INTRODUCTION. xi 
plants in honor of individuals, which, having nothing Latin about them except the terminal 
form, and the pronunciation given to them by botanical authors being diverse, are here ac- 
cented like the names of the persons, so far as euphony will permit. This rule is followed 
because it is believed to agree with the prevailing usage among botanists in ordinary speech; 
because it is in accord with the commemorative object of such names, which ought not to be 
obscured by a forced and unnatural pronunciation; and because the test applied to words 
properly Latin, viz., the usage of the Latin poets, cannot be applied to words of this class. 
We therefore give Térreyi, Vaseyi, Careyi, Jamesii, Alleni, rather than Torréyi, Vaséyi, 
Caréyi, Jamésii, Alléni. 
The acute accent is used to denote the short English sound only; as in bat, bét, bid, nét, 
ntit; the grave accent, to denote either of the other English sounds, whether long, broad or 
open; as a@ in bale, ball, bar, bare, laud; ein éye, thére; z in pine, pique, machine; o in note, 
move; “in pire, ride. The accent for the short or longer English sound is based upon cur- 
rent English usage, as given in the chief English dictionaries from Walker’s to the most re- 
cent, and without reference to the supposed ancient pronunciation. 
Much diversity has been found in botanical works in the accented syllable of many mod- 
ern Latin adjectives ending in -inus, -ina, -inum, derived from Latin words. As these 
adjectives are derived from Latin roots and are regularly formed, their pronunciation should 
properly follow classical analogies. When signifying, or referring to, time, material, or in- 
animate substances, they should, therefore, according to Andrews & Stoddard’s rule, have the 
penult usually short, and the accent on the antepenult; as in gossipina, canndbina, secdlina, 
salicina, amygddlina, and other adjectives derived from plant names, like the classic nard- 
inus, cyprinus, fA4ginus. When these adjectives have other significations than those above 
referred to, the penult under the ordinary Latin rule is usually long and accented; as in 
lupulina, leporina, hystricina, like the classic ursina, canina. 
The Use of Capital Letters. 
In accordance with the recommendations of the Committee on Nomenclature of the 
Botanical Clnb of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, specific or var- 
ietal names derived from persons or places, or used as the genitive of generic names or as 
substantives, are printed with an initial capital letter. There is much difference of opinion 
as to the desirability of this practice, many botanists, and almost all zodlogists, following 
the principle of writing all specific names with a small initial letter. Should this custom pre- 
vail, much information concerning the history and significance of the specific names would 
be lost. Thus in the Tulip-tree, Liviodendron Tulipifera, the specific name 7udlipifera was 
the ancient generic name; and the same with Lythrum Salicaria, L. Hyssopifolia, L. Vul- 
neraria, and many other species. In all other forms of writing, personal adjectives such as 
Nuttallii, Engelmanni or Torreyi are printed with capitals. We adhere to the ordinary 
literary usage. 
Varieties 
are printed as trinomials, e. g., Rynchospora glomerata paniculata, the contraction var. or 
the Greek letters a@ or 3 commonly inserted between the specific and varietal name being 
dispensed with. The comma sometimes placed between the specific or varietal name and 
the name of the author is omitted, in accordance with the opinions of the same committee. 
Assistance. . 
Cordial acknowledgment for assistance and advice is hereby tendered to Professor Thomas 
C. Porter, who has continuously, from the inception of the enterprise, codperated in its exe- 
cution by suggestion, information and the contribution of specimens, and who has read all 
the proofs; to Mr. Eugene P. Bicknell, who has supplied many specimens and read the proof- 
sheets; to Professor Lucien M. Underwood, for the text of the Pteridophyta; to Mr. Frederick 
V. Coville, for the text of the Juncaceae; to Dr. John K. Small, for the text of Polygonaceae 
and Euphorbiaceae, and for assistance and critical notes on many other families; to Mr. Geo. 
V. Nash, for the text of the Gramineae; to Professor F. Lamson-Scribner, for supervising the 
drawings of Gramineae, and for manuscript notes on many genera and species of that family; 
to Mr. Arthur Hollick, for supervision of the drawings; to Mr. Edmund P. Sheldon, 
for the text of Lemnaceae; to Mr. Charles E. Smith, for critical examination of the final 
proof-sheets, and to many others who by the contribution of specimens or notes have facili- 
tated the production of the work. 
