158 Rhodora [AuGusT 
thus giving the upper half of the inflorescence an almost naked appear- 
ance. The plant with smooth seeds, on the other hand, has the flowers 
all subtended by elongate leaf-like bracts which so closely resemble 
the foliage-leaves as to give the inflorescence the appearance of a series 
of axillary flowers. In a very large number of American specimens 
examined, these two characters of inflorescence and seeds appear so 
regularly concomitant that, although two or three doubtful specimens 
have been seen, the plants seem to be well-distinguished species. 
It is not improbable that the intermediate specimens, which are all 
from one station, are hybrids. In the case of the smooth-seeded plant 
there seems to be no question as to the name to be taken up. This 
plant is Lepigonum leiospermum of Kindberg, who calls attention to 
both the seed- and bract-characters. It was based in part upon mate- 
rial from Massachusetts and Pennsylvania, and later transferred to 
Spergularia by F. Schmidt. 
'The other coastal plant, with papillose seeds and with the upper 
flowers nearly bractless, although very common, has a most perplexing 
nomenclatorial history. In 1753 Linnaeus described in the Species 
Plantarum an Arenaria rubra 8 marina. A study of the description, 
citations, and possibly specimens upon which this was based has con- 
vinced many European authors that the variety consisted of diverse 
elements, and so far as we can judge this seems to be true. Authors 
subsequent to Linnaeus have spent much time and discussion in 
attempts to make the name apply more definitely to one or the other 
of these component parts. The results have thus far proved futile, 
as have the attempts to refer the resulting specific name, Arenaria 
marina, of the early authors to any one species. Therefore, since the 
name marina is one which, as practice shows, has become ‘‘a perma- 
nent source of confusion or error" the writers feel that intelligibility 
and clearness in advancing knowledge of the plants themselves will be 
best served by allowing it to lapse in accordance with Article 51 (4) of 
the Vienna Code. In so doing they follow Rouy & Foucaud, who say: 
“La synonymie des noms anciéns des Arenaria ou Spergularia media 
et marina est devenue pour ainsi dire inextricable; aussi estimons- 
nous, à l'exemple de plusieurs auteurs contemporains, qu'il convient 
d'abandonner ces noms, qui ne peuvent actuellement que préter à 
confusion." ! Kindberg used for our annual plant with papillose 
1 Rouy et Foucaud, Fl. Fr. iii. 302 (1896). 
