132 
represent, in part at least, our Atlantic States plant, and it would 
thus seem probable that~ Dillenius actually had both species, but 
failed to distinguish between them. ‘This, however, is fortunately 
not now material to the proper assignment of names. 
First after Linnaeus, Miller (Dict. ed. VII., 1759) discussed the 
American plant, as he understood it, naming it S. angustifolium 
and citing Dillenius. To the extent of this citation the exact sig- 
nificance of Miller’s name might be held to be doubtful, but his 
description, as Watson has emphasized, points unmistakably to 
our simple-stemmed plant. Whatever doubt of this might other- 
wise have been is forestalled by Miller himself. In his « Gar- 
deners’ and Botanists’ Dictionary” (1807) he redescribes his plant 
in clear terms, adopting for it the name S. anceps Cav., and citing 
his own earlier name as a synonym. The bearing of S. avceps 
Cav. is not doubtful; the plant falls conclusively into line with | 
that of Linnaeus and of Miller as our simple-stemmed species. 
The true name of this plant is thus found to be S. angusti- 
folium Miller, as Watson has already maintained (Proc. Am. Acad. 
24: 86-7). 
The name S. anceps Cav. was adopted by Watson for our 
branched species on the ground that Cavanilles’ illustration shows 
one plant bearing a short branch. The remaining evidence of the 
figures, as well as the unequivocal text, was thus quite unaccount- 
ably overlooked. Asa matter of fact, also, S. angustifolium some- 
times develops a short lateral branch, just as the figure shows. 
Earlier than Cavanilles, Lamarck described the American plant 
as S. gramineum from specimens cultivated in France (Encyc. 
1: 408. 1783). His description is entirely satisfactory and identi- 
fies his plant perfectly with Miller's S. angustifolium described 
from specimens cultivated in England. 
The synonomy of S. angustifolium will therefore stand as 
follows: 
S. angustifolium Miller, Dict. ed. VII. (1759). 
S. Bermudiana L. Sp. Pl. 954. In part. 1753. 
S. gramineum Lam. Encyc. 1: 408. 1783. 
S. anceps Cav. Diss. 6: 345. pl. 190, f. 2. 1788. 
S. mucronatum Michx. Fl. Bor. Am. 2. 33. 1803. 
The first clear presentation of our branched species was by 
