512 
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY 
[Vol. io, 
type on the basis of its being an economic species. But it would be indicated 
as the type through the name vulgare and through the Tournefort figure 
cited in the Genera Plantarum. If different methods conflict, the factors 
must be considered and a balance struck. In the list submitted there 
appears to be no conflict except in Justicia which is considered separately. 
In selecting a native species one assumes that a European species will 
be better known to Linnaeus than one from some other continent; that a 
Swedish species would be better known than one from southern Europe; 
and that one grown in the Hortus Cliffortianus or Hortus Upsaliensis better 
known than one represented by a herbarium specimen only. One should 
select a species on the basis of a figure cited in the Genera Plantarum only 
when there is no doubt as to the identity of the figure, and the method 
should be used with caution. 
After these four methods have been applied there are still some cases 
in which a selection has not resulted. At this point the historical develop¬ 
ment should be considered. In these genera, amounting to about 20 percent 
in our list, the type has been chosen from among the original species now 
commonly retained in the genus, thus fixing the application of the generic 
name in accord with current usage. 
In case there are more than one residual species, the type is the most 
common or best known, or, if equally eligible, the first of these. 
Among the 72 genera considered there are a few that must receive 
attention separately. 
Justicia contains 9 species of which four are retained in the genus under 
present usage. The first of these is J. betonica. The citation in the Genera 
Plantarum refers to J. sexangularis, which is now usually placed in Di- 
cliptera. The selection of this species as the type would change the appli¬ 
cation of Justicia as currently understood. If the citation in the Genera 
Plantarum is ignored, the type is J. betonica and the genus falls in group 5. 
Ixia contains two species, both of which are now referred to later genera, 
I. africana to Aristaea, I. chinensis to Belamcanda. On the type basis one 
of these species, probably the first, should be accepted as the type, and the 
nomenclature of the other groups adjusted accordingly. 
Minuartia contains 3 species, all of which are currently referred to 
Alsine. 2 The nomenclature of this group has been considered by Sprague 
and others. The three species, all from Spain, appear to be equally eligible 
for the type, and the first, M. dichotoma, may be selected. 
Aira contains 14 species of which four were included in the first use of 
the name in the Flora Lapponica. The type would ordinarily be chosen 
2 In the original issue of the Species Plantarum, Minuartia appears with a single 
species, M. hispanica. This leaf (pages 89 and 90) was reprinted and inserted in place of 
the original. A very few copies escaped the correction. An account of the insertion of 
the corrections is given in Bot. Centralbl. 66: 216. 1896, 67: 5. 1896, and Jour. Bot. 34: 
359. 1896. The photographic reprint of the work was made from the original issue. 
