Name Changes for Two Old World Solanum Species

Abstract

In a recent search through the Solanum specimens in the van Royen herbarium**, we found a sheet (L-No. 908, 245-921) bearing a specimen of the species which was known for a long time as S. sodomeum and more recently as S. hermannii (see Hepper 1978 & 1979b for an explanation of this change of names). Attached to this sheet is a MS note written by B. L. Burtt of Edinburgh, dated 1960, identifying the specimen as type material of S. virginianum L. On the sheet itself is another MS annotation, seemingly contemporary with the specimen, which is a copy of the descriptive name published by Adriaan van Royen (1740 p. 425 species No. 15) that Linnaeus (1753) was to use as the phrase name for S. virginianum. At first sight it appeared to us that this sheet did indeed typify S. virginianum, and that this therefore was the correct name for the species hitherto known as S. sodomeumlS. hermannii. However, we are indebted to Dr C. E. Jarvis at BM (NH) and DrJ. F. Veldkamp at L for their observation that the handwriting on the sheet can be identified as belonging to David van Royen (1727-99) who succeeded his uncle, Adriaan, as director of the botanical garden at Leid6n in 1754. Now ascribed to David van Royen, the sheet in question must be assumed to have been prepared at some time after Linnaeus' visit to Holland (1735-38) and after the publication of Adriaan van Royen's Florae leydensis prodromus (1740), and possibly after the Species plantarum. Thus, this sheet ought not to be considered type material of S. virginianum L. We have been unable to locate any of A. van Royen's specimens which might be types of S. virginianum and so we have had to turn to the other elements in the Linnaean protologue. Linnaeus cited two synonyms to the van Royen phrase name, referring in turn to Dillenius' Hortus elthamensis 360, t. 267 and Plukenet's Almagestum 351, t. 62, fig. 3. The Plukenet synonym includes the adjective virginianum which Linnaeus used for the specific epithet. In their original publications both synonyms accompany illustrations. The Plukenet illustration (Phytographia t. 62 fig. 3) is a mere 110 x 100 mm and is a rather stylized representation of a plant which nevertheless has a clear affinity to the larger (213 x 275 mm), and certainly more natural, plate in the Dillenian work.