77 
Family Nomenclature. 
By Dr. V. HAvarp. 
Much credit is due Mr. Barnhart for taking up and elaborating 
this important problem which now forces itself upon the attention 
of botanists for a satisfactory solution. Uniformity and stability 
in family nomenclature are as desirable and necessary as in genera 
and species, and therefore such nomenclature must be built upon 
secure foundations and placed within the dominion of law. 
The advantages of a common ending for all family names are 
obvious and generally recognized, and the ending most habitually 
used is aceae. There seems to be no valid reason why it should 
not be applied under all circumstances; it does no violence to 
logic, grammar or analogy, and there should be no difficulty in 
Sacrificing custom and tradition to law and uniformity. 
To this extent I agree with Mr. Barnhart, and I also recognize 
the wisdom of not going behind the Species Plantarum of 1753. 
To his rule that the root of the family name shall always be 
that of the accepted name of a recognized genus belonging to 
that family, I am inclined to demur, and would instead offer the 
following propositions : 
1. The name of each natural family shall be the oldest name 
properly published, changing its termination into aceae if other- 
wise ended. 
2. The name shall be properly published, if in Latin, in the 
plural number, and accompanied with description clearly based 
upon one or more genera of said family. 
My reasons for dissenting are the following: 
1. Priority is the fundamental law of nomenclature and must 
dominate every other consideration. As the original author of a 
genus name is allowed entire freedom in his choice (within the 
limits of correct construction) and receives credit for it, so should 
the author of a family name. 
2. Genera are often separated only by minor wad secondaty char- 
acters, so that their limits are variously estimated, and their names 
accordingly liable to change with the discovery of new species. 
Should the family name share the risk of this instability? 
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