ON A NEW ACROSTICHUM FROM TRINIDAD. 371 



But when a species is removed from its original genus and placed 

 in another, I feel bound to follow the plan adopted by most 

 botanists until very recently, of giving as the authority for the bi- 

 nomial name the author who placed it in its new and apparently 

 more correct genus. I admit that this causes some trouble, and 

 perhaps injustice, as the original author would probably be over- 

 looked by many modern users of the name. But this trouble 

 seems to me far less than that caused by the plan advocated by Mr. 

 Britton and others. Personally, in the few cases in which I have 

 had to place my own name after the new combination I have done 

 it much against my will. I would far rather have seen that of the 

 original describer of the species in that place ; but I do not see 

 how it could be done without causing unnecessary and most 

 undesirable confusion in the nomenclature. I have always thought 

 that botanists have acted wisely in not adopting the " Strick- 

 landian " zoological plan. But I do not wish to prolong this 

 discussion, and only hope that new ideas may not be introduced 

 which will, I think, cause trouble without any adequate advantage. 



ON A NEW ACROSTICHUM FEOM TBINIDAD. 



By J. G. Baker, F.R.S. 



Amongst the ferns of the Trinidad herbarium lately sent home 

 for comparison by Mr. Hart, is the following new species :— 



105. Acrostichum (Gymnopteris) Hartii Baker, n. sp. — 

 Rhizome wide-creeping ; basal palere lanceolate, membranous, pale 

 brown. Stipe of the barren frond above a foot long, naked, pale 

 brown, deeply channelled down the face. Sterile lannna oblong- 

 lanceolate, simply pinnate, lfr-2 ft. or more long, moderately firm 

 in texture, glabrous and entirely free from scales. Pinme sessile, 

 lanceolate, 4-6 in. long, l*-2 in. broad, narrowed gradually to the 

 tip, entire or shallowly lobed. Veins in pinnate groups as in 

 FAinephrodium, with 4-5 simple ascending veinlets on each side, tiie 

 lower usually, but not always, anastomosing, fertile Irond di- 

 pinnate, distinct, or in one specimen there are several fertile pinna 

 at the top of a sterile frond, as in Photinoptem ; fertile final 

 segments torulose, at most %-h in- lon g- 



Hab. Trinidad, Ghmrnmm* htfariwi 228 1 



Allied to A. mberectum Baker in Hook. Ic. \-J™*> A ' W 

 landifolium, tab. 1691 ; and A. polybotryoides, tab. lbJO. 



2 b 2 



