n 



THE FERN BULLETIN 



is literally translated fern and was often used for ferns 

 in general. We see a similar use of it in the words 

 hlicales and filices, and yet the name changers solemnly 

 ask us to believe that Filix is the proper name for the 

 bladder ferns. How do these nomenclature tinkers 

 keep their countenances when two of them happen to 

 meet? As to the revived use of Filix as a genus, it is 

 reported that Adanson, who made this a genus, has 

 very doubtfully connected the bladder ferns with it. 



A side light on the battle that once raged about the 

 name of the wood ferns, is given by absolute priority in 

 which it is seen that Aspidium is a synonym for the 

 garden plant now known as Alyssum, that Dryopteris 

 is synonymous with a form of Asplenia /// and that 

 Thelypteris recently applied to this group was origin- 

 ally applies to the brackens. This leaves only Nc- 

 phrodium and Lastrea to choose from. By sticking to 

 Ncphodium for fifteen years, despite the suggested 

 changes, we now find ourselves in the fashion again. 



By a series of changes several of our small spleen- 

 worts find themselves in the genus Trichomancs of 

 Dioscorides. Even the silvery spleenwort is included. 

 By a similar shift the common maidenhair is Adian- 

 tutn Americanum Cornuti. Adiantum and Ptcris, by 

 the way, are both credited to Theocritus who flourished 

 about the beginning of the Christian area. This is real 

 priority. The failure of the ancients to invent an al- 

 phabet earlier is probably all that saves us from a still 

 weightier dose of "priority." But stay, the Chinese 

 had a system of writing much earlier than this and now 

 that that government has gnne republican we may hope 

 in time to follow "priority" back a few aeons more. It 

 would never do to stop at Dioscorides when by so do- 



