i55 



SOME DIFFICULTIES OF AN AMATEUR. 



{Continued.) 



Another subject that was forcibly brought back to one's 

 mind while reading Dr. Stansfield's article, is the utter 

 chaos existing in the nomenclature of Ferns. He com- 

 mences his article by stating that Lastrea dilatata is " part 

 of the Polystichum cristatum of Linnaeus, the Poly podium 

 dilatatum of Hoffmann, the Poly podium multiflovum of Roth, 

 and the Dryopteris aristata of the most modern school of 

 botanists." 



When on earth are we going to get any uniformity in 

 naming our plants ? One knows, of course, that many of 

 the older names have been permanently deleted, but even 

 in the enlightened year of 1916 botanical authorities still 

 continue to call the same plant by different names. Pre- 

 cedence — is it or is it not to be considered ? Or is there 

 any real difficulty now in deciding which was the original 

 name given to any particular plant ? Kew, I believe, still 

 calls the Male Fern Nephrodium filix mas, but the Americans 

 prefer Dryopteris filix ntas, while I suppose most members 

 of the British Pteridological Society still choose to call it 

 Lastrea filix mas. Is one to suppose that it is a matter of 

 no great importance, or does each think the name he uses 

 is the correct one? Was the Vienna Congress a repre- 

 sentative and an authoritative one ? If so, why is it not 

 accepted everywhere ? A difference in nomenclature, such 

 as is found in the examples Blechnum spicant and Lomaria 

 spicant, is difficult enough to explain away — it is, I believe, 

 one of Mr. Druery's pet troubles — but there seems to be 

 less excuse for calling the same plant a Lastrea, a Nephro- 

 dium, an Aspidium and a Dryopteris, when no doubt is 

 entertained as to which genus the plant really does belong. 



My small library of Fern books was again referred to, 

 with considerable interest. The generic names, Pteris, 



