42 OUR NATIVE FERNS AND THEIR ALLIES. 



the generic name, according to the rules of Latin syntax. Errors 

 in agreement have frequently been made by botanists who were 

 not versed in the classics, and it is unfortunate that errors of 

 this character as well as gross errors in the orthography of gen- 

 eric names have found their way into accepted text-books of 

 botany.* Specific names frequently indicate something regard- 

 ing habit or mode of growth ( bulbifcra, gracilis, atropurpured), 

 or may indicate the locality in which the organism was first dis- 

 covered (Californica, Ilvensis). A few take their name from 

 their discover, in which case the name is Latinized and takes a 

 genitive ending (Boottii, Lemmoni), or else an adjective form 

 {Goldieanum, Clintonianum}. 



111. The advantage of this binary nomenclature is at once 

 evident when we consider the immense number of ferns 

 alone, to say nothing of the remainder of the vegetable world 

 and the hosts of the animal creation. By this means organisms 

 of complex structure can be definitely characterized with com- 

 paratively few words, and the scientific name once established, 

 is recognized among scientists of all nations and languages. 



112. Among some there is a tendency to regard scientific 

 names with disfavor, on the ground that they are long and dif- 

 ficult. But what shall we say of Geranium, or Gladiolus, or 

 Fuchsia, or Phlox Drutnmondii, or a hundred others familiar to 

 every lover of flowers ? Are these less difficult than Aspidium, 

 Nothohcna, Woodsia, or Pellcca Breweri? A little reflection will 

 convince a person of sense that such a criticism is unjust. 



113. A worse tendency is perhaps that which prompts the 

 introduction of " popular names" for ferns : occasionally a name 

 of this kind is highly appropriate, and deserves wide-spread 

 adoption, as in the case of " Christmas-fern" for Aspidium 

 acrostichoidcs, suggested by Mr. Robinson; the greater part, 

 however, have no merit, and when such monstrosities appear 

 as " Leather-leaf Polypody" for Polypodium Scoulert, " Mr. 

 Goldie's Shield-fern" for Aspidium Goldieanum, nomenclature 

 is made cumbrous instead of simple. 



1 1 4. There are liabilities to error and confusion even in 

 the Linnaean system of nomenclature, as various authors have 



* Cistopteris for Cystopteris is an example. 



