BRIEFER ARTICLES 
THE TYPE SPECIES OF DANTHONIA 
In a recent paper’ by NELSON and MacsriDE the generic name 
Pentameris Beauv. has been taken up for Danthonia, and our American 
species have been transferred with the corresponding new combinations. 
A quotation from this article explains the authors’ reasons for these 
changes. 
As shown by Piper in his “Flora of Washington” (Contrib. Nat. Herb. 
11:122), the name Danthonia is not available for the American species that 
have passed under that name. In choosing among the several later names 
that have been proposed, he selects Merathrepta Raf. in Seringe, Bull. Bot. 1: 
221. 1830, apparently because the type species of the genus was M. spicata, 
an American species closely congeneric with ours. But will this fact permit” 
our ignoring Pentameris Beauv. Agrost. 92. ¢. 18. 1812, the type species of 
which is accepted as a Danthonia, as that genus has until lately been under- 
stood ? 
I think the authors are justified in taking up Pentameris Beauv. in 
place of Merathrepta Raf., but I do not agree with them nor with PIPER 
in rejecting Danthonia, and I take this opportunity of recording my 
reasons for retaining the latter name. NELSON and MACBRIDE appat- 
- ently have not investigated on its merits the validity of Danthonia for | 
our species, because they say “as shown by Prrer.” In the article 
cited, Pirer merely states: “The type of Danthonia DC. is Festuca 
decumbens L. (Triodia decumbens R. Br.), and the name cannot there- 
fore be used in the current sense. Merathrepta has for its type M. spicata 
(L.) Raf. (Avena spicata L.).” With this statement I do not agree, and 
I will give my reasons. I believe that stability in botanical nomencla- 
ture is greatly aided by the adoption of the type method; that is, ~~ 
for nomenclatorial purposes a genus shall be based upon a type — 
and a species upon a type specimen. The selection of the type species 
of a genus fixes the application of the generic name to the group contai- 
ing the type species. It is easy to determine the type species if the genus 
is monotypic or if the author has indicated the type. In other cases 
* Western plant studies II. Bor. Gaz. 56:469. 1913. 
Botanical Gazette, vol. 57] : [328 
