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T11E JOURNAL OF LOT ANT 
pre-Linnean references ; they were for the most part, perhaps en¬ 
tirely, based on actual specimens with literature references added 
merely to supply illustrations of what was thought to be the same 
species, quite as Linnaeus did under similar circumstances. It is not 
safe to assume, without first searching the herbarium record, that 
a species was based on a pre-Linnean reference, especially in those 
eases where the descriptive sentences were manifestly based on 
actual botanical material and not quoted from previous authors. 
BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTES. 
LXXXVIII. Tiie Evolution of Linn^’s ‘ Species Plantarum.’ 
The preparation of the Species Plantarum took several years to 
accomplish, as will be seen by the following extracts from the 
correspondence of Linne and other sources. When it was begun 
seems uncertain ; but in a letter to his intimate friend, Abraham 
Back—undated, but believed to be written early in September 1746— 
Linne says :—“ I am sticking to Species plantarum and am working 
from morning to night so that I am growing grey with it.” Bather 
more than three years later, Linne wrote to the same friend, 6th 
October, 1749 : “ I am beginning completely to cast out Species 
plantarum from my thoughts. It is a year since I had time to look 
at it. 1 drove ahead to Polyandria : it is impossible for me to finish 
in a whole year’s constant work : I desire to leave what I have done 
as a testimony that those coming after may see what I could do, if 
only I had time and disposition. . . This abandoned draft is in 
the possession of the Linnean Society, and is described by Dr. J. M. 
Hulth in' Sven sic Pot anisic Tid shrift, vi. 1912 (1913) 627-631 with 
facsimile of a page. As Linne was also busy on the bringing out 
of his Materia Medica , 1749, it is easy to understand why the 
prosecution of the Species was held up, but it seems certain that 
when he resumed his labour on the same subject in June 1751, he 
made use of this draft to help him. On the 28th June he wrote to 
Back : “ I am now writing Species plantarum, have reached Poa in 
8 days, if I might boast a little or even more, I believe that its like 
could hardly appear in 10 or 1000 years; if I can complete it, it is 
fine throughout; therefore I want to get a couple of sheets printed, 
that the world may see what had to be accomplished.” Three months 
later, at some date in September, he wrote : “ When I am well I 
work at ‘ Species ’ and ‘ Museum Ulricae ’ ” ; and some few days later, 
27 Sept., “I am writing, when I can, on ‘Species plantarum,’ 
‘ Museum Beginae,’ and hybrid plants.” By the 12tli November he 
reports : “ I am working on Species plantarum and have come to 
Icosandria ” [p. 466]. On the 6th March, 1752, he says: “I have 
now reached in my ‘ Species ’ to Syngenesia [about p. 789] now I am 
thinking of resting a few days.” On the 10th July he tells Back : 
“ If I can get some strength, I will come immediately to Stockholm, 
or rather, to Ulriksdahl; I will bring my ‘ Species ’ with me. 
Turning then to the ‘King’ Cabinet’ he remarks on the 28th 
