134 UNDERWOOD: OuR GENERA 
proposed, having been followed in the arrangement of herbaria and 
for tentative works by minor botanists the world over as a matter 
of convenience. 
To give a telling example of the great range of nomenclatorial 
changes undergone by any particular species it is only necessary 
to follow the type of Adanson’s genus Dryofteris through its 
various vicissitudes. 
POLYPODIUM FILIX-MAS L., 1753, was placed in DryopTeris by 
Adanson 1763, Schott 1834, Asa Gray, 1848, and Otto Kuntze, 
1891; in Asprpium by Swartz 1801 and 1806, Link 1841, Fee 
1850-1852, Mettenius 1856, D. C. Eaton 1867, and Christ 1897; 
in Lasrrea by Bory 1824, Presl 1836, Moore 1857, and John 
Smith 1875; and in NepHropium by Hooker 1862 and 1874. 
Nephrodium as a genus has likewise had strange vicissitudes 
since its establishment for a grand mélange of American species in_ 
1802. In 1834 Schott took it up for the connivently anastomos- 
ing veined species with cordato-reniform indusia in which he was | 
followed by Presl 1836, Fée 1850-1852, Moore 1857, and John 
Smith 1875. Hooker 1862, also recognized this group as consti- 
tuting the true Vephrodium type of his more comprehensive genus. 
In 1841 Link transferred the name to what Schott had called Ne- 
phrolepis. In 1852 Hooker gave the genus a wider significance $0 
as to cover all species with cordato-reniform indusia. 
In limiting Mephrodium to the free-veined species it will be seen 
that Mr. Davenport is following an entirely new lead and his state- 
ment that Vephrodium has been in use for nearly a century thus 
loses practically all of its force. In the sense in which he pro 
poses it, it has never been used anywhere, and the attempt to bring 
it into use at this time is as reprehensible as it is uncalled for and 
irrational. 
Aspidium as a genus has had a still more varied history. In 
1834 Schott limited it to Zecfaria and in this he was followed by 
Presl in 1836 and by Moore in 1857. John Smith in 1877 cof 
bined Sagenia with this giving the genus a wider range of char- 
acters. In 1841 Link limited the name to species with a cordate 
indusium and free veins thus making it synonymous with Dryopter’s: 
In this he was followed by Fée in 1850-52. In 1862 Hooker too 
up the name for all forms with a peltate indusium. irrespective © 
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