260 
The Brussels Congress of Botanists. 
As regards the nomenclature of pleomorphic Fungi, it was 
agreed that successive states of the same species should bear the 
same generic and specific name, to wit, the earliest name given to 
the perfect state of the fungus in or after the work agreed upon as 
the starting point, provided that such name otherwise conforms 
with the Rules. The “ perfect state ” is defined as that which 
leads up to the ascus in the Ascomycetes, the basidium in the 
Basidiomycetes, to the teleutospore in the Uredineae and to the 
spore in the Ustilagineae. 
Among the Bryophyta, the Hepaticae are to start with the 
“ Species Plantarum,” as also the Sphasnaceae, while the rest of 
the Mosses are to begin with Hedwig’s “ Species Muscorum ” 
(1801). 
Thus the principle of uniformity of starting point has very 
wisely been sacrificed to the practical needs of workers in the 
various groups, who have settled the most suitable points of origin 
in each case. 
On the vexed question of nomina conservandn, the compromise 
adopted at Vienna, by which certain very well-established and very 
well-known names are retained in defiance of the strict principle 
of priority, was maintained in spite of the opposition of those who 
hold that no exceptions should be made in the logical application 
of this principle. Some additions were made to the list, but it was 
agreed that changes of nomenclature which have already been 
made in accordance with the Rules of 1905 should not he upset. 
The commissions were re-appointed, with alterations and 
additions for the various groups of Cryptogams, to draw up lists of 
nomina conservanda for each group. 
With regard to the nomenclature of fossil plants the starting 
point was taken, as in the case of most of the recent plants, as 
1753, the date of Linnaeus’ “ Species Plantarum.” It was also 
agreed that a plant should be technically considered as “ described ” 
when the description is accompanied by a figure showing the 
essential characters. 
It was resolved that all diagnoses should be written in 
Latin ; although it was pointed out that this did not imply a long 
Latin description, but only a Latin enumeration of the most 
important characters, the resolution was accepted with the greatest 
reluctance by the palmo-botanists present. Indeed it is the opinion 
of more than one distinguished worker in this branch of the 
science that no attention will he paid to this Rule. 
In order to reduce to a minimum changes of name arising 
from the use of the same name in the nomenclature of recent and 
fossil plants it was decided to draw up a double list of nomina 
conservanda for the guidance of workers. This is to include (1) 
generic names of living plants, duly published and in general use, 
which enter into collision with old generic names in Palmobotany, 
e.g., Bucklandia Br., (2) generic names of fossil plants, duly pub¬ 
lished and in general use, which enter into collision with older 
homonyms of living plants that have been relegated to synonymy. 
The object is to prevent the further use of the names in the second 
sense in each case. 
Section of Phytogeographical Nomenclature, 
At the Vienna Congress in 1905 a commission was appointed 
entrusted with “ studying the practical means of directing the 
