= ‘ a sive 
eae ine cinta whos 



OPEN LETTER. 
THE NAMES OF OUR FERNS. 
THE deadly parallel has always been a striking method of impressing a 
point. When its bald statements are unqualified it seems to mean more 
than the facts will warrant, and it is expected to kill at long range. Ina 
recent issue of the BOTANICAL GAZETTE, Mr. Fernald has made use of it to 
show the supposed instability of the “ reform movement,” but does not note 
the fact that ten of the fifteen changes of which he accuses me were made 
in accordance with changed conceptions regarding the limitations of genera, 
and consequently have no bearing whatever on the point he is attempting to 
illustrate. His pee iens in other respects is very happily chosen, and its full 
import will become apparent when we add the part he forgot to use. For the 
benefit of the younger seins of botanists who, like Mr. Fernald, might be 
misled to suppose that all the changes of plant names have been proposed by 
the “reform movement,” I will add from the same group the changes of 
trans-Carline origin that have been made in the past generation as follows: 


FERN NAMES USED IN GRAY’S MANUAL, FERN NAMES USED IN GRAY’S MANUAL, 
FIRS ON. 

T EDITION, SIXTH EDITI 
Polypodium Phegopteris L. (2, 3, 4).* Phegopteris polypodioides Fee. 
Polypodium hexagonopterum Michx. (2, Phegopteris hexagonoptera Fee. 
mi 
olypo odiu um Dryopteris L. (2, 3, 4). Phegopteris Dryopteris Fee. 
okie eris Germanica Wil “(2 3,4,5). Onoclea paneer 28 Hoffm. 
Allosorus chlnciatd henge (2, Pellaea gracilis Hook. 
Pteris at An rpur Pellaea _ietion nie Link. 
Scolopen m ofcing (2, 3,4). Scolopendrium vulgare Smith. 
Staite ie tilobula. Hook. Gs 4,5). | Dicksonia pilosiuscula Willd. 
Dryopteris s Thelypte eris [A. Gray]. Aspidium Thelypteris Swartz 
Dryopteria Noveboracensis [x Gray]. Aspidium Noveboracense Swart 
Dryopteris intermedia [A. Gray]. Aspidium spinulosum peeing Dp. C. 
aton. 
Dryopteris dilatata [A. Gray]. —— spinulosum dilatatum D. C. 
Dryopteris rigida [A. Gray]. Asp um Boottit Tuckerm. 
Dryopteris cristata [A. Gray]. spidium cristatum Swartz. 
ryopteris Goldiana [A. Gray | Asbidi Goldian 
Polystichum aculea m Roth. idium aculeatum Braunii nt 
Polyst —~ acrostichoides Schott. Aspidium acrostichoides Swart 
Polystichum Lonchitis Roth. Aspidium Lonchitis Swartz 
pende: spectabils Willd. (2, 3, 4) Osmunda regalis 
Botrychium lu arioides s Swartz (2.3.4, 5). Sot ae oiee terna atum Sw 
ht ium Vir inginium = bg cig a 5). Botrychium Virginianum Genk: 
ditions in which this same form appeared. 
S passed eben the intermediate stage of Allosorus atropurpureus [A, 
Gray] before reaching its final form. 
tia 365 

