ORIGIN OF BINOMIAL NOMENCLATURE 259 



A second step toward a binomial system of nomenclature was 

 taken by Bachmann 3 better known as Rivinus. In his Intro- 

 ductio Universalis in Rem Herbariam (1693) he discusses the 

 subject of plant names, and distinctly recommends a binomial 

 system saying "Ast si semel quoddam eorum electum fuerit 

 tanquam genericum, e. gr. Horminum, tunc levissimo artificio 

 superaddi potest nota specificae differentiae per modum cog- 

 nominis." (But if anyone of these shall be once selected as the 

 generic [name] as Horminum, then by a very easy device a notice 

 of the specific difference can be given also by the character of 

 the second name). This method of nomenclature seemed to 

 Rivinus advisable because of the difficulty of using the long and 

 cumbersome names which had resulted from the great increase 

 in the number of species known, e.g., Convolvulus perennis hetero- 

 clitus, floribus herbaceis, capsulis foliaceis, strobili instar. Espe- 

 cially, in his opinion, would a more concise method be advan- 

 tageous in the names of medicinal plants used by apothecaries. 

 Bachmann, therefore, clearly saw the advantages of a binomial 

 nomenclature, and had he followed his own precepts consistently 

 doubtless he and not Linnaeus would have been regarded as the 

 founder of the binomial system. 



That Linnaeus was familiar with the works of his predecessors 

 is well known, and shown by references thereto in his writings. 

 Following directly in the steps of Bauhin, he adopted and con- 

 sistently used, in his earlier works at least, a binary system in 

 which however the generic name was commonly limited to a 

 single word, while the specific name might or might not be one 

 word, and in the majority of cases consisted of a descriptive 

 phrase. Such names, however, he evidently found cumbersome, 

 and we are fortunate, indeed, in being able to trace the steps 

 whereby he was led to the use of a more concise binomial system. 

 According to Professor Fries 4 such a system was first devised by 

 Linnaeus as a means of assisting his students, who, confused by 

 existing methods of plant nomenclature, desired some more 

 simple method. However this may be, the earliest printed evi- 



3 Bachmann, A. Q., Introductio Universalis in Rem Herbariam, p. 11. 



4 Quoted by Olsson-Seffer, Jour, of Botany, Sept., 1904. 



