PEEFACE 



This book is intended as the continuation of Cheistensen's 

 « Index Filicum » and its supplements, but in fact it differs 

 from them in many respects. Ckristensen's « Index Filicum » 

 is by way of being a taxonomic conspectus of all genera and 

 species of ferns with their synonymy and geographical distri- 

 bution ; on the other hand this supplement is merely a reper- 

 torium of the generic, infrageneric and specific names validly 

 pubHshed between 1934 and 1960, with the geographical 

 distribution of the new taxa and cross-references to basio- 



nyms . 



The third supplement of Chuistensew's « Index Filicum » was 



■mihlishp/l in -[QR4. "Rvph before that time some authors had 



angement 



circum 



mam revisions oi tne oia couuepis ui geutjnu 

 were completed after 1934, with the consequence that a great 

 number of new combinations and new names have been estab- 

 lished since then. 



In 1954, at the Eighth International Botanical Congress m 

 Paris I proposed the preparation of a new supplement of the 

 « Index Filicum » and at the same time I proposed the ap- 

 pointment of an international committee for its preparation. 

 My proposal was discussed at a special meeting of the Con- 

 gress and accepted by the pteridologists present there. Later 

 on. the International Association for Plant Taxonomy agreed 



.. _^ . Jf- 



1955] the following « Committee for the Index Filicum » wai 



appointed. 



Secretary: R. E. G. Pichi-Sermolli (Italy). 



Members : F. Ballard (England); E. E. Holttum (England) 

 H. It6 (Japan) ; A. C. Jermy (England) ; G. E. Proctor (Ja 

 maica) ; E. A. C. L. E. Schelpe (South Africa) ; M.-L. Tardieu 

 Blot (France) ; E. M. Tryon (U.S.A.). In 1962 G. E. Proctoi 

 resigned from the Committee and was replaced by F. M. J ab- 

 eett (Eneland). 



