A Monograph of the Genus Hemimeris

Abstract

The genus Hemimeris was first described by Linnaeusl in 1760. He neglected to explain the origin of the name, but according to Sir J. J. Smith2 it is derived from two Greek words, p t, meaning and pjpcg, part or fragment, referring to the flower which is cut away on one side, that is, lacking a spur. It has been claimed that it was because of this character that Linnaeus originally separated this group from Antirrhinum. The name might possibly refer as well to the stamens, inasmuch as Hemimeris has half the number found in most genera of the Scrophulariaceae. The status of the name has become confused since it has not been possible to determine exactly what Linnaeus had in mind when he described Hemirneris bonae-spei, and also by the fact that Linnaeus fil., in dealing with Hemimeris, entirely ignored his father 's description and formulated a new one based chiefly upon plants collected by Thunberg. The name Hemimeris bonae-spei, some authorities claim, was applied by Linnaeus to the plants now known as Diascia diffusa. Were this true, the name Diascia would have to be included in the list of Nomina Conservanda, or the plants known by that name for one hundred years or more would have to be changed to Hemimeris and those now known as Hernimeris would have to be given another name. Hiern believed that this change should be made, and in the original manuscript for the 'Flora Capensis' actually did interchange the two names. However, Thiselton-