pdf 31 MB - BSBI Archive

THE NOMENCLATURE OF POTAMOGETONS. 297
simple reason that it stands first on the page in Adansou's
' Families.' Tlmt is priorlti/, I am sure.''
This being so, and supposing that this new definition of priority
of publication is accepted, let us see where it will lead us.
In the first edition of his ' Genera,' Linnaeus establishes Prunus
and Anii/ijdalus. The latter is, by Bentham and Hooker and by
most other recent systematists, united with the former. ]>ut a
reference to the ' Genera ' will show that, on Brittonian principles,
it is AinmiiUdm, not Fntnus, that must be retained; for the former
is numbered 519 while the latter is numbered 520, and stands, not
"first on the page," but on the page preceding! "This," I
imagine Dr. Britton will say, " is priority, I am sure. The fact
that everybody, from Linnteus himself downwards, has named some
Bpecies under Primus has, to me, nothing to do with the case.
Henceforward Awijuilalus, and not Primus, must have precedence :
and our species of Pruims shall run
A)iii/(i