THE POLLINATION OF THE PRIMROSE 345 



Oniscus dsellus and PorcelUo scaler which feed on the flowers. 

 Gibson (Trans. Bot. Soc. Ed. xix. 155) notes that the Primrose 

 occasionally fruits on the island of St. Kilda, where bees and Lepi- 

 doptera are absent, and suggests that this may be due to pollination 

 by Diptera. While this is possible it may also be the result of 

 autogamy. Bell and Weiss have suggested that self-pollination is 

 probably of frecpient occurrence in the Primrose, and I am of the 

 same opinion, but experimental work is needed here. I have observed 

 it fruiting plentifully at Cwm and elsewhere in North Wales. 



The flowers show considerable adaptation to zoophily, and this 

 also finds reflection in the many types of visitor which may be 

 attracted and are capable in varying degree of effecting pollination. 



NOTES ON NOMENCLATIVE. 



Br T. A. Sprague, B.Sc, F.L.S. 



1. Four Overlooked Generic Names. 



Mr. N. E. Brown has drawn attention to some generic names 

 which appeared in Haworth's Sevisiones Plantarum Suceulentarum 

 (1S2L), but have hitherto been overlooked (Gard. Chron., Sept. 3, 

 1921 et seq.). Haworth's Sevisiones included a new account of 

 Mesembnjanthemum comprising 310 species arranged in 69 sections 

 and 8 groups of higher rank. He had hoped to divide Mesembry- 

 anthemum into several genera, but found this to be impracticable, as 

 is evident from his introductory remarks {op. tit. 79). Haworth, 

 however, formally proposed two new segregate genera, Glottiphyllum 

 and Gibbceum, although in his enumeration he retained in Mesem- 

 bryanthemum the sections ©n which they were based. He also 

 suggested that if the groups Minima and GephalopTiylla should 

 prove to be distinct genera, they should receive the names Gono- 

 phyton and Gephalophyllum respectively. Hs cited the pre-Linnean 

 name Nycterianthemum as a synonym with sect. Noctifiora, which 

 he thought might possibly prove to be a separate genus. These five 

 names were not included in the Index Keivensis. Dalle Torre and 

 Harms cite Nycterianthemum as a synonym of Mesembryanthemum, 

 but do not mention the others. The synonymy of the four names 

 proposed or suggested by Haworth is as follows : — 



Glottiphyllum Haw. Rev. 103 (1821), in ohs. — Mesembry- 

 anthemum sect. Linguceformia Haw. Syn. 219 (1812) ; sect. Lili- 

 an cef or mia, Gruciata et Difformia Haw. Rev. 93, 100, 101. 



This generic name was jDroposed in a remark at the end of the 

 enumeration of the Difformia : " Obs. Linguceformia bonum genus 

 constituunt, et nomen Glottiphyllum propono." It may be asso- 

 ciated with the description given in the Synopsis, and is nomen- 

 claturally valid according to the International Rules. The section 

 Lingiueformia of the Synopsis was divided into the subsections 

 Disticha and Gruciata ; these became the sections Lingxioeformia 

 (sensu restricto) and Gruciata of the Sevisiones, except that three 



