper. Fasc. 

 1. cum. Tab. xi. Stuttgartise, 1837. 4to. 



This is the first part of an entirely new work upon the Mosses of 

 Europe, and, if completed according to the plan proposed, will form 

 a valuable addition to our botanical libraries. The generic and spe- 

 cific characters are in Latin ; the observations ; jn French and Ger- 

 man. Every species is figured, and the well-executed plates abound 



