122 GEORGE LAWSON 



in Gremn-a riantanim. In theSystcma (1821), A. P. DoCandoUe set aside CyawMS, becavise 

 Latreille had oeeupied that name lor a genus of Crustaceans, and adopted Jussieu's 

 JVelumhium, which has been in general use since then, until Bâillon again revived Nelumbu, 

 (1872), which was enforced by Greene, and acquiesced in by Asa Gray. 



Genus VIL— BRASENIA, Schreber. 

 " Schreb. Gen. TL, 312." (1789.) Benth. & Hook., Gen. PL, p. 46. 



Brasenia peltata, Pmsh, Fl. Am. Sept., p. 380. • Wats , Bibl., Index, p. 36. 



1784. Menyanthes nymphoides, ïhunb., Fl. Jap., p, 82. 



M. peltata, Thuub., " Act. Upsalensis, VII, p. 142, t. 14, f. 2." 

 1803. Hydropeltis purpurea, Michaux, Fl. B.-A., p. 323, t. 29. 

 1805. H. pidla, Salisb., Ann, Bot., II, p. 74. 



1818. Brasenia Hydropeltis, Muhlenberg, Cat., 55. 

 1814. B. peltata, Pursh, Fl. Am. Sept., p. 389. 



1819. Villarsia peltata, Eœm. et. Schultes, Syst., IV, p. 178. 

 1821. Hydropeltis purpurea, DC, Syst., II, p. 37. 



1845. Limnanthemum peltatum, Griesb., DC. Prod., IX, p. 141. 

 Brasenia nymphoides, " Bâillon, Hist. PL, III, p. 82." 



This exceptionally cirrious plant, was first found in " LTpi:>er CKinada " by F. Masson 

 at the beginning of the century, but is now know to be widely distributed in our 

 Canadian waters, and throughout those of North America generally, as well as in 

 Eastern Asia and Australia. It has had a chequered literary career. The first term 

 applied to it was not an inappropriate beginning : Anonyma of Plukenet's Almagestum, 

 (DC, Syst.) In Flora .Taponica, Thunberg named it by mistake Menyanthes nymphoides, 

 supposing it to be the plant so named in the Species Plautarum, which, is now known 

 as Limnanthemum peltatum, S. P. Gmelin, belongs to the Gentianaceœ, and is not an 

 American plant. In Nova Acta Upsalensis, Thunberg gave it another specific name, 

 peltata, but still kept it in the same genus. Michaux (1803) described and figured it 

 as Hydropeltis purpurea. Salisbury (1805) retained the generic name of Michaux, but, 

 as was his wont, chajiged the specific term, calling the plant H. jmlla. Muhlenberg 

 (1813) adopted the generic name of Schreber, and used Michaux's generic as a specific 

 term. The plant thus became Brasenia Hydropeltis. Pursh (1814) followed Schreber and 

 Muhlenberg in the generic term, and brought back one of Thunberg's specific names, 

 calling it C. peltata. Rœmer & Schultes (1819) returned it, probably in course of literary 

 editing, and not from examination of the plant, to the Geutianaceous genus, naming it 

 Villarsia peltata, (the plant with which Thunberg first confounded it having meantime 

 become Villarsia nymphoides). DeCandolle (1821) restored the name of Michaux, Hydrojieltis 

 purpurea. Grisebach (1845), in DeCandolle's Prodromus, inserts, among his " species 

 minus uotne," Limnanthemum peltatum, — " in Japoniâ," giving as synonyms Meny. peltata et 

 nymphœoides, Thunb. Finally, Bâillon (Hist. PI., Ill, p. 82), adopts the first mistaken 



