On 10 Jun 2012, at 12:11, Jim McKenney wrote: > It seems to me that this word adseptentrionesvergentulum is not formed > properly. > > Although the phrase "ad septentriones vergentulum" might make sense in > prose, Â squashing the separate words together does not form a proper > botanical epithet. I offer Arctostaphylos uva-ursi as a solution. "ad-septentriones-vergentulum" But you are really right. The entire Linnean system of binomials was based on abandoning the former system of long descriptive phrases, and "nodding toward the north" is certainly a descriptive phrase. The upshot may very well be that the next name assigned to this taxon will be the permanent one because this lengthy phrase-jammed-together fails to meet the requirements of the ICBN. -- Rodger Whitlock Victoria, British Columbia, Canada Z. 7-8, cool Mediterranean climate