' of the Genus Tofieldia. — 237 
nently conspicuous among the works which have conduced to 
the latter object. Their authors have, in this instance, wisely 
exercised that discretionary paramount authority, which belongs 
only to the leaders-in Botany, of overruling a prior claim of no- 
menclature. Instead of setting up the original Anthericum, they 
have retained that name for the numerous species to which it is 
popularly applied, and which make the bulk of the genus as 
Linnzus and his followers have subsequently understood it. 
Hence a very troublesome degree of perplexity is avoided ; espe- 
cially as these writers must otherwise either have invented a new 
name, or have restored Bulbine, already differently applied by 
Gertner. They certainly knew better than to take up with 
Tournefort's Phalangium, which is appropriated to a genus of 
insects. 
The author of the Flora Britannica indeed, aware of the above- 
mentioned confusion and pretensions respecting Anthericum, had 
exercised the same discretionary power, following Mr. Hudson in 
his name of Tofieldia. Under this is commemorated Mr. Tofield, 
a country gentleman in the neighbourhood of Doncaster, who 
there discovered the Vicia bithynica, a plant which had escaped 
the notice of Ray and the botanists of his time, though since ob- 
served in other parts of England. The herbarium of Mr. Tofield 
came, in 1793, after his decease, into the pum of Dr. À aa 
of Sheffield, F. L.S. | AT wi 
Jussieu, led by Gerard, has feansierred Meriiig’s n. name of E- 
thecium to our Tofieldia ; from an idea, as it appears, that the 
real Narthecium of that author belonged to this genus, though 
nothing can be more distinct. We believe it to be no less di- 
stinct from Anthericum, though retained in that genus, after 
Willdenow, in the Hortus Kewensis The able M. Decandolle z 
not wishing perhaps to clash with Jussieu, has called this. last 
plant 
