Was I. domestica - plant names

James Waddick jwaddick@kc.rr.com
Mon, 29 Aug 2005 11:38:33 PDT
Dear Dennis, Carolyn and Mark;
	You all seem to think there is some pattern here. The ICNCP, 
ICBN and ICZN (Rules for plant cultivars, plant species and animal 
species) all seem to realize that a name is just a name.  A series of 
letters that goes with a type specimen somewhere.

	Cultivars and species can have any type of name and we all 
wish it meant something, but it doesn't have to.

	I have lots of favorite odd names. If you are a Far Side fan 
as one entomologist is, you would understand the genus name 
'Garylarsonus' for a particularly ugly beetle. Likewise the species, 
Iris brittany-spearsensis  (Iris brittanyspearia is more likely) 
makes perfect sense.
	Culitvar names can honor a person, but not mean anything like 
Iris 'Megan Elizabeth' (what color is this ?). Each cultivar group 
registrar is required to reject improper names and believe me some 
hybridizers have tried some pretty risque names that make 'Baboon 
Bottom' seem tame.

	There is a history of peculiar names (including a few 
'ribald' ones) and if you want to see a range of peculiarities check 
out.

	http://home.earthlink.net/~misaak/taxonomy.html

	Mark, I don't have a clue what the 'domesticum' part of E. 
domesticum was meant to mean in this context. It may have referred to 
its being native to the country of origin, Java, and possibly aimed 
at the orchid part of the picture. Lost in time.

	And I believe the hollandicum is "xhollandicum" to cover one 
or more similar hybrids ( or complex of hybrids), not just a single 
species, such as A. aflatuense. This is probably a complex topic 
worthy of discussion in itself.

	It is anyone's game when putting a name on a plant and some 
folks are very creative. Even the staid Linneaus named the Genus 
Tillandsia (a bromeliad) after a friend of his who avoided water 
(made long tangents around rivers and lakes if possible).

	Are you sure there's no plant with the cultivar name of 
'Brittany Spears' (maybe an asparagus cv) ?

		best		Jim W.
-- 
Dr. James W. Waddick
8871 NW Brostrom Rd.
Kansas City Missouri 64152-2711
USA
Ph.    816-746-1949
Zone 5 Record low -23F
	Summer 100F +


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