Abstract
ALTHOUGH in most parts of the country a botanist can generally make a goodly collection of plants within a day's journey of his residence, there is always a desire to visit those localities in the British Isles which have a special flora of their own. Such are the Scotch mountain ranges, the counties of Devon and Cornwall, and by no means the least interesting to the southerner, the Channel Islands. On these visits it is a great boon to have a flora which will give the information Where certain plants may be sought. For Guernsey and the adjacent islands of Alderney and Sark, Mr. Marquand has published records, and no less welcome is the compact little book which Mr. Lester Garland has compiled on the flora of Jersey. The book presents one essentially new feature, since the system adopted is that of Engler. Some excuse is offered for the innovation, but there can be no question that Engler's system is bound to supplant that of the “Genera Plantarum,” and considerable credit is due to the author for acting up to his convictions. In conformity with this change some of the generic names have been altered, and Erucastrum, Lobularia, and Parentucellia take the place of others more familiar; for the same reason Tillaea muscosa, L., becomes Crassula Tillaea, Lester. No trouble has been spared to test uncertain or critical species and records, and the notes on these are sound and practical; also distinction is made between native plants and aliens. The genus Centaurea serves to illustrate the author's caution and care; he declines to split up Centaurea nigra into uncertain varieties, queries Centaurea scabiosa, accepts Centaurea scabra, and classes the Species cyanus, paniculata, calcitrapa, solstitialis among the aliens. The last few pages are devoted to an account of the geographical distribution and affinities of species, and these complete a book which, in addition to Its convenient form, is to be recommended for its extremely practical and scientific value.
Flora of the Island of Jersey.
By L. V. Lester Garland. Pp. xv + 205. (London: West, Newman and Co., 1903.)
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Flora of the Island of Jersey . Nature 68, 525 (1903). https://doi.org/10.1038/068525b0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/068525b0