3 88 
Notes on Recent Literature. 
BRITISH LOCAL FLORAS. 
“A Tourist’s Flora of the West of Ireland.” By R. L. 
Praeger. pp. xii. + 243. Five coloured maps, 27 plates, 17 text 
figures. Price 3/6. Dublin, 1909. 
“ The Botany of Worcestershire. An Account of the 
Flowering Plants, Ferns, Mosses, Hepatics, Lichens, Fungi, and 
Freshwater Algae, which grow or have grown spontaneously in the 
County of Worcester.” By J. Amphlett, M.A., S.C.L. (of Clent) 
and C. Rea, B.C.L., M.A., with the assistance of many friends. 
The Mosses and Hepatics contributed by J. E. Bagnall, A.L.S. 
pp. xxxi. + 654. One map. Price 21/- Birmingham, 1909. 
“ Flora of Cornwall. Being an Account of the Flowering 
Plants and Ferns found in the County of Cornwall, including the 
Sciliy Isles.” By F. H. Davey, F.L.S. pp. lxxxviii. -f- 570. 
Six portraits, one map. Price 21/- Penryn, 1909. 
Of the books before us, that by Mr. Praeger is the least pre¬ 
tentious and the most interesting. Mr Praeger divides his book 
into three parts—(i) an introduction, (ii) a topographical section, 
and (iii) a systematic section. The introduction contains a short 
description of the physical features of the district, of its climate, of 
its vegetational sub-divisions, of its plant communities, and of the 
character of its flora. As showing the remarkable luxuriance of 
plants which are sheltered from wind, we are informed that 
Asplenium marinum may be seen with fronds three feet in 
length, that Ceterach officinarum attains a length of one foot, and 
Adianlum Capillus-Veneris and Polypodium vulgare of nearly two 
feet; yet, on the whole, exposure is so great that woods are 
very rare, and agricultural operations in West Mayo and West 
Galway are only carried on up to an altitude of 400 feet. Mr. 
Praeger draws attention to the well-known species of the “ South¬ 
west European group,” such as Arbutus Unedo, Pinguicula grandi- 
flora, Erica mediterranea, E. Mackaii, and Daboecia polifolia, and 
to those of the “ American group,” such as Sisyrinchium angusti- 
foliuiu, Eriocaulon septangulare and Naias ftexilis. 
In discussing the origin of these groups in Ireland, the author 
says that “ any other theory than that of land-migration seems out 
of the question.” We are sure that many readers of Mr. Praeger’s 
excellent little book will not subscribe to this opinion, which follows 
on the lines of Forbes, and more recently of Dr. Scharff and 
Professor Carpenter. Similarly, many readers will, we may be 
certain, dissent from the view that the “ South-west European 
group ” of species in Ireland is a vestige of the Tertiary flora. 
The “ systematic section ” occupies about half of the book, 
and is a flora of the accepted type. So far as one can judge, it 
appears to be a very accurate compilation of the species which 
have been recorded from the author’s chosen area. Certain 
genera, such as Rubus, receive such detailed treatment as to 
render some portions of the book unintelligible to ordinary field 
botanists, as the “ species ” are not arranged in groups. On the 
other hand, some genera receive scant justice from the standpoint 
of “elementary species.” For example, of the genus Salicornia 
only one “ species ” is recorded, namely S. Iterbacea, a name which 
