The Nomenclature of the New England Agrimonies 



By Eugene P. Bicknell 



Under this title in Rhodora for December last, Dr. B. L. Rob- 

 inson discusses the names of our New England agrimonies, some- 

 how making his way to the conclusion that four of our five species 

 should bear names other than those in current use. My own 

 responsibility for these names is such that this paper might well 

 be personal in some slight way. Its paragraphs, however, quite 

 •surpass the reasonable in their personal tone and, indeed, bristle 

 with a sort of porcupine sharpness whereof I am intended to 

 be the victim. It is, nevertheless, gratifying to find my treat- 

 ment of the species themselves frankly endorsed by so accom- 

 plished a systematist as Dr. Robinson, and this, perhaps, is 

 intended to weigh in ample balance against the tone of disagree- 

 ment and criticism which pervades the remainder of his paper. 

 All the more is this tone and criticism curious since a reconsidera- 

 tion of the whole matter shows that the conclusions so supported 

 really stand for a " retrogressive search after priority," as is inad- 

 vertently admitted, instead of such a progressive search as can 

 alone ever warrant any nomenclatural changes. 



It may therefore be well to take up the species seriatim, fol- 

 lowing Dr. Robinson, and openly meeting the questions involved 

 in the interest alike of logical principles and sound botany. 



Agrimonia hirsuta (Muhl.) 



Dr. Robinson's most serious objection to this name, as may 

 fairly be inferred from his context, is on the score of its having been 

 first used as a varietal designation. In other words, that its au- 

 thor's understanding of the plant which he named proves not to 

 coincide exactly with our understanding of to-day— that some mys- 

 terious taxonomic value attaching to it was not fully apprehended 

 by its discoverer when, recognizing its distinctness, he conferred 

 on the plant its distinctive name. 



Ostensibly the objection to the name rests on an alleged im- 

 proper description. Now the question what is a proper and what 



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