This is a public-interest archive. Personal data is pseudonymized and retained under GDPR Article 89.

Re: Style question

GWL: There is no such thing as a botanical name; they are all scientific names. You do not call the scientific term for a deer (Odocoileus spp.), an animal name, do you? And except for some publications like The New York Times, scientific names are in italics if the surrounding text is roman and in roman if the surrounding text is italic. P.L.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Duane Campbell" <dcamp@chilitech.net>
To: "Garden Writers -- GWL -- The Garden Writers Forum" <gardenwriters@lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Monday, March 07, 2005 11:19 PM
Subject: Re: [GWL] Style question

> Names can be two things at the same time. Hibiscus rosa-sinensis is a
> botanical name, properly italicized, genus capitalized, and hard to
> pluarlize. But plain ol' hibiscus, lower case 'h;, is a common name for a
> common tropical, and it is perfectly acceptable to use it in the plural.
> Same with  heliconia -- or heliconias.
>
> I have my own rule on this, and no one but the most prescriptive plant
> society have  -- sorry -- has ever objected. In fact, no one has ever
> objected. When I am talking about a binomial or a binomial with a fancy name
>  I always follow the accepted botanical rules. But if I am talking about a
> genus in general, I consider it a common name and treat it so.
>
> D
>  
> -------Original Message-------
>  
> For the magazine writers on the list: Is it OK to pluralize a botanical
> name? Should botanical names always be singular, even with a plural verb?
> Some examples:
>  
> Heliconia are understory plants
> or
> Heliconias are understory plants
>  
> Hibiscus prefer high humidity
> or
> Hibiscus prefers high humidity
>  
>  
> Debra
>  
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> Debra Lee Baldwin
> Writer/Editor
> 10187 Sage Hill Way
> Escondido, CA 92026
> 760/749-6272
> www.debraleebaldwin.com
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>  
>  
> _______________________________________________
> gardenwriters mailing list
> gardenwriters@lists.ibiblio.org
> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/gardenwriters
>
> GWL has searchable archives at:
> http://www.hort.net/lists/gardenwriters
>
> Send photos for GWL to gwlphotos@hort.net to be posted
> at: http://www.hort.net/lists/gwlphotos
>
> Post gardening questions/threads to
> &quot;Gardenwriters on Gardening&quot; &lt;gwl-g@lists.ibiblio.org&gt;
>
> For GWL website and Wiki, go to
> http://www.ibiblio.org/gardenwriters 
_______________________________________________
gardenwriters mailing list
gardenwriters@lists.ibiblio.org
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/gardenwriters

GWL has searchable archives at:
http://www.hort.net/lists/gardenwriters

Send photos for GWL to gwlphotos@hort.net to be posted
at: http://www.hort.net/lists/gwlphotos

Post gardening questions/threads to
&quot;Gardenwriters on Gardening&quot; &lt;gwl-g@lists.ibiblio.org&gt;

For GWL website and Wiki, go to
http://www.ibiblio.org/gardenwriters
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index