JOURNAL 



OF THE 



WASHINGTON ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 



Vol. 11 March 10, 1921 No. G 



BOTANY. — The American species of Maximilianea {Cochlospermum). 

 S. F. Blake, Bureau of Plant Industry.^ 



The principal genus of the small family Cochlospermaceae is that 

 which has generally been known under the name Cochlospermum, 

 given it by Kunth in 1S22. Three years previously Schrank had 

 published for another species of the same genus Martins' m^anuscript 

 name Maximilianea, and it is this name which must be employed for 

 the genus under the American Rules. Martins' single species was 

 named Maximilianea regia in honor of King Maximilian of Bavaria. 

 Unfortunately, Martius was not satisfied with this dedication and 

 employed- the same name (in the spelling Maximiliana) a few years 

 later for a species representing a new genus of palms, for which it has 

 generally been adopted. Simultaneously he proposed the name 

 Wittelshachia for the genus which he had earlier called Maximilianea, 

 Kunth's name Cochlospermum being rejected because of the prior 

 Cochliospermum of Lagasca. 



In 1847 Planchon published a revision of the family Cochlospermeae. 

 He^ divided the genus Cochlospermum into two subgenera: Eucochlo- 

 spermum, including as American species Co.chlospernmm insignc and 

 C. hibiscoides; and Diporandra, containing three species, all American, 

 two of which were described as new. The first subgenus was char- 

 acterized by its strongly imbricated sepals, free filaments, anthers 

 opening by a single apical pore, reniform seeds, and palmatifid leaves; 

 the second by its slightly imbricated sepals, irregularly subconnate 

 filaments, two-pored anthers, twisted seeds (?), and digitate leaves. 

 This classification was followed in Eichler's treatment in the Flora 

 Brasiliensis. 



\ Received January lo, 1921. 



2 Hist. Nat. Palm, 2: 1.31. 1824. 



3 Loud. Journ. Bot. 6: .3(H;~;ni. 1<S47. 



12.5 



