76 



cilled after his new species " = this or that species " and a lot of 

 them have been redescribed as new, when the plant actually came 

 to hand. Is it any wonder that Christensen has over 22,000 

 names for a little less than 6,000 plants ? The practical lesson 

 of the story is : 



1. Make a study of geographic distribution in its relation to 

 specific limitations.* 



2. Consider type locality as a fundamental part of a plant de- 

 scription. It is the lack of this element that makes Christensen's 

 Index ]us^ short of the ideal. 



3. Beware of any species with a wide range as recorded in 

 Synopsis Filiann or that has an extended synonymy t either there 

 or in Species Filicnin ; there are few species of world-wide distri- 

 bution and there will be sure to be something wrong with whole- 

 sale slaughter ; these are danger marks not to be disregarded. 



4. Synonyms and homonyms are still important factors in tax- 

 onomy. 



We commend the above suggestions to the prayerful atten- 

 tion of European fern students. 



A HYBRID LESPEDEZA 



By Kknneth K. Mackenzif: 



Ten years ago, while on a botanical trip in southern Missouri, I 

 ran across a procumbent Lespedcza with yellowish flowers. The 

 plant was rare and was referred to Lespedcza Jiirta (L.) Ell., with 

 many misgivings. Later, in an article on the Lepedezas of Mis- 



* Scores of plants from America have been referred to species originally described 

 from Mauritius. Such a conception of geographic distribution is absurd on the face 

 of it, and every new examination of types from the two countries only serves to confirm 

 their distinctness. One great desideratum of American fern students to-day is authen- 

 tic material from Mauritius to enable us to straighten out the Hookerian muddles of 

 just this sort. 



f In the present case the citation of Rrackenridge was more simple at Kew than it 

 would be in New York, since Kew is one of the fortunate institutions that possesses 

 a copy of the rare work of Brackenridge on the Ferns of Wilkes' Exploring Expedi- 

 tion. Here at New York we have to consult the nearest copy at New Haven, or else 

 as in the present instance trouble Yale's obliging professor of botany. Dr. A. W. 

 Evans, whose kindness in furnishing quotations I most thankfully acknowledge. 



