116 CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE NATIONAL HERBARIUM. 
latum.« The habitat of Panicum dissectum is given by Linnwus as ‘in Indiis.”’ We 
obtain more hght by noting how Linneus disposed of the species in subsequent works. 
The next reference is in the tenth edition of his Systema Naturae> where the genus 
Paspalum is established. The first species is dimidiatum, ‘‘P. spicis subsolitariis, 
pedunculo communo membranaceo. Panicum dissectum, Sp. Pl. 57. n. 6.’ Although 
he bases the new name upon Panicum dissectum, he changes the specific name to 
dimidiatum. As his species of Panicun. No. 7 in the first edition was called P. dimi- 
diatum, and there is no doubt that this is what we now call Stenotaphrum dimidiatum, 
Linnieus apparently became confused, or inadvertently transferred the wrong name. 
The real Panicum dimidiatum is omitted in the tenth edition of the Systema, but 
reappears in the second edition of the Species Plantarum. That Linnweus made a 
slip of the pen in his citation of 1759 is shown by the fact that in the second edition of 
his Species Plantarum he restores the name dissectum and we have Paspalum dissectum 
based on Panicum dissectum of the first edition. Plukenet’s figure is still cited, but 
the other synonyms are omitted. Sloane’s plant was taken out and given the name 
Paspalum virgatum 1..¢ and the same disposition was made of it in the second edition 
of the Species Plantarum. In the latter work Linnzeus changes the habitat of Pas- 
palum dissectum to ‘‘America calidiore,”’ and adds a further description which cer- 
tainly applies to the specimen from Kalm rather than to any of the others under 
consideration, ‘‘Gramen prostratum foliosum vaginis fere spathaceis. Spicae paucae 
rachi membranacea dilatata ad latitudinem spicae ipsius distichae & secundae. Flores 
orbiculati.”’ 
From the above it seems clear that Linnzeus had Kalm’s plant before him when he 
wrote his description of 1753, but that he erred in his synonyms. We must not place 
too much weight upon the localities, Indies and America calidiore, for at that time 
there was little knowledge concerning the distribution of American plants. Paspalum 
scrobiculatum 1..¢ from *‘ India orientali” has been considered by some a synonym 
of P. disseetum (as Hooker in Fl. Br. Ind. 7: 11. 1896), but Iam unable to find any 
evidence to support this disposition. 
It seems proper that we should regard Kalm’s specimen in Linnzeus’s herbarium 
as the type of Panicum dissectum L. and that this name should be taken up for the plant 
we have been calling Paspalum membranaceum Walt., which becomes Paspalum 
dssectum (.) L. 
Paspalum virgatum L. Syst. Nat. ed: 10. 2: 855. 1759. 
The specimen is from ‘ Br” and is the same as the Sloane plant referred to unde 
the preceding species. The plant from Browne is the type, for, although Linnzeus 
cites Sloane’s plate 69, figure 2 under this species, / he does not quote Sloane’s diagnosis 
but gives one of his own. 
Paspalum paniculatum L. Syst. Nat. ed. 10. 2: 855. 1759. 
The plant is what has been going under that name in the floras of tropical America. 
Linneus here cites Sloane’s plate, but uses his own diagnosis, which is quite different 
from that of Sloane. His description ‘“P. paniculae spicis inferioribus subgeneris 
basi villosis,’’ certéinly apples to his own plant received from Browne rather than 
to the Sloane plant or plate. I can not agree with Mr. Nash, who makes Sloane’s 
plant (which is Panicum fasctculatum Sw.) the type of this species, and hence calls 
it Panicum paniculatum (L.) Nash.g This combination could not be used in any case 
on account of Panicum paniculatim (L..) Kuntze,” which is based on Paspalum pani- 
culatum L., without regard to its identity. 
aSp. Pl. ed. 2. 1483. 1762. € Mant. 1: 29. 1767. 
6 2: 855, 1759. / Loc, cit.; also Sp. Pl. ed. 2. 81. 1762. 
CS. 1762. g Bull. Torr. Club 380: 381. 19038, 
d@ Syst. Nat. ed. 10. 1: 855. 1759.’ Rev. Gen. 3: 363. 1898. 
