OcTOBER, 1907.] THE ORCHID REVIEW. 318 
flowers. The rare Bulbophyllum Dearei, Miltonia Crashleyana alba, and 
the pretty Lzlio-cattleya Millie (L. Jongeana x L.-c. Ernesti) were also 
included, along with several good Cypripediums, the group gaining a 
Bronze Medal. 
ODONTOGLOSSUM NOBILE AND O. PESCATOREI. 
Ir has long been known that Odontoglossum nobile and O. Pescatorei are 
synonymous, and although the latter name has been generally used in 
gardens, the former has priority by about three years, hence its adoption in 
several recent papers. M. Lucien Linden now writes from Brussels 
objecting to this change, and remarking that the name O. Pescatorei and 
not O. nobile is the one to be adopted. He calls attention to a note given 
in Pescatorea, when the species was figured there (t. 1), pointing out some 
slight mistakes in the original description of O. nobile, and remarking that 
when Dr. Lindley described the species he did not recognise with 
certainty in O. Pescatorei the O. nobile of Reichenbach. “ To-day,” the 
note proceeds, “ the identity of the two plants is given as positive by the 
latter botanist, but with generous abnegation this savant renounces the 
anterior rights of his name nobile by adopting that of Pescatorei, under 
which the plant is exclusively known in collections.” M. L. Linden 
remarks that the same specific name was adopted in describing the sterling 
varieties, Veitchianum, Schroederianum, leucoxanthum, melanocentrum, 
and others, and concludes: ‘“ I think that a name given by Jean Linden, 
and adopted by John Lindley and Reichenbach filius stands in no need of 
revision at the present time.” 
We certainly admit the inconvenience of changing such a long and well- 
established name, but the law of priority, which is responsible for the 
change, was not adopted without good and sufficient reasons. It may 
savour of tyranny not to allow am author to renounce his own name if he 
chooses, but the existing code allows exceptions to the law of priority in 
the case of undoubted error—which does not apply here—and this should 
meet most reasonable objections. The case of O. crispum and O. 
Alexandre is nearly parallel, and strong reasons were once urged OE 
reverting to the older name. O. Kegaljani and O. polyxanthum par 
another example, which has hardly been noticed at present. We scarcely 
think that the objections urged can prevent the adoption of the ma 
O. nobile, though one might almost invoke the aid of the statute o 
limitations. : ; : 
Odontoglossum nobile was described by Reichenbach in 1849 (Linnea, 
XXxli. p. 850), from dried specimens collected in the sciahimaas of shor eee 
by Piack and Schlim, in January, 1847 (No. 1429 of their collection). Hi e 
author made a new section, Heterochilum, for it, and queried whether it 
