« 
We have received, the ‘“ Mémoire: sur la famille des 
Cruciferes” by M. De Candolle, presenting an instructive 
and luminous statement of the principles of his new arrange- 
ment of Crucifera (corresponding with the class Tetra- 
dynamia of Linneeus), the family or order about to appear 
in the approaching volume of his ‘‘ Natural System of the 
Vegetable Kingdom ;” being the second of that vast under- 
taking. 
The latest enumeration of Cruciferae, viz. that contained 
in Persoon’s Synopsis, gives only 504 species. M. De Can- 
dolle counts at this time no less than 970, of which he him- 
self has inspected 880 in the sample, and dissected the seeds 
of more than 700. 
Computing by the general distribution of this vege- 
table family over the globe, he seems to infer that the num- 
ber of the species he is about to record, will not be found 
very far short of the total amount. ; 
The discussion of the principles or the philosophy of the 
classification,’ is followed by a synoptical view of the Order, 
combined in 5 principal divisions (suborders), 21 subdivi- 
sions (tribes) and 95 genera. 
In the arrangement that has been adopted for this natu- 
tal order, externally so very devoid of definable charac- 
teristics, we cannot but be struck with the importance of the 
resources that have been derived from the interior of the 
seed, especially from the relative position of the cotyledons 
and radicle, an ingenious device first used for the cha- 
racters of the genera of this family by Mr. Brown, in the 
last edition of the Hortus Kewensis. Cotyledones incum- 
bentes and Cotyledones accumbentes (convertible with lateral 
radicle and dorsal radicle) seem to afford the two grand 
divisions of the whole order; and so equally, that of the 95 
genera composing the order, 48 rank in. the division Co- 
tyledones accumbentes, and 47 in Cotyledones incumbentes. 
We are to presume that the learned writer has obtained 
these curious results by satisfactory investigation. 
The “ Mémoire” will be read with deep interest by 
- every Botanist, and cannot fail to increase the admiration 
‘already inspired by the genius and zeal of its celebrated 
author. 
ees 
