375 



On some Plants^ mostly undescribed, in the H, C. Botanic 

 Gardens t Calcutta. By W. Griffith, Esq., F. L. S., 

 Memb, Acad. Nat. Curios. ^ Royal Ratisb. Bot. Soc, 

 Assist. Surg. Madras Establishment.* 



APORUM. Blume. 

 Fam. Nat. Orchidece. — Sect. Malaxidece. 

 A. micranthum. (n. sp.) foliis scalpelliformibus acutis, flori- 

 bus solitariis terminalibus, sepalis lateralibus reflexo-revo- 

 lutis, petalis anguste-linearibus, labello porrecto trilobo 

 intus processu carnoso truncate aucto, lobo central! erecto 

 bilobo lobis crenulatis. 

 Hab. — Insula Penang. 



Descr. — Planta rubro tincta. Caules spithamaei, aggregati. 

 Folia subuncialia, fere verticalia. Flores minuti, inconspi- 

 cui, viridescenti-albidi, postici. Pedicelli solitarii, e paleis 

 erumpentes, longiusculi. Sepala oblonga, subacuta. Petala 



* Acting on the law established in Zoology, on the authority of the 

 Committee of the British Association, (herewith quoted,) and which is 

 applicable with equal correctness to the sister science, I have passed 

 over the MS. names the plants, now for the first time described, bear 

 in these Gardens, because they do not appear to have been established 

 on descriptions, much less on definition. 



" Names not clearly defined may he changed. — Unless a species or group 

 is intelligibly defined when the name i| given, it cannot be recognized 

 by others, and the signification of the name is consequently lost. Two 

 things are necessary before a zoological term can acquire any authority ; 

 viz. definition and publication. Definition properly implies a distinct 

 exposition of essential characters, and in all cases we conceive this to 

 be indispensable, although some authors maintain that a mere enumer- 

 ation of the component species, or even of a single type, is sufficient to 

 authenticate a genus. To constitute publication, nothing short of the 

 insertion of the above particulars in a printed book can be held sufficient." 

 And with regard to MS. names, it is distinctly stated, that they " are 

 in all cases liable to create confusion, and it is therefore much to be de- 

 sired that the practice of using them should be avoided in future." — Re- 

 port, 1842. On Zoological Nomenclature, p. 9. 



