Ancient plants : being a simple account of the past vegetation of the earth and of the recent important discoveries made in this realm of nature study / by Marie C. Stopes.

  • Stopes, Marie Carmichael, 1880-1958.
Date:
1910
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Ancient plants : being a simple account of the past vegetation of the earth and of the recent important discoveries made in this realm of nature study / by Marie C. Stopes. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    clusions of recent years, and bringing together the subject as a whole. The mass of information which has been collected about fossil plants is now enormous, and the greatest difficulty in writing this little book has been the necessity of eliminating much that is of great interest. The author awaits with fear and trembling the criticisms of specialists, who will probably find that many things. considered by them as particularly interesting or essential have been left out. It is hoped that they will bear in mind the scope and aim of the book. I try to present only the structure raised on the foundation of the accumulated details of specialists’ work, and not to demonstrate brick by brick the exposed foundation. Though the book is not written specially for them, it is probable that University students may find it useful as a general survey of the whole subject, for there is much in it that can only be learned otherwise by reference to innumerable original monographs. In writing this book all possible sources of information have been consulted, and though Scott’s Studzes} naturally formed the foundation of some of the chapters on Pteridophytes, the authorities for all the general part and the recent discoveries are the numerous memoirs published by many different learned societies here and abroad. As these pages are primarily for the use of those who have no very technical preliminary training, the simplest language possible which is consistent with a concise style has always been adopted. The necessary technical terms are either explained in the context or in the glossary at the end of the book. The list of the more important authorities makes no pretence of including all the refer- ences that might be consulted with advantage, but merely indicates the more important volumes and papers which anyone should read who wishes to follow up the subject. All the illustrations are made for the book itself, and I am much obliged to Mr. D. M. S. Watson, B.Sc., for the microphotos. of plant anatomy which adorn its pages. The figures and diagram are my own work. This book is dedicated to college students, to the senior pupils of good schools where the subject is beginning to find a place in the higher courses of Botany, but especially to all those who take an interest in plant evolution because it forms a thread in the web of life whose design they wish to trace. M. G, SLOPES, December, 1900. 1 My book was entirely written before the second edition of Scott’s S¢tudzes appeared, which, had it been available, would have tempted me to escape some of the labour several of the chapters of this little book involved,