51] Allgemeine Systematik. 51 



2.">8. Bessey, Charles E. The taxonomic aspecfc of the species 

 question. (Americ. Naturalist. XL1L 1908, p. 218-223.) 

 Verf. resümiert wie folgt: 



1. Taxonomy is a means, not an end; it does not exist for the taxonomists 

 alone, but for the whole body of botanists. 



2. The first purpose of Classification is to include all individual plants in 

 as small a number of species as possible. 



3. That Classification of the plants of the world most fully accomplishes 

 its purpose which gives an adeqnate picture of the whole in the sim- 

 plest form. 



4. Species have been invented in order that we may refer to great numbers 

 of individuals collectively, instead of singly; therefore the number of 

 species must be far less than the number of individuals. 



5. Since we make use of species for the purpose of saving labor in making 

 the aquaintance of plants, it follows that those species whose limitations 

 are so faint or vague that we apprehend them with difficuity have no 

 reason for existence. 



6. Scientific Classification does not require that every difference in structure 

 and habit be made the basis of a separata species. There must be room 

 left for individual Variation, otherwise we should have as many species 

 as there are individual variations. 



7. The ( taxonomist should look for resemblances rather than for differences, 

 so that he may make fewer rather than more species. 



8. Species must be so made as to be unterstood and appi-eciated by the 

 botanists for whom they are described. A species has no legitimate 

 reason for existence whose limits are perceptible only to its maker. 



9. Experience must teil us what limitations of species are most con- 

 venient. 



10. In making a species the guiding principle must be that it shall be 



recognizable from its diagnosis. 

 ILA diagnosis should be brief enough to be remembered readily, for this 



reason Linne's twelve-word diagnoses are worthy of imitation. 

 12. Long and complex descriptions should never be used for the limitation 



of species, and when such long and complex descriptions are found to 



be necessary this is a sufficient indication that the species should not 



be made. 



259. ßriquet, John. Decades plantarum novarum vel minus 

 cognitarum. Decades 2—4. (Annuaire Jard. Bot. Geneve, XII, 1908, p. 175. 

 to 193.) N. A. 



Betrifft: Ranwiculaceae mit Ranunculvs; Geraniaceae mit Geranium; 

 Rubiaceae mit Galiinn. 



260. Britton, N. L. The taxonomic aspect of the species question.. 

 (Americ. Naturalist, XLII, 1908, p. 225—242.) 



Verf. fasst seine Vorschläge wie folgt zusammen: 



1. The individual is the taxonomic unit, usually undesignated. 



2. Similar individuals constitute a race. 



For general taxonomic purposes races need not be designated: 

 the conception and description of the species is broad enough to include 

 all races of which it is composed. There will never be complete uni- 

 formity of agreement as to the distinction between races and species, 



4* 



