diff --git a/src/colvar/Gyration.cpp b/src/colvar/Gyration.cpp
index e348b6b22a78b888b0a1e4a16bd36791da3145ba..9471593e9f7bac85928a5304d830af103d14e933 100644
--- a/src/colvar/Gyration.cpp
+++ b/src/colvar/Gyration.cpp
@@ -76,7 +76,6 @@ periodic image.
 The following input tells plumed to print the radius of gyration of the 
 chain containing atoms 10 to 20.
 \verbatim
-WHOLEMOLECULES ENTITY0=10-20
 GYRATION TYPE=RADIUS ATOMS=10-20 LABEL=rg
 PRINT ARG=rg STRIDE=1 FILE=colvar 
 \endverbatim
diff --git a/user-doc/Syntax.txt b/user-doc/Syntax.txt
index cfa5f902c1f160a8980fd8f66f6000c06a5c9223..47c73c1f2f6066f5bc66a2e5e6a282e57baee995 100644
--- a/user-doc/Syntax.txt
+++ b/user-doc/Syntax.txt
@@ -15,7 +15,10 @@ which provide PLUMED with more details as to how the action is to be performed.
 (in which they tell PLUMED to do the calculation in a particular way - for example NOPBC tells PLUMED to not use the periodic
 bounadry conditions when calculating a particular colvar) or they can be words followed by an equals sign and a comma separated 
 list _with no spaces_ of numbers or characters (so for example ATOMS=1,2,3,4 tells PLUMED to use atom numbers 1,2,3 and 4 in 
-the calculation of a particular colvar). Space separated lists can be used instead of commma separated list if the entire list
+the calculation of a particular colvar).
+The reason why spaces are not admitted is that PLUMED should be able to understand when the list of atoms
+ended and a new keyword should be expected. 
+Space separated lists can be used instead of commma separated list if the entire list
 is enclosed in curly braces (e.g. ATOMS={1 2 3 4}).  Please note that you can split commands over multiple lines by using
 \ref ContinuationLines.