1902J Fernald, — An Osmorhiza new to Eastern America 153 



AN OSMORHIZA NEW TO EASTERN AMERICA. 

 M. L. Fernald. 



Among some specimens collected by the late Rev. A. C. Waghorne 

 in southern Labrador is an Osmorhiza which differs in some striking 

 points from the two species ordinarily recognized in eastern America. 

 The plant, collected in low woods on Capstan Island, Aug. 18, 1893, 

 was distributed as O. brevistylis. Its umbels and umbellules, however, 

 are quite naked, not with well developed involucres and involucels 

 such as ordinarily occur in O. brevistylis and O. longistylis. Further- 

 more, the small clavate fruit is obtuse and tipped by a very incon- 

 spicuous depressed stylopodium and scarcely perceptible styles. The 

 plant is slender and glabrous below, though minutely and sparingly 

 hispid above and on the sharply cleft leaves. 



In all its characters this Labrador plant of Mr. Waghorne's matches 

 authentic specimens from the Rocky Mountains of the recently 

 described Washingtonia obtusa, Coulter & Rose, 1 a well-marked 

 species launched by its authors with the following apology under an 

 unfortunate name : " The priority of the name Washingtonia rests 

 upon the fact that it is mentioned before Osmorhiza in a list of three 

 possible names suggested by Rafinesque for the new genus. In the 

 same sentence he expresses a preference for Osmorhiza, and later 

 formally establishes the genus under that name, by which it has been 

 known ever since. It is under protest that we displace a name of 

 such long use for what seems to be so trivial a reason, but the name 

 Washingtonia will continue to be put forward in accordance with a 

 technical interpretation of the law of priority." 



It is certainly to be regretted that these authors felt it incumbent 

 upon them to make a change based upon such a technical interpre- 

 tation of the law of priority. As has been repeatedly shown this 

 law followed to its technical extremes in all details would lead to 

 such an upheaval of names as has already called out protests from 

 former active exponents of the principle. 



The name IVashingtonia, merely mentioned by Rafinesque 2 and 



1 Contrib. U. S. Nat. Herb. vii. 64 (1900). 



*" Several names have been proposed for it, Washingtonia, Osmorhiza Gona- 

 therus ; but these are not yet published; the second is perhaps the best. " — Am. 

 Mon. Mag. ii (1S1S), 176. 



