529 
The systems adopted by both Zopf and Vines are e dueatienly 
incomplete and are inserted simply to show the conspectus given 
in two standard works that have an extensive circulation in this 
country, . 
Warming’s system is in some respects the most consistently 
carried out, but he introduces too many intermediate groups for 
clearness and most unaccountably makes the group order subordi- 
nate to family or even in some cases to sub-family. His group 
name series is not to be recommended for a group subordinate to 
a class. 
The systems in use have thus been made confusing: (1) By 
lack of uniformity in terminations so that the relative rank of 
a group name cannot be told from its termination ; (2) By con- 
fusing the usually accepted sequence of group names, so that the 
usual order of phylum (series), class, order and family is varied 
or even inverted; (3) By the use of numerous and confusing in- 
termediate group-names which may be adapted to a monograph 
where details are entered into more minutely, but are out of place 
for presentation in a general way where clearness and simplicity 
ought to prevail ; and finally, (4) By attempting to preserve old 
group names that no longer have a place in the system because 
they represent heterogeneous groupsco rdinate with nothing now 
recognized. ‘ 
It would seem that certain fundamental principles of terminology 
could be adopted that would vastly simplify the matter of a system 
of plants and, once in use, enable a student to more intelligently 
grasp the relationships of plants without subjecting him to this ir: 
regular and confusing terminology. Groups will change their 
limits with our increasing knowledge; new groups will appear and 
the system of relationships be modified with each generation, but 
a set form of expression once adopted might become as easy of 
comprehension as the simple principle involved in binomial 
nomeclature. Among the features of such a form of expression 
SiG i 
1. The two group names above the genus should be definitely 
fixed and their sequence rigidly maintained. The termination 
aceae should be reserved for families in accordance with well 
known and long — — erp ae me teat anes To . 
