266 GRONOVIUS'S 'FLORA VIRGINICA.' 



In the Banksian herbarium we have, besides Clayton's Virginia 

 specimen, one in fruit from John Bartram, with a note: "This 

 plant I never observed but upon one hill a days journey beyond 

 y^ blew mountains when I went to find y*" head of sculkill. This 

 is y® state I found it in so I cant tell what flower it bears." 

 Another Banksian specimen is indorsed " Cherrokee countrey, 

 W. V. Turner, 1769. Indian name Chera Notse Younnoste — Pine 

 leav'd plant." Banks had a large number of "Cherrokee" plants 

 from Turner, nearly all of which bear the " Indian name." Miller 

 grew the plant in Chelsea Garden (whence we have it) in 1760, and 

 his herbarium contains specimens sent to him by Houstoun. 



I have cited these early collections because I do not think it is 

 always sufficiently recognized that our National Herbarium affords 

 a rich store of early American material, which the officials are always 

 wilUug to render accessible, so far as comparison of specimens goes, 

 to transatlantic workers. 



2. Antennaria plantaginea Br. 



Mr. M. L. Fernald* writes: "Linnaeus, in the first edition of 

 the Species Plantar am, founded the species Gnajyltalium plantagini- 

 folium upon the 'White Plantain' of Plukenet's Almagestum Bo- 

 tanicinn. The description by Linnaeus is characteristically short, 

 and without his reference to Plukenet's figure it would be difficult 

 to say just what plant he had in mind, though his note, ' Habitat 

 in Virginia,' is at least a suggestion." Later on, Mr. Fernald says 

 " The first evidence must be looked for in Plukenet's figure." 



A comparison of Linnaeus' s description with those cited by him 

 from Gronovius and Plukenet makes it even more clear than in 

 the case of the Asclepias that the Linnean plant is based upon 

 Gronovius, and that the reference to Plukenet is merely the citation 

 of a synonym. Here are the three as they stand in Species Plantar urn , 

 1. 850 :— 



" Gnaphalium caule simplicissimo, foliis radicalibus ovatis 

 maximis, sarmentis procumbentibus. 



" Gnaphalium stolonibus reptatricibus longissimis, foliis ovatis, 

 caule capitato. Groji. virg. 95. 



" Gnaphalium plantaginis folio, virginianum. Pink. aim. 171 

 t. 348/. 9." 



How, in the face of this citation from Flora Virginica, Mr. Fer- 

 nald can say that "without his reference to Plukenet's figure, it 

 would be difficult to say just what [Linnaeus] had in his mind," 

 1 cannot understand. Clayton's specimen, " stolonibus reptatrici- 

 bus longissimis," is sufficient evidence as to what Linnaeus intended, 

 and is far more in accord with his description than is Plukenet's 

 phrase or figure. 



Although it is, I think, already clear that Linnaeus in these two 

 instances, as in very numerous others, had Gronovius's descriptions 

 in view, it must not be overlooked that he was also in frequent corre- 

 spondence with Gronovius, and that he received from him specimens 



* Asa Gray Bulletin, v. 91 (Dec. 15, 1897). 



