1909] Ames,— Nomenclatorial Changes in Corallorrhiza 103 
at Vienna in 1905, deserves explanation in view of the fact that the 
identity of the plant, designated by the new name (C. maculata Raf.), 
has been obscured by a difference. of opinion. Prof. E. L. Greene 
assumes that Rafinesque's C. maculata is conspecific with C. Wuste- 
riana, a species described by Conrad in 1829, while I, reasoning from 
the same data, maintain that it more properly includes C. multiflora. 
Unfortunately the only evidence that may be considered is of a purely 
literary nature, as no type specimen of Rafinesque's species is known 
to exist. Rafinesque published two brief notes on the subject in the 
American Monthly Magazine (1817) which in the order of their appear- 
ance are printed below. 
“Cymbidium corallorhizon is again introduced in the American 
Flora, after being left off by Pursh, and is distinguished from the C. 
odontorhizon, by its oblong acute and undivided lip; both are stated to 
have a white leafless sheathed stem. We apprehend there is here an 
oversight, or a new species is probably meant; we know of a third one 
unnoticed by Pursh, which has yellow stems, and a spotted elliptic 
obtuse crenate lip. We think those plants may form a peculiar genus 
very distinct from Cymbidium, to which the name Cladorhiza may be 
given: our new species shall be called Cl. maculata." Am. Mon. 
Mag. 1: 429 (1817). 
In the second note Rafinesque goes into more details and gives the 
following description. 
* Coralorhiza maculata. Roots branched palmate articulate, stem 
round, sheaths acute; raceme loose, flowers drooping, sepals lanceo- 
late, nearly obtuse, labellum recurved elliptic white, red spotted, auricu- 
lated on each side of the base, toothed and obtuse at the apex.— Obs. 
The genus Coralorhiza has been established by Brown, in the second 
edition of Hortus Kewensis: it is very different from Cymbidium, and 
its habit is very peculiar, owing to the branched shape of the fleshy 
roots and the pedunculated flowers without bracteas. ‘Three or four 
species of this genus grow in the United States, all different from the 
European species. ‘This grows in the shady woods of Long-Island 
near Flatbush, Flushing, Oyster-bay, &c; it blossoms in July and 
August, the whole plant is yellowish, size about one foot." Am. Mon. 
Mag. 2: 119, 120 (1817). 
From an examination of these two notes it becomes quite apparent 
that the one published first is scarcely a valid botanical description. 
It would prove of very slight use in the identification, absolutely with- 
