The Genus Aetopteron, Ehrhart 
HOMER D. HOUSE 
The genus Aetopteron forms No. 78 in Ehrhart’s list 
of new genera. The type is clearly indicated to be Poly- 
podium aculeatum L. No generic description is given, 
but the intent of the author is quite clear. Exactly par- 
allel cases are to be found in some of the generally ac- 
cepted genera published by Rafinesque (viz: Spathy- 
ema, Achroanthes, Triadenum, Scoria (Hicoria), Ad- 
lumia, ete.), which are published in the same way, with- 
out generic description, but merely by the indication of 
the type species. 
The name Aetopteron, if adopted, and I believe that 
it is adequately published and should be adopted, ante- 
dates Polystichum Roth (in Roemer’s Arch. Bot. 2: 106. 
1799) by several years. The species of the United States 
thus affected are as follows: 
AETOPTERON Ehrh. Beitr. 4: 148. 1789. 
Aetopteron aculeatum (L.) comb. nov. (Polypodium 
aculeatum L. Sp. Pl. 1090. 1753. Polystchum, Roth. 
Dryopteris, Kuntze). 
Aetopteron acrostichoides (Michx.) comb. nov. (Neph- 
rodium acrostichodes Michx. Fl. Bor. Am. 2: 207. 
1803. Polystichum, Schott.) 
Aetopteron braunii (Spenner) comb. nov. (Aspidium. 
braunii Spenner. Fl. Frib. 1: 9. 1825. Polystichum, 
Fée). j 
Aetopteron californicum (D. C. Eaton) comb. nov. 
(Aspidium californicum D. C. Eaton, Proc. Amer. 
Acad. 6: 555. 1865. Polystichum, Underw.). 
Aetopteron lemmoni (Underw.) comb. nov. (Polysti- 
chum lemmon. Underw. Our Native Ferns, ed. 6, 116. 
1900). 
Aetopteron lonchitis (L.) comb. nov. (Polypodium. 
lonchitis L. Sp. Pl. 1088. 1753. Polystichum, Roth). 
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