127 



THE PUBLICATION OF NEW BINOMIALS IN 



WOEKS OF COMPOSITE AUTHORSHIP. 



By B. L. Robinson. 



As the use of n. sp. and n. comb, in the Synoptical Flora 

 has been mentioned several times with adverse criticism, it 

 may be as well to state^why such abbreviations were employed. 

 While Dr. Gray was carrying on the Flora alone, there was 

 naturally no reason^ why the name of a new species should be 

 followed by any particular sign to indicate its novelty. The 

 mere omission of the authority, which was regularly given 

 with the old species, was a sufficient indication of a new one. 

 When, however, the work passed into other hands^^and the 

 text was prepared by several authors, it became desirable, 

 indeed well nigh necessary, that the authority for each new 

 species or new combination should be expressly indicated. 

 If this necessity is not at once apparent, it becomes so when 

 we observe the innumerable errors which have resulted from 

 the omission of such authorities in works of composite author- 

 ship. For months after the advent of the Russian thistle in 

 America, it was commonly referred to as Salsola Kali, var. 

 Tragus, DC, although the ChenopodiacecB of the Prodomus 

 were described by Moquin, whose name as author appears 

 clearly enough at the head of each page, but not after his 

 new variety. Even in the 6th edition of Gray's Manual 

 Lychnis Gifhago is ascribed to Lamarck, although the part of 

 Lamarck's Encyclopedia where this combination appears, is 

 signed by Desrousseaux. Without needless multiplication of 

 examples, it is clear that the omission of the authority in the 

 CvHse of novelties, published in works of composite author- 

 ship, is a pernicious practice leading to subsequent error and 

 misunderstanding. 



But, on the other hand, if authorities alone are given, no 

 difference is shown between the new names and the old ones. 

 That such a distinction is desirable, needs no argument for 

 those who have had any experience in examining new publi- 

 cations for purposes of indexing, reviewing, or synonymic 

 cross-reference. 



Erythea. Vol. V, No. 12 [26 December, 1897]. 



