STUDIES IN THE COMPOSITÆ. 283 
tive flora based on type-specimens. The ability to identify 
his species is the ability to succeed in critical and often diffi- 
cult bibliographie research. 
In the case before us, there is nothing in what Prof. 
Robinson denominates *Linnsus' uncompiled portions of 
his description,” and again, “his own technical descrip- 
tion” to indicate anything more than some Antennaria with 
large ovate radical leaves. It applies equally to any one of a 
half-dozen species now recognized. His first-cited synonym, 
that of Gronovius, assures of the intended inclusion, on the 
part of Linnzeus, of both the White Plantain, which we 
may agree to have been A. decipiens, and also another with 
foliage tomentose only underneath; this, from its capitate- 
clustered heads, to have been A. arnoglossa, or as including 
also, though doubtless unconsciously and by accident, A. 
solitaria. 
And so there are reasons for assuming A. arnoglossa to be 
entitled to the name A. plantaginifolia, though perhaps 
rather more cogent reasons for applying it to either 4. de- 
cipiens or A. fallax. Still, every one of those applications 
of that name will be hypothetical. And I, for my part 
should be willing to retain the name A. plantaginifolia as 
applied to A. decipiens if only Plukenet, the real author of 
the specific name, were to be credited with it. But the specific 
name as applied by Linneus, we all agree, covers a mixture. 
Let me, in conclusion say, that I have given the names 
arnoglossa, decipiens and fallax, with the distinct purpose of 
hereafter giving recognition to the name plantiginifolia 
only in synonymy. It is a kind of procedure which has 
been approved in many another case by the best of botan- 
ists, when dealing with such Linnean aggregates as, like 
this, furnish no segregate which can be called typical 
except hypothetically. 
