standley: the generic name achyranthes 75 



{Telanthera rugulosa Robinson, 1902); A. snodgrassii (Telanthera 

 snodgrassii Robinson, 1902); A. strictiuscula {Telanthera strictiuscula 

 Anderss., 1854); A. seubertii Standley, nom. nov. {Alternanthera tomen- 

 tella Seub., 1875, not Achyranthes tomentella Zipp., 1841); A. vestita 

 (Telanthera vestita Anderss., 1854). 



Since the generic name Achyranthes is to be used in the sense 

 above indicated, another name must be used for the genus which 

 has been passing under that name. The oldest synonym cited 

 by Dalle Torre and Hanns under Achyranthes is Amaranthulus 

 Heist., 1763. This, however, was cited by Fabricius^ merely as 

 a synonym, hence is not available. Centrostachys was published 

 by Wallich^ in 1824. The type species is C. aquatica Wall. 

 Moquin considered the genus distinct from his Achyranthes, 

 but later authors have merged it in the latter genus. The in- 

 cluded species seem to the writer to be congeneric with Achyran- 

 thes as defined by Moquin and more recent writers, and the 

 name Centrostachys may, therefore, stand for the genus. Rafin- 

 . esque subsequently (1836) proposed the name Cadelaria for this 

 group and that name would be a very appropriate one, for it 

 was used in pre-Linnaean botany. Another pre-Linnaean name, 

 Stachyarpagophora of Vaillant, was restored by Dr. Maza in 

 1897,'* but fortunately, because of the cumbroiisness of the word, 

 it is invalidated by the two earlier names which were properly 

 published. 



Two species of Centrostachys occur in North America: C. indica 

 (Achyranthes aspera indica L., 1753; A. obtnsifolia Lam., 1783), and 

 C. aspera (Achyranthes aspera L., 1753). 



A large number of other species of Centrostachys occur in the Old 

 World, chiefly in Africa and the East Indies. The following new 

 binomials should be made for some of the better known of these : Centro- 

 stachys abyssinica (Achyranthes abyssinica Nees, 1850); C. alba (Brand- 

 esia alba Mart., 1840); C. angustifolia (Achyranthes angustifolia Benth., 

 1849) ; C. arborescens (Achyranthes arborescens R. Br., 1810) ; C. australis 

 (Achyranthes australis R. Br., 1810) ; C. avicularis (Achyranthes avicu- 



2 Enum. PI. Hort. Helms, ed. 2, 358. 

 •'In Roxb. Fl. Ind. 2: 497. 

 ^ Fl. Haban. 92. 



