200 THE JOURXAL OF BOTAKT 



that is, if it is a still-bom name or nomen abortivum — which as a 

 synonym I have called an unconditional synonym (Bhodora, xvii. (51, 

 foot-note) or a nomenclatorial synonym (Journ. Arnold Arb. i. -15) — 

 because in this case the earlier homonym cannot be revived. Tims 

 Quercus lanuginosa ThuQlier (17!)!) ) should stand, though there is 

 an older Q. lanuginosa Lamarck (177S), which, however, is a still- 

 born name and not valid, as it is only a new name for Q. Oerris L. 

 (1753). I believe that, as I have tried to prove (I.e.), fixity of 

 nomenclature can be attained within the present rules, if the term 

 "valid name" is accepted in the sense of the revised Article 50, 

 which reads in part : " By valid name is implied a name and especiallv 

 a combination of names formed in accordance with the rules of 

 nomenclature." The words in Article -50 "or because of the existence 

 of an earlier homonym which is universally regarded as non-valid " 

 should be changed to " or because of the existence of an earlier 

 non-valid homonym." A name is either formed according to the 

 rules and is valid, or it is not in accordance with the rules and 

 thus non-valid. This, however, does not depend on universal or 

 general consent, as consent implies voluntary action and the term 

 general consent would mean the concurrent judgment of a majority 

 of authors in regard to questions of taxonomic validity, while the 

 application of accepted Rules of nomenclature does not depend any 

 more on consent. For instance, Picea canadensis (Mill.) Britton, 

 Sterns, and Poggenburg, should not be considered valid, as there is an 

 older homonym, P. canadensis (L.) Link, which is, under the genus 

 Picea, the valid name for Tsuga canadensis (L.) Carriere. As 

 Picea and Tsuga are generally considered distinct genera, and thus 

 Picea canadensis Link became by general consent a synonym of 

 Tsuga canadensis, the name P. canadensis B. S. P. has been allowed 

 to stand for the White Spruce; but if at any time botanists should 

 merge the genus Tsuga in Picea then Picea 'canadensis Link would 

 be revived and the name P. canadensis B. S. P. would have to be 

 changed. On the other hand, a name like Quercus lanuginosa 

 Lamarck, as stated above, is a still-born name and cannot become 

 valid under any circumstances. 



Suggestion No. S is an excellent one and would divest the 

 "Nomina conservanda " of much of their alleged arbitrary character. 

 A name should never be included in the list if its conception is so 

 altered as not to include the type-species or even any of the original 

 species, as is the case with Alsine L. (syn. Minuartia). A revision 

 of the list of "Nomina conservanda " therefore seems desirable, as is 

 a clear decision how cases such as Wikstrcemia Schrad. (see Blake in 

 Contrib Gray Herb. liii. 30 and Sprague in Kew Bull. 1921, 175) or 

 Loiseleuria (see Kehder in Jour. Arnold Arb. ii. 158) should be 

 treated. 



The suggestions _ No. 9 and 10 concerning orthography are well 

 founded, but exception may be taken of No. 9 dealing with in- 

 declinable names borrowed from non -classical lano-uap-es ; for these 

 it seems more practical to accept the gender as used by the author 

 who introduced them as generic names. In regard to* No. 11 one 

 may say that it has been and is the general usage in all languages, 



