A Handbook of the Plants of Tasmania.

Abstract

THIS little book of 160 pages contains a great deal more valuable matter than would at first sight appear. The author justifies the production of his book from the fact that previously existing works treating of Tasmanian plants are though “works of extraordinary merit, costly and ponderous,” in proof of which he points to the labours of Hooker, Mueller, and Bentham, all of whose works are undeniably of very great value, but if for no other reason than their bulk, quite unfitted to be the companion of a botanical ramble. The book before us is intended for this purpose, being convenient in size, and as the author tells us in his preface, “moderate in cost.” With regard to the plan of the book, the author's own description will make it more clear than any words of our own. He says, “the descriptions are arranged, on the branched or binary system, first established by the French naturalist Lamarc. UnderUhis system, a series of salient characteristics is laid before the reader in pairs, the numbers of each pair being as nearly.as possible opposed in their terms, and each giving rise;to a new pair in like manner contradictory. The,choice of these contradictions being left to the reader, he selects the number which applies most nearly to his specimen, and then passes on to the next pair. It is,evident that, sooner or later, the several series of characters must be exhausted, and the name of the plant arrived at.” The method of using this system is so fully explained further on, that, by following the author, no oner can possibly fail to understand it and to be able to identify any plant by its aid. It is, in short, an exhaustive system by which the plant we may be examining is, so to speak, run into a corner and so fixed in its proper place. Thus we have a pocket flora of the colony in which not only the scientific, but, in most cases, also the common or colonial names are given. A short glossary of botanical terms, illustrated by figures, is placed at the beginning of the book, but this includes only such words as it was found absolutely necessary to use in the book. The aim of the author in assisting to popularise a knowledge of Tasmanian plants amongst the colonists will, no doubt, be furthered by the appearance of this little volume. A more careful revision of the proof-sheets, however, would have repaid for the extra time so spent. We think; also, that the adoption of some recognised system of spelling the natural orders would have had its advantages. Thus, we find Ranunculeæ instead of Ranunculaceæ, Lobeleæ instead of Lobeliaceæ, while, on the other hand, Papaveraceæ, Scrophulariaceæ, Lauraceæ, and others, occur as we have written them.

A Handbook of the Plants of Tasmania.

By the Rev. W. W. Spicer, &c. (Hobart Town: J. Walch and Sons, 1878.)