Re: CarexEvergold

Ceres,
I suspect this is a retorical question, but...
Carex oshimensis 'Evergold' is the correct name.
Just for the sake of discussion, assume each species name is a latinization
of a person's name, it would seem that Oshi found this species of Carex and
turned it in for filing and it was named.  Later Morrow came back from his
travels with the brand new Carex he discovered and pressed for filing of
this grand new plant.  Oshi's discovery never really took off and it had
languished or the guy accepting the filings needed a new prescription for
his glasses and so was unable to tell that Morrow's plant was identical to
Oshi's.  The horticultural world was still not really worshipping the genus
Carex just yet, so it was propagated in only the most obscure home gardens
by Carex afficianados.   Along comes this guy with a name no one can
pronounce who has been wandering Japan for a couple of decades and is
totally out of touch with any recent findings.  He finds a new Carex that he
believes no one in Europe has ever catalogued before, so he sends it in for
recognition.  His timing is perfect, Carex is all the rage now and a
wholesaler begins propagating it and spreading it all over the globe.  A
particular cultivar is selected as the premier plant of the species, wins an
Award of Garden Merit, and now nurseries everywhere are carrying Carex
hachijoensis 'Evergold'.  Along the way some Carex afficianado notices
similarities of this plant to Carex morrowii.  Questions are raised, plants
are studied, papers are written and the name comes under extreme scrutiny
and review.  The Powers That Be declare, "Ooops, same plant", and determine
that Joe was just a Hack and Morrow saw it first, according to all the
copious notes taken over time. "Hence forth, this plant shall be labeled
Carex morrowii 'Evergold' ".  Well, some people just didn't agree, they
liked the funny name, it was a good tongue twister, always good for a laugh.
So Jo's name lived on right alongside Morrow's.  Years later, some intern is
pouring over dusty old books and finds Oshi's diaries and reference to his
filing of Carex oshimensis.  It looks remarkably like Carex hachijoensis (he
never did like Morrow).  He brings this to everyone's attention by writing
his thesis on Oshi's discoveries.  Stirs up controversy in that Carex
afficianado realm.  Eventually, the PTB bring the subject to the table and
say "This one again?".  They look over all the documents and agree that,
yup, Oshi saw it first.  . "Hence forth, this plant shall be labeled Carex
oshimensis 'Evergold' ".  Well, some people just didn't agree, they still
liked the funny name, hachijoensis.  "Nah, we're stickin' with old Jo,
here."  And so, though Morrow was left in the dust, Joe the Hack and his
twin Oshi proceeded on for years.  One day a grower in Iowa decided he
really liked that Carex hachjoensis 'Evergold', brought it in and started
distributing it.  It sold so well that he decided to take advantage of a
great quantity discount offered by his label maker and ordered a 5 year
supply.  Along about the fourth year he discovers he's been using the wrong
name.  Somewhere along the line, people had had enough of Jo the imposter
and openly embraced the "correct"name.  After all, Oshi did see it first
didn't he?  He should be recognized for that.  Well, the Iowa distributor
was a thrifty sort and wasn't about to just throw out perfectly good labels,
so he kept using them, but when he ordered the next batch, he ordered the
name Carex oshimensis 'Evergold'.  But he only ordered a 2 yr supply.  You
never know if Morrow might make a come-back someday.


Kitty
neIN, Z5
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <Cersgarden@aol.com>
To: <gardenchat@hort.net>
Sent: Monday, March 07, 2005 6:34 PM
Subject: [CHAT] CarexEvergold


> Why does any plant have a synonym?  I am chkg on Cares 'Evergold' listed
as
> Carex oshimensis, morrowii and c. hachijoensis.   We were planting this in
the
> greenhouse today and some of the plants were labeled oshimensis & othrs
> hachijoensis and from the same wholesaler.
>     Ceres
>
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