128 TAXONOMY, VASC. PLANTS [BoT. Absts., Vol. X, 



PTERIDOPHYTES 



811. Barnhart, John Hendley. Aetopteron as a generic name. Amer. Fern Jour. 

 10: 111-112. 1920. — The author protests against changing the generic name Polystichum to 

 Aetopteron as proposed by House (see Bot. Absts. 7, Entry 501). — F. C. Anderson. 



812. HiBRONYMus, G. Kleine Mitteilungen xiber Pteridophyten III. [Short communica- 

 tions on pteridophytes III.] Hedwigia 62: 12-37. 1920. — In continuation of previous similar 

 articles, the author presents miscellaneous notes concerning the identity, synonymy, and 

 nomenclature of ferns of the genera Humata, Leptolepia, Tapeinidium, Lindsaya, Pellaea, 

 Notkolaena, Cheilanthes, Adiantum, Pteris and Elaphoglossum. The following new combina- 

 tions are made: Humata perdurans (Davallia perdurans Christ.), Leptolepia maxima {Leuco- 

 stegia maxima Fourn.), Tapeinidium Moorei {Davallia Moorei Hook.), Pellaea allosuroides 

 (Cheilanthes allosuroides Mett.), Notholaena Greggii (Pellaea Greggii Mett.), Elaphoglossum 

 pallidum (Acrostichum pallidum Beyrich). — E. B. Payson. 



813. Maxon, W, R. a neglected fern paper. Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash. [D. C] 34: 111-114. 

 1921. — The writer points out the significance of a paper on ferns published long ago. It ap- 

 peared in the Canadian Naturalist, Series II, 13: 157-160. 1867, under the title "Review. 

 Ferns: British and Foreign; by John Smith, A. L. S." A list of the transferred names is 

 given. — /. C. Oilman. 



814. Maxon, William R. New Selaginellas from the western United States. Smith- 

 sonian Misc. Collections 72^: 1-10. PI. 1-6. 1920. — Six new species of the Selaginella rupes- 

 tris group from the southwestern United States and Montana are described and each is illus- 

 trated by a plate showing the habital characters. The new species are S. neomexicana, S. 

 eremophila, S. arizonica, S. asprella, S. leucohryoides, and S. Standleyi. — S. F. Blake. 



815. Maxon, William R. Notes on American ferns — XVI. Amer. Fern Jour. 11: 1—4, 

 1921. — The author notes changes and corrections. Selaginella humifusa Van Eseltine is re- 

 named Selaginella floridana Maxon on account of the former name being invalidated by S. 

 humifusa Hieron., applied several years earlier to a plant from Borneo. The species Lycopodium 

 ohscurum L. was reported in the Amer. Fern Jour. 10: 81. 1920, as L. dendroideum Michx. 

 An earlier (Oct. 1900) collection from the same place (De Kalb County) is in the Mohr Her- 

 barium, but was not included in the "Plant Life of Alabama." — The range is extended for 

 Lycopodium annotinum L., Pteretis nodulosa (Michx.) Nieuwland, and Pellaea longimucronata 

 Hook. Distinguishing foliage characters and range are given for Dryopteris arguta (Kaulf .) 

 Watt, and D.filix-mas (L.) Schott. — F. C. Anderson. 



SPERMATOPHYTES 



816. Ames, Oakes. Notes on New England orchids. I. Spiranthes. Rhodora23: 73-85. 

 PI. 127-129. 1921. — The author discusses the distinguishing characters of the genus, its 

 variations and its range; also the diflficulties encountered in distinguishing between S. cernua 

 L. C. Rich., S. odorata Lindl., and S. vernalis Engel. & Gray, and states that he is convinced 

 that »Sf. odorata is conspecific with S. cernua. The latter species exhibits a surprising range of 

 variation and, as far as has been observed, presents a different habital and floral aspect until 

 the limit of vigor of the vegetative system is attained; the present author believes that the 

 attempts to segregate new species from it have resulted from a misunderstanding of the life 

 history of this species. He expresses it as his opinion that the range of variation exhibited 

 represents different stages of development. The situation in this species at different stages 

 in its growth is described. Polyembryony is found to be the only sure guide for distinguishing 

 S. cernua var ochroleuca from the true species, in which the seeds are normal. The species is 

 always found in upland meadows or woodlands and the variety in bogs. The author feels that 

 it would be well worth while to ascertain by cultural experiments whether or not this is due to 

 the nature of the soil in which the plants grow, and whether or not it prevails throughout the 

 range of the species. ■ The situation in S. vernalis is discussed. As far as northern forms are 



