The Manual of the Botany of the Northern United States Including the District East of the Mississippi and North of North Carolina and Tennessee

"The Manual of the Botany of the Northern United States" by Asa Gray is a scientific publication likely written in the late 19th century. This manual serves as a comprehensive guide to the flora of the United States, focusing on botanical species found east of the Mississippi River and north of North Carolina and Tennessee. The text is aimed at both students and practitioners of botany, providing detailed descriptions and classifications of various plant species in the region. At the start of the manual, the preface outlines the evolution of the work through several editions, the contributions made by the current editors in extending and revising the content, and the importance of maintaining Dr. Gray's principles and methodologies. The editors express their dedication to upholding the high standards established in previous editions while expanding the work to include more recent advances in systematic botany. The beginning also mentions the geographical limits and distribution of plants covered in the manual, indicating a thoughtful approach to the study of botany that takes into account both historical context and contemporary developments. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Asa Gray is considered the most important American botanist of the 19th century. His Darwiniana was considered an important explanation of how religion and science were not necessarily mutually exclusive. Gray was adamant that a genetic connection must exist between all members of a species. He was also strongly opposed to the ideas of hybridization within one generation and special creation in the sense of its not allowing for evolution. He was a strong supporter of Darwin, although Gray's theistic evolution was guided by a Creator.