262 A NEW SPECIES OF FRITILLARY. 



development of the botanical rule ; it stands in five genera, has 

 five specific names, and eight difl'erent collocations of the two. 



According to the zoological rule, in the above and all similar 

 cases, the earliest specific name would be adopted, and be followed 

 by the initials of its author, whatever genus may be prefixed to it. 

 The useless specific names and authorities would disappear from 

 the nomenclature, but would remain in the synonymy for reference 

 in case of need. 



The instances m which the same i^lant appears in different 

 catalogues, under disguises affording no clue to its identity, may 

 be counted by scores. They are a great stumbling-block to students, 

 and a positive scandal to science. Why, for example, should 

 Mesj)ilus AwelancMer of Linn^us appear in one place as Pijrus Ame- 

 lanchier, Willd., and in another as Aronia rotundifolia, Pers., when 

 it might so easily be written Aronia Amelanchier, Linn. ? 



In such a case as Lotus Tetragonolobus, Linn., where the specific 

 name has been raised to generic rank, I imagine we should still 

 write Tetrar/onolobus jnuyureus, Moench., and that scientific opinion 

 is at present scarcely ripe for such a combination as 2'etragonolobus 

 Tetrafjonolobus, Linn., as Staudinger would write it. 



I regard it as inevitable that there will ultimately be one system 

 of nomenclature for all organised nature, and that the zoological 

 rule will supersede the botanical. 



A NEW SPECIES OF FRITILLABIA. 

 By H. G. Eeichenbach, Jil. 



When naming, last year, the Fritillaries for our Botanic Garden, 

 I came upon Bolander's no. 4654, '' Fritillaria lanceolata, var." 

 From this my specimen of F. lanceolata, Pm^sh, differed obviously 

 in its three usually whorled leaves larger and narrower at the 

 base, its larger flowers and its longer sepals, which were not 

 suddenly contracted and had besides apparently very different 

 nervation. As neither the last monograph of my excellent friend 

 Mr. J. G. Baker nor the numerous publications of Prof. Asa Gray 

 and Mr. Sereno Watson contained such a plant, I w^as inclined to 

 consider it new ; but unwilling to rely upon my own research alone, 

 I applied to the first-named monographer for assistance. His 

 opinion was the same as my own, but he placed the species near 

 F. bi flora, Lindl., a Liliorldza ; whilst I had thought it a Gonio- 

 carija. The kindly added sketches of typical specimens proved the 

 correctness of Mr. Baker's view ; and I am thankful to him for 

 permission to publish the species under our joint authority, dedi- 

 cated to the excellent Dr. Asa Gray. 



The plant is readily distinguished fi-om F. bijiora, Lindl., by 

 the shorter and less acuminate sepals, much narrower bracts, and 

 narrower and more acuminate leaves. Generally speaking, it is 

 not unlike the taller specimens of F. fjrceca, Boiss. & Si)run. 



