PR | Oe Oe» Ree eg oe ne 
Reet. cee NS 
1898 | BRIEFER ARTICLES SE 
the younger Bauhin, who named them “ Gramen dactylon folio latiore”’ 
(Panicum), and “ Gr. dactylon fol. arundinaceo” (Cynodon). 
By bringing all these statements together, drawn up from the various 
writers as far back as we have been able to trace our Panicum and Cyn- 
odon, it does not appear that Capriola was ever intended for Cynodon 
alone, but rather for Panicum sanguinale. ‘The constant quotation of 
Capriola and Sanguinaria together seems to indicate that these were 
merely synonyms and popular names used in Italy. There are only 
two instances where we have found these names used for plants out- 
side of the Graminez, but this is of little importance. Dodoens also 
used “Sanguinaria”’ for a plant which is readily recognized as Poly- 
gonum aviculare ; and Tabernzemontanus in the beginning of the seven- 
teenth century enumerated both Capriola and Sanguinaria as species of 
his genus Coronopus, which are easily identified as Plantago Corono- 
pus and maritima. All the other writers have agreed that both Capriola 
and Sanguinaria are grasses, and Adanson is correct in applying 
Capriola to a grass. But this author does not seem to have had any 
reason for assigning the name Gramen dactylon, this name being yet 
too obscure. 
If in spite of its uncertainty Adanson’s name Capriola is to stand 
for the mere sake of priority, the question remains whether it is really 
identical with Cynodon or with Panicum sanguinale. The diagnosis 
given by Adanson for Capriola is not so characteristic that one can 
recognize in this the genus Cynodon of Richard. ‘Couronne de la 
gaine des feuilles: poils; fleurs: épis digités; calice: plat par les 
cdtés ; corolle; sans aréte,”’ are characters that may just as well fit 
Panicum sanguinale. We have examined numerous specimens of this 
last and noticed that the ligule is often wanting and replaced by a 
small tuft of hairs, while the same organ in Cynodon is sometimes 
developed as a crescent shaped membrane. Furthermore, the empty 
glumes are also laterally compressed in Panicum sanguinale, and no 
awn is developed. Indeed, it seems as if Capriola has become more 
obscure through having been restored by Adanson than it was before. 
The adopting of Capriola must consequently result in confusion, which 
Would easily be avoided by preserving Richard’s well defined genus 
Cy nodon, which no botanist could ever mistake for Panicum sanguinale. 
The fact that Gramen dactylon is a very obscure name, that Capriola 
of the old writers has been used for Panicum or for this and Cynodon 
together, and that Adanson’s restored genus is not so certain, does not 
