197 



is not even a Pteris, but a straight synonym of Trisnieria tvifoliata 

 of the American tropics. Linnaeus' son described Pteris serrtdata 

 as from Jamaica and cites Sloane //. -IS- f- ^ ^'"''^ Plumier //. 1^4, 

 the identical illustrations cited by his father in describing Acros- 

 tichum trifoliatum {Gymnogranime trifoliata Desv., Trisnieria 

 trifoliata Diels) twenty-eight years earlier. 



Pteris vmltifida was published with a short Latin diagnosis 

 followed by an ample comparative description in French, which 

 ends with the following statement : " Cette plante est cultivee au 

 Jardin du Museum d'histoire naturelle de Paris. Son lieu natal 

 ne m'est pas connu." The type locality of this species, therefore, 

 remains unknown, and its long period of existence in cultivation, 

 coupled with its ready propagation by spores, renders its original 

 habitat somewhat difficult to prove. Its native country is usually 

 supposed to be China and Japan. It is an escape from cultiva- 

 tion in several of our southern States, in Jamaica and Guade- 

 loupe, and is likely to be found in any of the warm-temperate or 

 tropical countries, where it is frequently cultivated. 



Pellaea mucronata D. C. Eaton 

 This name must replace Pellaea Wrightiana Hook. The con- 

 tinued use of the latter name is due to a curious oversight of the 

 application of the so-called " Kew rule." The plant was origin- 

 ally described as Allosorus umcronatus D. C. Eaton (18 56). When 

 Hooker took up Link's genus Pellaea in Species Filicum (1858) he 

 followed a common practice of his day and renamed the species 

 Pellaea Wrightiajia, thus making his own name the " first name 

 under the genus." Eaton did not transfer his own name vin- 

 cronata until a year later (1859) ^^"^ his earlier publication was 

 not unnaturally overlooked. The abolition of the Kew Rule by 

 the Vienna Congress will render this change equally binding on 

 those who recognize its authority. Under the American code it 

 is a simple matter of justice and it becomes a pleasure to restore 

 one of Professor Eaton's names. 



Pellaea scabra C. Chr. Ind. Fil. 483. 1906 

 Cheilanthus aspera Hook. 1858 (not C. aspera Kaulf. 183 i). 

 Pellaea aspera Baker, Syn. Fil. 148. 1867, 



