GENERIC RULES. 81 



THE FIFTY RULES OF GENERIC 



NOMENCLATURE, 



By Linneus and Rafinesque, 1814. 



These rules were chiefly established by Lin- 

 neus in his philosophia botanica. In 1814 1 gave 

 their principles with additions and remarks, ap- 

 plying them also to Animals, and to Classes, 

 Orders and Species. I shall now add here their 

 main features and applications, recomending 

 them to the attention of the accurate botanists : 

 the Linneists ought at least to deem them per- 

 emptory, yet they often violate them. 



1. All the species united by some essential 

 definite characters must form a Genus. Lin. 

 phil. bot. 210. 



2. Each Genus must have a name, Lin. 218. 

 Anonymous Genera like those of Walter are 

 deficient and inadmissible. 



3. None but skilful Botanists ought to form 

 and name Genera. 



4. All the plants possessing similar charac- 

 ters must form a Genus, and bear the same 

 name. Lin. 215, 216. 



5. All the Species with generic disparities 

 must form different Genera and bear different 

 names. Lin. 214. 



6. Therefore when one or several species 

 differ essentialy from their typical Genus, they 

 must be separated and bear other names. This 

 applies to the Genera Valeriana^ Justicia, Con- 

 volvulus^ Polijgala, i^^c. and similar anoma- 

 lous groups. 



7. If a Genus has been made upon erroneous 

 characters, it must be annulled, and united to 

 the Genus that bears the real character. Ex- 



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