060 ON NAMING NEWLY-DISCOVERED PLANTS. 



do. To such persons I would say, first name it after something- 

 remarkable in the plant, as in the radix, caudex, caulis, folium, 

 corolla, or parts in the fructification, &c. This may be easily and 

 significantly done, as there must, in every plant being a separate 

 species, be some natural distinction from the others. In such a case, 

 I think then, as an appendage, name it in honour of or compliment 

 to the person or place desired ; as, for instance, — Ipomsea Horsfallise 

 might properly be denominated Ipomaea speciosa Horsfalliae, which 

 ■would immediately distinguish it from Speciosissimus, if there was 

 one of that name. 



Having used the terms genus, species, and varieties, it is possible 

 that, in the very extensive circulation of the Floricultural Ca- 

 binet, they may come under the notice of some persons unacquainted 

 with their proper application ; for the information of such, I would 

 observe that, by a genus, is meant the family ; by species, the 

 members of that family ; and by varieties, the kinds which are pro- 

 duced from the seed of species, and which are in some respects 

 different by having sported into various stripes, &c, in either flower, 

 leaves, &c, &c. 



I shall refer to the subject again in another communication. 



[We shall be glad of any further observations from our correspon- 

 dent. We think there is a good deal of propriety in the views taken 

 of the method regretted and objected to, and that generally it might 

 be obviated ; whilst at the same time, any desired commemoration of 

 person or place might be attached to a systematic, distinctive, spe- 

 cific name. We do not approve of the application of the term which 

 our correspondent has selected in order to illustrate his views, as the 

 term speciosa, signifying showy, will apply to many of the genus 

 Ipomsea; and unless it did exceed in that particular all others, with 

 the exception of an I. speciosior, or an I. speciosissimus, it would not 

 be properly applied; and a person not knowing it, receiving a plant, 

 unless he well knew all the species in the genus, would be nearly as 

 puzzled as if the name of a person or place had been given to it. 

 Some systematic distinctive difference in the plant should be the dis- 

 tinguishing characteristic to name after. — Conductor.] 



