126 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



with violet flowers, allied to C. nyikensis ; and C. matopensis, also with 

 violet flowers, allied to C. aconitiflorus, but with smaller flowers, the 

 two last-named being collected by Mr. F. Eyles in the Matopo Hills. 



G. S. B. 



Coniferae and Gnetaceae of Central Europe, The. Edited by 

 0. Kirchner, E. Loew, and C. Schroter ; Stuttgart, E. Ulmer {Lebens. d. 

 Bliitcnpfl.). — This work has been appearing in parts since 1906, and is 

 intended to include all groups of flowering plants ; the parts are about 

 fifty pages each. Vol. i., here dealt with, extends to about 850 pages, 

 and is amply illustrated. The editors, assisted by a staff of specialists, 

 aim at summarising all that is known about prominent European plants, 

 and the thoroughness with which this is done makes the work indis- 

 pensable for reference, although as yet comparatively few British 

 botanists know of it. The main feature is the ecological nature of the 

 information, vegetative organs receiving more attention than floristic 

 characters ; but the latter aspect is by no means neglected. 



The introductory section consists of a series of condensed tabulated 

 summaries — what may be called a bird's-eye view of the ecological features 

 of plants. The first is an attempt to group adaptation-forms under 

 various categories. The second is a grouping of plants according to their 

 mode of nutrition, substratum, duration of life, phenology, and other 

 features. Another section on special ecological features deals with 

 seedlings and germination, juvenile forms, and the many adaptation- 

 forms of adult plants. In short, one has presented in a condensed form 

 all the recent developments of the ecological side of botany. The number 

 of new terms is almost bewildering ; but it must be admitted that for 

 many no previous equivalent existed, and acquaintance with them is 

 facilitated by an explanatory glossary. 



The descriptive part of the work extends to about 300 pages well 

 illustrated. The following are the plants dealt with : Taxus baccata, 

 Abies alba, Picea excelsa, Larix decidua, Pinus sylvcstris, P. montana, 

 P. austriaca, P. Pinaster, P. Cembra, P. Strobus, Gupressus sempervirens, 

 Juniperus communis, J. Oxycedrus, J. phoenicca, J. Sabina, Ephedra 

 distachya, E. major. The method of this part of the work will probably 

 be best grasped if we select one species as an example of all the others : 

 e.g., Scots pine (P. sylvcstris). The first part deals with general and local 

 distribution, and the climate and soil requirements ; here there is much 

 of interest from the economic and geographical points of view. The plant 

 association is next considered, and there is given a list of plants typical 

 of the undergrowth of pine forests. The seed, its commercial germinative 

 power, and the course of germination next come under consideration ; 

 likewise the requirements of the tree as regards light. Growth-forms are 

 discussed, and the information on needle arrangement will be found most 

 valuable, since it touches on a subject of much difficulty even to the 

 expert. The forester will find a useful summary on the timber, its rate 

 of growth and variation indifferent districts. The flower follows and leads 

 on to the seed. Each species is dealt with in the same thorough manner, 

 and the literature on the subject is extensively cited. The whole treat- 

 ment is unique and much in advance of anything yet published. — W. G. S, 



