Comparative Anatomy of the Vegetative Organs of the Phanerogams and Ferns

Abstract

IN 1861 a plan was drawn up in Germany to provide a series of hand-books or text-books on botany, which should treat of the science as it existed at the time; four of these books were completed, De Bary's “Vergleichende Anatomic der Vegetations-organe der Phanerogamen und Farne” (published in 1877) being one of them. This book, as is well known, proved to be a masterpiece of industrious research, accurate treatment of facts, and critical sifting of details; its influence soon became apparent, not only on the best teaching and text-books of our time, but also on those engaged in original research in various directions. This marked influence was not confined to Germany, but affected the teaching in this country also; and some of us were so fortunate as to come under that influence before more antiquated methods of treatment had rendered difficult the task of receiving the new impressions.

Comparative Anatomy of the Vegetative Organs of the Phanerogams and Ferns.

By A. De Bary. Translated by F. O. Bower and D. H. Scott. (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1884.)