PSEUDOCOLUS JAVANICUS IN FORMOSA. 



I have recently received from Professor S. Kusano, Japan, a drawing 

 (Fig. 272) of Pseudocolus Javanicus, which he made in February, 1909, in 

 Central Formosa. The drawing is natural size and the 

 color red. It represents a more globose plant than the 

 original photograph from Java, but I think is evidently the 

 same species. 



Pseudocolus Javanicus was originally from Java (as 

 its name implies), but is quite a rare plant there. Dr. 

 Penzig found but a single specimen, and Dr. Bernard has 

 not found it at all. It occurs, however, also in China, at 

 least I believe a specimen from China in alcohol at Paris 

 is this species. It is much broken and was described as a 

 new species of Anthurus. Professor Kusano found only 

 three specimens "on the rotten stems of grass" in the 

 mountainous region of the Central Formosa." _ It is an 

 important addition to our knowledge of the distribution of 

 the phalloids. 



Of course, from a sketch only I can not be positive 

 that this is the same as the Penzig species of Java. I 

 think it is, although a new, globose form. The arms have 

 the same general arrangement. What I presume was an 

 excellent figure of Pseudocolus Javanicus was given by 

 Penzig and was reproduced in our recent "Synopsis of 

 the Phalloids," page 52. I suspect in time it will be found 

 to be the same as Professor Kusano found in Formosa. 

 Nor should I be surprised if it developed in time that Pseudocolus rugulosus 

 is an inaccurate figure of the same species. 



Fig. 272. 



THE TYPE SPECIES. 



I believe it was Mr. Ricker who asked me one day if I believed 

 in the principle of a "type species" for each genus. Yes, I believe 

 in it. I believe it is the greatest scheme for name juggling that was 

 ever invented since the late and lamented Otto Kuntze promulgated 

 his plan. 



It works most admirably. First, you take a large genus like the 

 Desmodium, for instance, and you look up the synonyms in Index 

 Kewensis and find the first generic name that was applied to each 

 species. When you have your dates all hunted up, "restore" the name 

 that bears the earliest date and call that your "type species." Then 

 you change all the others (for the purpose of uniformity, of course), 

 and the more there are the better, for you always add your own name 

 to each, it being incidental, the main object being to produce uni- 

 formity of result and permanency in nomenclature. 



I do not know who invented the "type species" scheme, but 

 who ever he was, he was a genius, and his talents ought to have 

 public recognition. The next Congress of International Name-Jugglers 

 should raise a fund for two pedestals. On one they should put a 

 bust of Otto Kuntze, and on the other of this unknown genius who 

 invented the "type species" idea. 



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