LANDMARKS OF BOTANICAL HISTORY — GREENE 121 



be shown by examples. In giving these it seems advisable to 

 present the Theophrastan Greek names in Roman type. 



Theophrastan Modern 



Clethra Alnus oblongata. 



Melampyron Melampyrum arvense. 



Dolichos Phaseolus vulgaris. 



Ostrya Ostrya vulgaris. 



Peuce Pinus picea. 



Peuce Idaia Pinus maritima. 



Peuce conophoros Pinus pinea. 



Peuce paralios Pinus Haleperisis. 



Mespilos Mespilus Cotoneaster. 



Mespilos anthedon Cratasgus tominalis. 



Oxyacantha. . Mespilus Pyracantha. 



Syce Idaia Mespilus Amelanchier. 



Aria Cratasgus Aria. 



Cydonion Pyrus Cydonia. 



Coccymeles Prunus domestica. 



Spodias Prunus institia. 



Cerasos Prunus Cerasus. 



Pados Prunus Padus. 



Oi^ Sorbus domestica. 



The first four names above are those of genera known to Theo- 

 phrastus as consisting each of a single species. It is evident he 

 saw no occasion for any second and qualifying name in any case 

 of that kind. To have given such second names would very 

 certainly have exposed him to the criticism of having abandoned 

 the attitude of the philosopher, the man of literary taste and 

 scientific brevity, and having assumed the role of the pedant. Why 

 do botanists of a recent time invariably append the needless 

 second name to every monotype?/ I ask the question but to em- 

 phasize this point in the history of biologic nomenclature. I recall 

 no instances of the assigning of the useless specific adjective to a 

 generic monotype until well toward the time of Linnaeus; and 

 despite the weight of his authority in favor of it, the nineteenth 

 century was on the dawn when there were no longer eminent 

 botanists standing out against the practice. The assigning a 

 species name in these instances is, of course, previsional. • The 

 monotypic genus may cease to be such; but even then, according ' 

 to Theophrastan usage, the generic name alone might stand as that 

 of the original and typical specific member; but that is too pro- 



