2 
express characteristics peculiar to the families to which they are 
applied. The Araliaceae are as truly umbelliferous as the Um- 
belliferae; the Capparidaceae, like the Cruciferae, have cruciform 
flowers; in the Dipsacaceae the flowers are “composite,” as in the 
Compositae. Not being founded upon genera, such names may 
be applied to very different groups, even though they have the 
correct termination -aceae. The name Lomentaceae has been 
used for a division of Leguminosae, and also for a group of Cruci- 
ferae, and these two applications of the name, while equally appro- 
priate, are at the same time alike improper. Custom, then, is the 
‘only excuse for the continued use of this class of names. But it 
has proven true in the case of generic and specific nomenclature, 
that custom must yield to inflexible law; and surely the same 
should hold in the case of family nomenclature. 
What, then, should this law be? The evident preponderance 
of opinion demands as its most important feature the uniform 
termination -aceae. Then it must be recognized that the family 
names must be properly formed from the roots of generic names. 
‘ Next in importance is the law of priority, so necessary for stable 
botanical nomenclature. As the history of family names is fol- 
lowed out practical questions arise from time to time, and for 
their decision new provisions suggest themselves, and in this way 
gradually have been formulated the following rules for family 
nomenclature, which it is the object of this sketch to propose, 
Rules for Family Nomenclature. 
Rule r, The name of each natural family shall consist of the 
root of the accepted name of a recognized genus belonging to 
that family, with the addition of the termination aceae. 
Rule 2. The name of each natural family shall be the oldest 
name published in accordance with Rule 1, for any group of 
plants, based upon the accepted name of any recognized genus 
belonging to that family. 
Rule 3. The family name aust be published in Latin, and in 
the plural number, though not necessarily in the nominative case. 
Rule 4. Authorities shall be cited for family names in the same 
manner as for generic names. If the original author of a family 
ee ‘name spells the root incorrectly, his name shall be cited in paren- 
