158 



THE CANADIAN NATURALIST. 



[Dec. 



in a different light, and would arrange them as shewn below. Four 

 of these forms we consider to be unquestionably one species ; dila- 

 tata is our more common form northward, and is well-marked as 

 a variety, intermedia is identical with spinulosa and remota (as 

 we understand it) hardly separable from it, while cristata is more 

 closely allied to Goldiana than to any of the forms of spinulosa. 



The publisher has done his part well, the book is neatly got up, 

 well printed and remarkably cheap. 



The question, — under what circumstances is the author or emen- 

 dator of a genus justified in writing his own name after such old 

 species as he chosen to place in it ? has lately been discussed ; we 

 incline to answer, " under no circumstances," being of opinion 

 that a specific name should never be changed, and that the original 

 author's name should always be affixed to it. We append a cata- 

 logue of northern North American ferns, giving our views of the 

 nomenclature and classification of this order ; it includes all the 

 species mentioned by Michaux and by Dr. Gray, and most of those 

 mentioned by Pursh and by Hooker. The classification is based 

 principally on that of Dr. Mettenius. A few species known to us 



W. 



only by name are omitted 

 Suborder POLYPODINEiE. 

 Tribe Acrostiche^. 

 Chrysodium, Fee. 

 I. C. aureum (Linn. 1525). 



Mettcii. Fil. Lips. 81; Acrostichum a. Linn. 

 Sp. PL; Michx. Fl. Bor.-Ani. ii. (1820) 272. 



Tribe Polypodies. 



J'itturia, Smith. 

 1. Y. lineata (Linn. 1530). 



Swartz, Syn. Fil. 109; V. angustifrons, Michx. 261. 



Pohjpodium, Linn, in part. 



1. P. vulgare, Linn. 1544. 



Willd. Sp. PL v., 172. 



2. P. polypodioides (Linn. 1525). 



P. eeteraecinuni, Michx. 271 : P. incanum, 

 Swartz 35, Pursh 659, Gray's Manual, ed. 2nd, 590. 



Gtymnogramme, Desvaux. 



3 . Gr. triangularis, Kaulrass, 



Emim. Fil. 75. Found on Vancouver Island by 

 Mrs. Miles. 



Cheilantlies, Swartz. 



There are three well-defined species of this 

 genua within Gray's limits; but as they have been 

 sadly confused by some authorities, I am unable to 

 give synonyms, nor do 1 know to which of the three 



ilichiiux'sXejihrurltunt hutotiuu should be referred. 



1. C. vestita, Swartz 123. 



Willd. 458; Gray's Manual, 592. 



2. 0. tomentosa, Gray's Man. 



Link, Fil. Hort. Berol, ii., 42 ? Hook. Sp. Fil. 65 ? 



3. C. lanuginosa, Nuttall. 



C. gracilis, Metten. CheiL 36. 



Cryptogramme, R. Brown. 



1. C. crispa (Linn. 1522). 



R. Brown, App. Frank. Journ. 754. Osmunda, 



Linn. Allosorus, Bernhardi. " 1 -\- lioyiil in Lake 

 Superior;"— Moore: probably the following. 



2. C. acrostichoides K. Br. 767. 



Hooker considers these two plants to be speci- 

 fically identical, which is probably correct. Mr. 

 Moore considers them genericaUy distinct. 



Pellcea, Link. 

 1. P. gracilis (Michx. 262 \ 



H« ok. Sp. Fil. ii., 138. Pteris g. Michx. 262, 

 Pursh 668. Ledebour and Moore refer Pteris 

 St, II, ri fGmelin) here, while Swartz and Hooker 

 refer it to C.crispitu ; should the former prove to be 

 correct, this plant must be named Pellcea Stelleri. 



2 P. atropurpurea (Linn. 1534). 



Link, Fil. Hort. Berol, 59. Pteris a. Linn. 

 Michx. 261, Pursh 668. 



Pteris, Linn, in part. 

 1. P. aquilina, Linn. 1533. 



P. caudata, Linn. 1533, Pursh 668 is a variety 

 found in the Southern U. S. and elsewhere. 



Adiantum, Linn. 

 1. A. pedatum, Linn. 1557. 

 Tribe Asplenieje. 

 Blechnum, Linn., Presl. 



1. B. Spicant (Linn. 1522). 



Smith, Turin Trans. v. 411 Osmunda. Linn.; 

 Lomaria, Desv.; B. boreale, Swartz 115, Pursh 669. 



2. B. serrulatum, Rich. 



Michx. 264; Pursh 669. 



Woodwardia, Smith. 

 1. TV", areolata (Linn. 1526). 



Lowe's Ferns, iv. t. 46. W. ane 

 Smith ; Onoclea nodulosa, Michx. 272 ; W. onocle- 

 oides, Willd.; Pursh. 669. 



