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Review in Botanische Jahrbuecher by F. Markgraf
84(3): 13-14 (Litt.) 1965 (Botanischer
Garten, Zuerich
39)

The author, like many botanists who had the opportunity to collect plants in Mexico, on attempting to identify them, found herself seriously hindered by the lack of a comprehensive flora. But she drew a positive conclusion from this and set about preparing the necessary compilation of the literature. In 21 years, she completed the work and for this alone, its scope (or coverage), it commands attention. Beyond the original goal of covering systematic and floristic works, also included were works on anatomy, embryology, cytology, genetics, useful plants, native plant names, exploration and travel, etc.

The work is arranged in the practical manner for which works from the U. S. A. are often admired. On the technical decisions which the author must make, an explanation is given in the introduction. Her guiding thought was always the usefulness for the botanist. Some partly facetious remarks of other bibliographers precede the historical introduction.

The objective advantage of the work rests on the short statements about the contents of the works (cited). The author has, with technical knowledge, herself examined everything available. But she has made the usefulness even greater: an enumeration, alphabetically by authors, supplements, in 156 quarto pages of fine print, a subject index, modestly designated an index, which contains the botanical and native plant names, place and personal names, and subject cue words from the various fields of botany.

I believe that no user of the work will have any basis for using a sentence from the preliminary remarks: "The specialist tends rather to criticize than to praise," but rather it will be generally received with appreciation.