—50— 



One of the chief thorns in the young botanist's path to know- 

 ledge at present is the frequent changes in the names of plants. 

 No sooner has he learned a set of perhaps, to him, meaningless 

 scientific names, than he is obliged to supplant them with another 

 lot equally unintelligible. Fortunate is he who can console him- 

 self in the task with the thought that in all this we are approach- 

 ing a more stable nomenclature. Even the plants that have been 

 known and studied for centuries have not escaped the general 

 mutation. Scolopendrium has long been known as S. officina- 

 rum or S. vulgare and was but recently changed to S. Scolopen- 

 drium because of the discovery of an older name. Now the ge- 

 neric name is to have its turn. Prof. Edw. L. Greene finds that 

 it is antedated by Phyllitis of Hill, and our plant accordingly be- 

 comes Phyllitis Scolopendrium. 



* * 

 * 



The communication in this issue from Mr. Geo. E. Daven- 

 port regarding the varieties of Botrychium ternatum empha- 

 sizes the fact that the rank to be given these peculiar forms is 

 still a matter of considerable doubt, and the decidedly different 

 views upon the subject held by twoof our foremost fern-students 

 serve to indicate how far the question is from a satisfactory set- 

 tlement. When such such botanists as Lamarck and Michaux 

 have considered the so-called variety, lunarioides, distinct enough 

 to be entitled to specific rank, we should not be too hasty in ac- 

 cepting Milde's dictum regarding its varietal nature, especially 

 since he certainly had very little material from which to judge of 

 its merits. The only satisfactory way in which the whole question 

 can be disposed of is by the examination of a large amount of 

 material from a r wide range of territory. In this work every 

 reader of the Bulletin can assist by keeping a sharp lookout 

 for all varying forms of Botrychium. A large number have 

 responded to Dr. Underwood's request for specimens in the 

 April Bulletin, and it is hoped that others may do so. All 

 forms of dissectum and lunarioides are especially desired, and 

 may be addressed to the editor of this journal. Rare and peculiar 

 forms will be returned after study, if desired. 



—The October Bulletin will contain a list of those nominated 

 for office in the Chapter for 1898. The nominating committee, 

 which consists of the present officers of the Chapter, will be glad 

 to hear from any member who desires to suggest candidates for 

 office. 



