December 12, 1908 | 85 
THE GENERIC NAME CENTAURIUM 
By A. A. HELLER 
In Cont. U. S. Nat. Herb. 11: 449 (Flora of the State of 
Washington), the familiar name Evythraea gives place to “Cen- 
taurion,” but there is no hint as to where the name was pub- 
lished. Upon looking up the matter in Genera Siphonogamarum 
by Torre and Harms, I found that Ceztaurium Gilib. Fl. Lith. 
1: 35. 1781, was the only reference given that could apply. 
The Index Kewensis also gives the same. The recently issued 
Gray’s Manual has it Cenxtaurium Hill. This difference in 
spelling and citation of authorities for the generic name caused 
me to decide to get at the bottom of the matter. Dr. B. L. 
Robinson, of the Gray Herbarium, to whom I wrote concerning 
the matter, replied as follows: 
“T have had our librarian, Miss Day, look up the biblio- 
graphical points about which you inquire, and her memorandum 
reads as follows: 
Centaurium Hill, British Herbal, 62 (1756). 
Centaurion Adans. Fam. ii. 502 (1763).” 
The reference to Gilib. is therefore of no importance what- 
ever, and can with propriety be dropped, as it is simply a repe- 
tition of the use of Hill’s name. Although several later names 
are given in synonymy, the ones with which we are chiefly con- 
cerned are the following: 
Centaurium Hill, British Herbal 62. 1756. 
Centaurion Adans. Fain. 2: 502. 1763. 
Erythraea Neck. Elem. 2: 10. 1790. 
Again there is an error in the Index Kewensis, for Necker 
is not credited with the name Zrythraea, but it is assigned to 
“Renealm. ex Borck. in Roem. Arch. i. 1. (1796) 28.”? Dr. Brit- 
ton, in the Illustrated Flora, credits the name to Necker and is 
no Aeabt correct. Post and Kuntze in their Lexicon Generum 
Phanerogamarum also cite Necker as the author. 
Although there are a number of species that as yet have not 
been transferred, I shall refer to two only which have come un- 
der my observation. 
