WOODSIA OBTUSA.—COMMON WOODSIA. SI 
Adiantum, Asplenium and FPolypodium. Our plant seems to 
have been known to Sprengel, a voluminous author of the first 
quarter of our century, who probably received his specimen 
from his Pennsylvania correspondent, Muhlenberg, and it is 
referred to by other writers about that period as Polypodium 
obtusum. Swartz, a well-known botanical authority, especially 
on ferns, is usually quoted by moderns for the name, but 
we refer to Sprengel in connection with it as the proper 
authority. As ferns became better understood it was conceded 
not to be a Polypodium, and it was placed as an Asfprdium, a 
genus established by Swartz, under which name it is recorded by 
Muhlenberg in his catalogue issued in 1813. The genus IT0d- 
sia had been established by R. Brown before this, and Polypo- 
dium Lvensts and others placed therein; and it was not until its 
true relations were established by Dr. Torrey, that the name it 
is now known by—/To0dsva obtusa—came into general use. 
The name //oodsia is due to Robert Brown, who by it com- 
memorated his friend Joseph Wood, an English botanist who in 
the earlier part of the present century attained considerable 
celebrity by a monograph of Roses, and who continued to be a 
valuable contributor to botanical science up to the time of his 
death in 1864. The name odéusum is obvious, but why given to 
our species is not so clear. Many of the species with which it 
was then associated in its early history had pinnules which ter- 
minated sharply, and some one of this character nearly allied to 
it might have suggested a comparison with this species which 
had them move obtuse. At any rate the comparison which we 
_have now to make with its present family relations, is unfavora- 
ble to its name, as some of its sister species have blunter leaves. 
However it might have passed as an “obtuse-leaved Lolyfo- 
dium,” it is misleading to call it “obtuse-leaved MWoodsia,” as is 
often the case in botanical works. It is an illustration of the 
trouble that arises from the use of specific names which mean 
something, and is a good point for those who regcrd personal 
names as much more satisfactory. Its old name of “Rock Poly 
