No. 475] 



REVISION OF COMPTONIA 



495 



follow, the discussion falling naturally under the respective species. 

 While tlie synonvmy does not pretend to be complete, I have en- 

 deavored to include all references to figured specimens and have 

 been at much pains to verify them in so far as the facilities of the 

 United States Xational Museum and the Xew York Botanical 

 Garden would |)eniiit. 



the author wlio has tlie temerity to iireak away from the traditional 



"done nothing but burden an already overbiinh'tied syiionx my." 

 I have been working on Comptonia for several years and have 

 long hesitated about publishing my results for just this reason 

 until perfectly convinced that it was entirely impossible to get any 

 idea of the past history of the genus without correlating the various 

 remains, eitlier positively or at least provisionally. To leave them 

 as they were would be about as sensible as it would be to ha\ c 

 species of Comptonia in the existing flora based upon the poHt- 

 ical divisions in which the plants are found and further depend- 

 ent on the slight variations in leaf-form exhibited i)ythe individual 

 plants. A number of doubtful fiinii> -;uch as ('omptonid conf- 

 zeniana Debey, Comptnnia rlnmnis Ma^-^al, CnnipfnnH, Imrll 



Brongn. cited in I'restu ich's aeohH/ij are entirely omitted. 



Comptonia diforme (Sternb.) Berry 



