CONTRIBUTIONS TO WESTERN BOTANY NO, 1^ ^ 



RYDBERG'S FLORA OF THE I^OCKY TVlOUNTAINS 



We are glad that at last Rydberg has put his conception 6i species 

 and genera in book form. His sporadic publications hitherto have showoi 

 botanists that he has no conception either of species or genera. In addi- 

 tion he accommodates us by saying that any plant deserving ot -a name 

 should have a specific name. What he really means is that if any fool 

 botanist anywhere in the world has applied a name to a plant as variety 

 form or subspecies that name should be raised at once to specific rank, 

 and which he proceeds to do. He cares nothing about historic botany in 

 which the masters in the past built up a system that w^as reasonably satis- 

 factory to all. At the same time he quibbles over priority by position -as 

 though it was a matter of any importance. He ''strains at a gnat and 

 swallows a cameL'^ 



This book is what I have in the past dubbed bughole botany, species 

 depending on the number of bug holes in the leaves. Rydberg ^has no 

 conception that there is any such science as ecology, or that environment 

 has any effect on species variation. 



I have accidentally talked with several leacTiers oT botany in vanous 

 l>laces, and find that uniformly they condemn Rydberg's Flora as unwork- 

 able. They find the same conditions predicted by me some years -ago to 

 prevail, that there is no end to this stupid way of doing things, and it 

 gets one nowhere. 



In the matter of names Rydberg is very sloppy, not hesitating to 

 change names that never have been printed as he gives them. Such as 

 Fremontii. Watsonii, nearly always putting two i-s where there never was 

 but one, and yet all the time quibbling over trifles. Then his Latin at 

 times is atrocious. For example, he makes my specimens of Draba gla- 

 cialis from Alta, Utah, the t>'pe of his Draba uncinalis, evidentlv not 



term. He must 'have Intended 



name 



i'^-^h high, but uncinalis is not the term for that, uncinalis means belong- 

 in? to a hook, if such a term ever was coined, which is doubtful. But 

 uncialis is the proper term for inch-like. Then in quoting names Tiis 

 botanical inspiration slips a cos: very often, in such cases as Draba ven- 

 tosa Gray (Rydberg FL Ry. Mts. 351 and 354), where he calls It D 

 ventrosa. Draba ventosa means the Draba of the wMnds, ventus,-ventosus' 

 not ventrosus, of the belly, or anus. When people get their botanical 

 inspirations from other sources than hard work, as the Brittonians alwavs 

 CO, they should see that the Almighty vvl^o -tends to -the 'i^^RnTrafional 



