THE AMERICAN BOTANIST 69 



On another page of this issue, Mr. Charles MacNamara 

 in an excellent article on the lady's slipper gives the name 

 Cypripedium hirsutum to a certain well known form. Botanists 

 who have not kept up with the styles in this genus; however, 

 will be at a loss to know to what species he refers. In the 6th 

 edition of Gray's Manual and in all other works on botany in 

 common use when that book was issued, the larger yellow lady's 

 slipper was known as Cypripedium pubesccus, and the showy 

 lady's slipper as C.spectabilis. When Brittons Manual appear- 

 ed, we found the yellow species named C. hirsutum while the 

 showy species was rechristened C. rcginac. Then along 

 came the 7th edition of Gray's and, to go Britton one better, 

 made another complete change of names. In this latest edition 

 the yellow lady's slipper is made a variety of the smaller spe- 

 cies ( C. parviflora) while the showy species has actually fallen 

 heir to the name of C. hirsutum. When a writer mentions 

 Cypripedium hirsutum, therefore, we have no way of knowing 

 to what species he refers unless he distinctly specifies the color 

 of the flower or gives the date of the book from which the 

 name is quoted. We have often been severely criticised for 

 the stand we take against juggling with plant names, but our 

 position does not seem half as absurd as the actions of the 

 plant namers. Of what use has been the changing of names 

 in the present case? Has the interest in botany been advanced 

 in any way? Is the general public more favorably disposed 

 toward the study by such troublesome changes? Has our 

 knowledge of plant life been extended by this running around 

 in a circle? As a matter of fact the only end attained, and 

 that scarcely worth a thought, is the recognition of "priority". 

 But what does anybody care for priority? Nowhere except 

 in the names of certain living things is this fetish of priority 

 worshipped. If the name jugglers had their way the dis- 

 covery that Aunt Jane had first applied the name Reginald to 

 little Willie would forever prevent the boys from calling him 



