DeEscRIBED SPECIES OF BOTRYCHIUM 53 
ovate, I1.2-15 cm. long by 6-8 mm. wide, thin, sharply serrate, or 
in larger forms occasionally two or three times incised ; petiole 
3—6.5 cm. long, very slender : panicle 3-6 cm. long, bipinnate or 
rarely tripinnate below, on a slender stalk 6-22 cm. (usually 
12-14 cm.) long. 
Specimens have been examined as follows: 
Louisiana: Alexandria, Ha/e (Chapman herbarium), C (type). 
Fioripa: “ River banks,” C. Communicated many years 
ago to Torrey who had endorsed it: ‘Seems to come near &, 
simplex Hitch.” 
ALaBaMA: Auburn, 1895, Underwood, U; 15 Oct. 1896, Earle, 
C; 22 Oct. 1896, C. F. Baker, C; Oct. 1897, Baker & Earle, C. 
Missouri: Butler county, 4 Nov. 1892, Bush, C. 
This species is nearest related to B. obliguum which it appears 
to replace in the coastal plain of the gulf region. It is much more 
slender than B. ob/iqguum and the leaf is not only much less divided 
in mature forms, but is also thinner and usually sharply serrate 
almost as in B. Japonicum. Typical forms have only nine seg- 
ments to the leaf. 
BorrycHIuM TERNATUM (Thunb.) Sw. Schrader’s Jour. Bot. 1800? : 
Fit. 73801. 
Osmunda ternata Thunb. FI. Jap. 329. p/. 32. 1784. 
Japan, China, India. ee 
A number of species were referred to this species as varieties by 
Milde, and the practice is still followed by some of his modern 
admirers. There seems to be no difference of opinion relative to 
the existence of the groups of individuals as distinct groups, the 
only difference appearing to be the rank that shall be assigned to 
them. The sernatum group represents a closely allied group of 
forms that appear to have become widely scattered from some 
common center. There is no rational doubt but that they have had 
a common origin; this of course is the only possible explanation 
of their structural and habital relationship. Now where was the 
original center from which they sprung? According to the sy woes 
that would make them varieties of B. ternatum because that species 
happened to be the first described, it would seem to follow that that 
centre was in Japan, otherwise they could not be varieties. of a 
Japanese species. The current system of naming varieties is a stupid 
