DIVISIONS, GROUPS, AND SECTIONS. 
13 
Aspidium 
Division A. Ch 
Group 1 ( 
Section a ramosum. 
,, /3 grandiceps. 
,, 7 cristatum. 
angulare. 
anges in skeleton, 
branched). 
Section S polydactylum. 
,, e brachiatum. 
,, f cruciatum. 
Group 2 (dwarfed). 
Section a congestum. 
,, /3 alatum. 
Group 3 (flexuose). 
Section a flexuosum. 
Group 4 (stipitate). 
Section a stipatum. 
Division B. Alt< 
Group 1 (increased development). 
Section a plumosum. 
,, [3 foliosum. 
,, 7 pulcherrimum. 
,, 5 macropinnulum. 
nation of soft parts. 
Group 2 (diminished development). 
Section a laxum. 
Group 3 (subdivision of pinnules). 
.Section a decompositum. 
,, (3 acutilobum. 
, , 7 divisolobum. 
,, 5 plumoso-divisolobum. 
,, e multilobum. 
Group 4 (changed development). 
Section a rotundatum. 
,, (3 lineare. 
,, 7 laciniatum. 
,, d setosum. 
,, e perserratum. 
Division C. Alteration of outline. 
Group 1 (widened). 1 Group 2 (narrowed). 
Section a deltoideum. 1 Section a angustatum. 
Division D. Alteration in colour. 
Group 1 (variegated). 
Section a variegatum. 
By the above arrangement the number of names to any one variety 
is in most instances diminished, being merged into the name of 
the section. The aim has been to correct the unpalatable names 
that already exist without destroying their identity.* 'Future names, 
it is hoped, will be more in accordance with the rules of Botany ; 
and this is important, as the increase in varieties, both by wild 
* Mr. Thomas Moore, whose name will always be received with respect, was 
(perhaps innocently) the originator of compound names. A Hart's Tongue 
having a marginal belt was named by him marginatum, another bimarginatum, 
whilst a third with a branched head became bimarginatum multifidum. This 
habit became chronic with some of our British Fern authorities, who declared 
that a descriptive name, no matter how unwieldy, was the one to adopt. Even 
the nomenclature of Linnaeus and Decandolle was condemned ; and the variety 
of Polypodium vulgare known as cambricum from the time of Linnaeus (more 
than a century ago) was altered to plumosum. The author believes that 
nearly all the members of the Pteridological Society now condemn cumber- 
some names. 
