464 Transactions. 



although the oldest in the correct genus, must give place to 

 Haloragis erecta and Ipomosa pes-caprece, as the oldest in any 

 genus. In a similar manner, the affirmation of the principle 

 that no one can reject a name because of the existence of an 

 earlier homonym which is universally regarded as non-valid 

 will cause a few alterations. For instance, Mr. Kirk's name of 

 Lepidium flexicaule, given under the supposition that Hooker's 

 Lepidium incisum was invalidated by the earlier Lepidium 

 incisum of Roth, must be abandoned, and Hooker's name 

 restored, Roth's name being now generally admitted to be 

 non-valid. I propose to draw up a complete list of the altera- 

 tions rendered necessary, but the work is not one to be hurriedly 

 prepared or hastily published. Those who are so eager to pro- 

 mulgate new names that they do not take the trouble to con- 

 sider them in all their bearings will probably find that later on 

 they will have to supersede the very names they have themselves 

 proposed. One source of trouble and delay is the necessity of 

 referring to European libraries for the verification of the dates 

 of publication of those species described in works not available 

 in the Dominion. Experience has proved that it is not always 

 safe to trust to the quotations of dates, &c, given in floras or 

 even in general works on botany. With the view of showing 

 the character of the changes that will have to be made, I give as 

 an addendum to this paper a list of those necessary in the ferns 

 — a family in which the proportion of new names will be larger 

 than in most others. It will, of course, be understood that I 

 am dealing only with the changes rendered necessary b\ the 

 adoption of the international rules. 



Addendum. 



Changes in the Nomenclature of the New Zealand Ferns caused 

 by the International Rules of Botanical Nomenclature adopted 

 at the Botanical Congress of Vienna. 



1 . Hymenophyllum, subtilissimum, Kuntze, Anal. Pteridog., 49 



(1837). Oldest name, and the one to be adopted, 

 Hymenophyllum ferrugineum, Colla, Mem. Acad. Torino, 

 39 (1836). 



2. Hymenophyllum unilaterale, Willd., Sp. Plant., v, 521 (1810). 



Oldest name, Trichomanes peltatum, Poir., Encvcl., 

 viii, 76 (1808) ; name to be adopted, Hymenophyllum 

 peltatum, Desv., Prodr., 333 (1827). 



3. Lindsaya trichomanioides, Dryand. in Trans. Linn. Soc, iii, 



43 (1797). Oldest name, Adiantum cuneatum, Forst., 

 Prodr., n. 461 (1786) ; name to be adopted, Lindsaya 

 cuneata, C. Chr., Index Fil., 392 (1906). 



