OF ASPIDIEAE fee lyf 
5. A. mucronatum = Polystichum mucronatum., 
6. A. falcatum = Cyrtomium falcatum. 
On the application of the principle of regarding the first named 
species as the type of a genus, a principle which Mr. Davenport 
professes to accept, Aspidium becomes a straight synonym of O/e- 
andra, which had been proposed by Cavanilles (/. c.) two years 
before, on the same page as 7ectaria and immediately following it. 
On the unique application of a sliding scale in the matter of deter- 
mining the type of a genus, which Mr. Davenport actually does 
follow, the name Aspidinum would replace the later Cyrtomium 
proposed by Presl in 1836. But no one will be likely to consider 
seriously a system so illogical as his, and on any rational count 
Aspidium must pass into synonymy by the side of Nephrodium ; 
we may consider ourselves fortunate to be able to dispense with 
two such unnatural groups of species as these were when first or- 
ganized, and thus consign them to a merited oblivion. 
The opening years of the fourth decade of the nineteenth cen- 
tury found us then with the following genera now forming a part 
of the Aspidieae properly established, each one traceable to a dis- 
tinct and indisputable type : 
Dryopreris Adans. 1763. Porysticuum Roth, 1800 (?) * 
Meniscium Schreber, 1791. DipyMocHLaEna Desv. 1811. 
Tecraria Cav. 1799. Dirteris Reinw. 1825. 
It will be interesting to note the subsequent history of the group, 
since the extensive formation of fern genera has occurred since 
1830. 
In 1834 Schott + commenced a series of studies on genera, 
among which the following were considered : 
-AsPIDIUM, taken up for the species, 4. ¢rifoliatum Swz. 
NEPHRODIUM, taken up for such species as 1V. unztum, NV. molle, etc. This laid the 
foundation for the misconception of Aephrodium for species with connivent veins, and 
the application of the name to a group of species distinct from any originally in the 
genus. : 
* As already noted (Mem. Torrey Club, 6: 262. 1899) there is still uncertainty 
of the date of publication of Roth’s third volume. With a preface dated 14 Sept. 
1798, and a title page dated 1800, we have some of his genera cited in papers pub- 
lished in 1799. 
} Genera Filicum, 1834. 
