FLORA OF NEW GRENADA. 
877 
added as a fifth tribe. It might be objected, that the embryoDic 
character is practically useless, as it is very rare to find seeds in 
herbarium specimens, and some might think that it wants veri¬ 
fication, not having been ascertained in one-half, perhaps not in 
one-fourth, of the species known. But it has been ascertained in 
so large a proportion of the genera that we are justified in infer¬ 
ring its constancy; and, for practical purposes, it is accompanied by 
a combination of secondary characters, derived from the flower, 
which will readily guide us to the proper tribe, independently of the 
general facies peculiar to each. Thus, Clusiese have distinct broad 
radiating stigmas, either sessile, or borne on distinct styles, the 
number of ovules in each cell of the ovary being variable; Moronobese 
have a single branched style, and always several ovules to each cell; 
Glarciniese a single peltate stigma, and only one ovule to each cell; 
and Calophyllese an elongated single or branched style, and one, two, 
or four ovules to the whole ovary. 
In form, the memoir is divided into two parts, systematic and 
organographic. The first portion is very detailed, and, as far as the 
genera are concerned, the form adopted is excellent, that of a short 
synopsis of contracted characters, and detailed descriptions under 
each genus. As to species, the new and little-known ones are care¬ 
fully and accurately described, although, in some instances, multiplied 
beyond what our own experience would justify, and we regret to see 
that confusion we have already remarked upon between ablative and 
nominative descriptions, with nothing to guide the reader in the 
shape of short diagnoses or tabular synopses of contrasted characters. 
Several species also, supposed to be sufficiently known, are accom¬ 
panied by references only to published works, without either charac¬ 
ter or description. This practice, generally pursued in many of the 
most valuable and elaborate Erench monographs (e. gr. in A. de 
Jussieu’s admirable Memoir on Malpighiacese) diminishes much their 
practical utility, inasmuch as it prevents the determining a plant with¬ 
out recourse to other works often too costly for the private library of 
a botanist, and the only advantage gained is the saving of a few pages 
of letter-press. The labour of adding a few characteristic lines to 
each of these species would be very little, the authors having neces¬ 
sarily verified the published descriptions of all the species. Erench 
botanists entertain, however, the idea that, by combining what might 
be (though falsely) taken for mere compilation with their original 
observations, they would diminish the scientific reputation of their 
work. This appears to us to be a great mistake. We canuot con¬ 
sider it any detraction from their personal glory to have combined 
practical usefulness with intrinsic merit. 
The organological portion contains much that is deserving of 
study, especially as to the variability in some genera of characters, 
which, in other instances, are considered almost of ordinal import¬ 
ance. The diversity of floral symmetry is much dwelt upon. Op¬ 
posite decussate foliar organs with whorled or variously imbricate 
