324 
for principle. This sentiment is constantly growing stronger, and 
there is every reason for believing not only that a large percentage 
of botanists would refuse to be influenced by an arbitrary agree- 
ment of this kind, but that the ever-growing younger element 
would within a few years absolutely reject it. 
One of the statements made under the second head in this 
circular deserves special eonsideration. It is as follows: “ While 
the scope of this rule is left to the discretion of writers, it is 
urged that generic nomenclature should not at present depart far 
from that of the three important works, Bentham and Hooker's 
Genera Plantarum, Baillon’s Histoire des Plantes, and Engler and 
Prantl’s Natiirlichen Pflanzenfamilien, from which for some time to 
come our most complete and accurate information as to generic 
limits and affinities is to be derived.” Nothing could better illus- 
trate the present chaos of botanical nomenclature than a compar- 
ison of these three great works. It would be interesting to make 
such a comparison throughout their entire extent, but of course 
space will not permit of this. We may, however, refer to a few 
cases, taken principally at random, to show how widely these 
alleged standard authorities differ in the case of generic names. 
| 
BENTH. & HOOK, ENGL. & PRANTL, | BAILLON, HIST. 
Stellaria L. Alsine L. | Stellaria L. 
Wistaria Nutt. Kraunhia Raf. Wistaria Nutt. 
- Petalostemon Michx. Kuhnistera Lam, | Petalostemon Michx. 
Centrosema DC.* Bradburya Raf. | Centrosema DC.* 
Shepherdia Nutt. Lepargyraea Raf. | Shepherdia Nutt. 
Spergularia Pers. Tissa Adans, ‘Lissa Adans, 
Senebiera. Coronopus Gaertn. | Coronopus Hall. 
Nelumbium Juss. Nelumbo Adans, | Nelumbo Adans. 
Cirsium DC, Cirsium Scop. |  Carduus L. 
Echinospermum Sw. Lappula Moench. | Lappula Moench. 
Any one who has the patience to carry out such a comparison 
to a much greater extent will readily see how little effort has been 
made by the great systematists named to arrive at the original 
names of genera, and so long as authorities are privileged to adopt 
* Bradburya Raf. is included by Benth. & Hook. and Baillon in a list of “ genera 
dubia.” The plants in question are placed under Centrosema DC. 
It will be seen that all but one of these names cited from Engler and Prantl ac- 
cord with those accepted by the Botanical Club’s committee. 
