AMERICAN MIDLAND NATURALIST. 195 
Banister’s Catalogue of Virginia Plants. 
Jacques Philippe Cornut’s Historia Plantarum Canadensium, 
published in Paris in 1635, is undoubtedly one of the earliest records 
of North American plants. This work contains descriptions and 
illustrations of many species, the geographical range of which in- 
clude not only New France, but also New England and the territory 
southward to Virginia, and the Carolinas. We could mention 
several species which are common or at least not rare within the 
borders of Maryland and Virginia, but will content ourselves with 
two striking examples, namely: ''Filix baccifera’ (= Cystopteris 
bulbifera L.) d the strikingly beautiful ‘‘Adiantum america- 
num” (=Adiantum pedatum L.) the latter being one of our char- 
acteristic ferns of low, deciduous woods. 
l n 1640, Parkinson published his Theatrum Botanicum, where- 
in he records many plants from Virginia. We may cite again 
Adianthum fruticosum americanum. The weird, but beautifu 
Juniperus virginiana, the characteristic ornament of the lower 
Potomac region and elsewhere is mentioned in this work. Virginian 
plants are mentioned in many other works, but the earliest 7s 
of plants from our region is contained in Ray's Historia Plantarum 
(vol. 2; pp. 1926-1928, 1688). This list is known as Banister’s 
Catalogue and is of special interest to those who devote themselves 
to the Botany of the middle Atlantic States. 
Of Banister we know very little except that he lived and 
labored in Virginia. Ray pays him a tribute in his Historia 
Plantarum (vol 3; IV, 1704); "D. Joannes Banister primi sub- 
selii Botanicus, Vir magni nominis $ famae, quem Historiae 
hujus initio laudavimus. Virginiae ubi per plures annos sedem 
fixit, plantas mira industria indagavit & descripsit, rarioresque 
propria manu ad vivum delineavit; infelici tandem & deplorando 
casu antequam Historiam Naturalem istius provinciae, quam 
prae manibus habuit, perfecerat, dum rupes incautius scanderet, 
rebus humanis exemptus est." 
A brief sketch of Banister's life was given also by Pulteney 
(Hist. & Biogr. Sketch 2:55-57, 1790). is 
In examining the catalogue anyone who is somewhat familiar 
with the plants of our region would at once recognize man 
the species. The task of identifying a number of them, however, 
