editorial

The epithet has also been spelled as "spathulifolia" but the protologue and Verdcourt's 1979 combination as a subspecies have "spatulifolia". A discussion elsewhere, on the spelling of "spatulata" and "spathulata" as specific epithets in Drosera, is relevant: "In almost all other botanical names for "spoon shaped", the spelling is "spathulata" (like Nepenthes spathulata). But for some reason when D. spatulata was first described they spelt it without the "h". Since botanical names always go back to the first to describe the species, the correct version is D. spatulata. The Latin (originally Greek) expressions "spatulata" and "spathulata" are both valid, and they can be used alternatively in an original description (protologue). But once published, it is the “original” spelling (in the line that continues of this particular word) that has to be retained."