Two Allium of the season - RESEND

antennaria@charter.net antennaria@charter.net
Sun, 03 Jun 2007 20:44:18 PDT
John Grimshaw wrote
>Of course it must agree in gender! Allium is a neuter noun so 
>any adjectives in Latin must agree with it and have a neuter
> -um ending, not a feminine -a,

>Unless it was published before 1957 the use of 'Album' is illegitimate 
>anyway, and a name in a vernacular language should be substituted.

Regarding Allium maximowiczii var. shibutsuense 'Album', as I mentioned, it was simply received as Allium maximowiczii album. I understand that with the international code of nomenclature, rules exist regarding naming as you perscribe, that's why for convenience I list it as Allium maximowiczii var. shibutsuense 'Album', suggesting a cultivar name to distinguish it from the regular species.  Per the rules, calling it Allium maximowiczii var. shibutsuense 'Alba' would also be invalid.

Then call it Allium maximowiczii var. shibutsuense "Album", where double quotes are a method of suggesting a garden form that's not botanically recognized yet distinct horticulturally. Or lets apply a cultivar name like 'White Blizzard', 'Snow Flurry', 'Vanilla Rhapsody', 'White Madness', 'White' or 'Blanc'.

Mark McDonough
antennaria@charter.net


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