88 NAMES OF PLANTS. 



which have been separated as species, P. veris, P. vulgaris, 

 and P. elatior. Again some would divide Viola canina into 

 V. sjdvatica, V. flavicornis, V. lactea, &c., while others 

 would write under V. canina: — These forms have been dis- 

 tinguished, a. sylvatica, h. flavicornis, c. lactea. These two 

 schools have been jocularly called "lumpers" and 

 " splitters " respectively. In most cases it has to be con- 

 ceded to the painstaking " splitter" that he has distinguished 

 what to all appearance are permanently distinct forms, 

 though many distinguished theorists do not believe there is 

 such a thing as a permanently distinct form in all creation. 

 Without reference to these difi'erences of opinion there 

 remains the question whether it is expedient to multiply 

 species beyond certain limits. If the same plan were 

 adopted throughout the vegetable kingdom that has been 

 worked out, or is still progressing, with the British Flora, 

 in the course of a few hundred years — probably much 

 sooner — Botany would become a mere ocean of words, and 

 we should relapse into that chaos from which Linneus 

 rescued us. 



It frequently hai)pens that on labels in gardens, conser- 

 vatories, &c., the word variety is omitted for convenience, 

 but this need not mislead ; thus w^e may see in a fern-house, 

 Gymnogramma peruviana argyrophylla, where the last word 

 is not a part of the name or of much botanical importance. 

 The same applies to all cases where we find three names. 



As generic distinctions are more important than specific 

 ones, because they include the latter, so a generic name is 

 considered more important than a specific one. We have 

 seen from his canons how careful Linneus was to preserve 

 old generic names, so far as was practicable. In order to 

 do this to the greatest extent possible, he used an old single 

 name given to the plant, when there was one, as a second or 

 trivial name, where he found it necessary to place a plant 



