Abstract
ONLY those bryologists who worked in the seventies and 'eighties of the last century can realise the great difficulties which then existed in determining mosses which came from outside Europe. Karl Mueller's “Synopsis Muscorum Frondosorum,” published in 1849, had become obsolete so far as its classification was concerned, and Jaeger's “Adumbratio” although putting forward a more natural classification, was entirely destitute of descriptions, which the student had to search for in a widely scattered literature. In 1898 this state of affairs was altered when the Musci were reached in Engler and Prantl's “Die naturlichen Pflanzenfamilien,” the bulk of which, after special sections by K. Mueller, W. Ruhland, and C. Warnstorf, was from the pen of Dr. V. F. Brotherus, the publication of whose task was completed in 1909. The appearance of this last-named work rendered the task of bryologists easier, and caused such an accession to their ranks as to necessitate the production of a second edition, the first part of which has just been issued. It consists of a compact volume; which, like its predecessor, is copiously illustrated. A general account of the mosses (including Sphagnales and Andreseales) is given by W. Ruhland, and a special account of the Sphagnales by H. Paul. These occupy 142 pages. The remainder of the groups from Fissidentacese to Timmiacese has been worked out by the veteran Dr. V. F. Brotherus, who has the opportunity of examining types additional to those used in the preparation of the first edition.
Die natürlichen Pflanzenfamilien: nebst ihren Gattungen und wichtigeren Arten insbesondere den Nutzpflanzen.
Begründet von A. Engler und K. Prantl. Zweite stark vermehrte und verbesserte Auflage herausgegeben von A. Engler. Band 10: Musci (Laubmoose). Hälite 1. Pp. iv + 478. (Leipzig: Wilhelm Engelmann, 1924.) 30 gold marks.
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Die natürlichen Pflanzenfamilien: nebst ihren Gattungen und wichtigeren Arten insbesondere den Nutzpflanzen. Nature 114, 784 (1924). https://doi.org/10.1038/114784a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/114784a0