NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 137 



country, as the termination cnsis would imply, but of a wild horse." I may 

 add that it is also the name of a stream along which this grape grows in 

 great abundance. 



I saw Lindheimer at New Braunfels in Texas in 1860. He told me that Gray 

 and Engelman, with whom he was in close correspondence, were both uncer- 

 tain about this grape, and that it was still undescribed. lie regarded it as 

 " scientifically unnamed." Under the Fules of priority of description, I claim 

 my name. 



It is unlikely that my mustang grape is the V. eoriacea of Shuttleworth, 

 for be it remembered I had travelled extensivly in Florida, and should have 

 seen this grape there if they had been the same, but I never saw it in Florida; 

 but the greater probability of this is that Chapman, who had resided in Flo- 

 rida 25 years, describes no such grape as mine, but refers the V. eoriacea of 

 Shuttleworth to V. caribcea, D. C, and further says the mustang of Florida is 

 &forni of V. vulpina. See Flora of .Southern States, p. 71. 



Vit is bipinnala, with which name the authority of " Torr. & Gray" is asso- 

 ciated, belongs really to Wildeuow. 



Astragalus Bruzoensis, Dr. Gray has, on a second examination, done me the 

 justice to declare a good species. 



Hoopesia arborea I am charged with " making up from a flowering speci- 

 men of Ctrcidium texanum, Gray, a fruiting one of Acacia flexicanlis, Bentb, and 

 a sterile branchlet of Acacia rigiduLt, Benth." Of course, no one would sup- 

 pose I would mix plants purposely with the object of making a new genus or 

 species. That no such a mixture was possible, I claim from the following 

 facts. I was careful to select a large number of specimens with bothjlowers 

 and fruit on the tame branch's. I also cut from sprouts which grew up from 

 the base of the tree, so that I might have all its characteristics, for I felt then 

 that it would prove to be undescribed. I f pent a long time in getting these 

 specimens. I was then engaged with Dr. Shumard in the geological survey 

 of the state. Drs. Shumard and Riddell were then with me, they in a 

 buggy, I on horseback at Corpus Christi together, and we started next day 

 for Austin, ray press and plants in the buggy. They went on hurriedly, agree- 

 ing to change my plants, I arrived in Austin three days after them, and 

 found my plants mostly spoiled.. I saved only a few damaged specimens of 

 Hoopesia. Familiar as I was with them in cutting, and again in my anxiety 

 so few days after to select from the damaged specimens the best left, 1 do not 

 see the possibility of any mistake ; but intend to take the first opportunity to 

 visit again the locality, and get specimens for the Academy and other public 

 institutions. Trees of the Hoopesia grow on the banks of the Gulf, from one to 

 two miles below Corpus Christi. 



Drejera parviflora and Morus microphylla are admitted to be good species. 



Juncus filipmdulus has also, since Dr. Gray's criticisms, been decided by 

 Dr. Engelman to be a good species. But he has chauged the name, on the 

 ground that my name is " inappropriate." My name was suggested by the 

 thread-like hanging stems of its fruit and flowers. Even were the name less 

 appropriate than it manifestly is, if botanists had a right to change names to 

 accord with each compiler's sense of fitness, how many synonyms should we 

 not have ? 



Juncus difusissimus Dr. Gray says is /. debilis. Dr. Engelman has since de- 

 cided Dr. Gray to be wrong in this, but I have not Dr. Engelman's monograph 

 by me to refer to what he decides it to be. 



Cyperus Heermanii is not referred to any other species, and 



Eleocharis microformii, though said to be " near intermedia," is probably a 

 good species also. 

 1870.] 10 



