Monograph of the Hawaiian Species of Gouania (Rhamnaceae). Hawaiian Plant Studies 34

Abstract

The genus Gouania was early noted as a part of the Hawaiian flora by F. J. F. Meyen (1835), and he described a new species, basing it upon his own collection made on Diamond Head, Oahu, in 1831. He published the species in his narrative (1835:150) as G. integrifolia, but this epithet was a homonym of the earlier one for another species by Lamarck. When Walpers prepared the botanical report on the collections of this voyage of the "Prinzess Louise," he realized that Meyen's binomial was unavailable, so published it anew (1843:323) as Gossania orbicularis. There was no existing genus Gossania, and it is evident that no new genus was intended. The generic name was apparently the printer's attempt to reproduce the author's handwriting, and it was not corrected in proofreading. It is apparent that Walpers intended to publish the binomial Gouania orbicularis. It was so listed in the Index Kewensis, and this rendering seems to be correct. However, this second binomial was unnecessary, as in 1840 Steude1 had already published for it the valid name Gouania Meyeni (Steudel, 1840:703).