Re: why scientists don't just give up the names battle
- Subject: Re: why scientists don't just give up the names battle
- From: S*@aol.com
- Date: Tue, 10 Jul 2001 23:18:38 -0500 (CDT)
In a message dated Mon, 9 Jul 2001 11:38:38 PM Eastern Daylight Time, Neil Carroll <zzamia@hargray.com> writes:
<< I collect plants for many different reasons. ...THe genes are only looking for a vessel and the people only
want something beautiful and/or interesting in their lives.>>
Am I the only one who takes an interest in certain plants BECAUSE of their names? In the colud forest of Costa Rica grows a species of Peperomia whose binomial is P. hernandiifolia. As you who remember my name may have guessed, it was the plant's name I found intriguing (as well as the peltate leaves). And in seeking to learn the meaning of such a name, I was led to the unrelated genus Hernandia, in the family Hernandiaceae. Again, it is the name I found intriguing; the name served as the gateway to learn more.
Jason Hernandez
Naturalist-at-Large
