Re: AIS: REF: AIS as International Registration Authority

While I find the discussion of the Horticultural code interesting I have to admit when I have actually tried to read the thing first hand it comes across as a lot of legalize and I get rather bored. But it does play a vital role in creating standards for naming plants and for that I am grateful.  I take some issue with Bobbys idea of testing the limits on names. Why is it really so important? The ISHS has so many more important topics on their plate, that bothering them with such trivia, seems a waste. International registrars maybe appointed but one must remember that the field of volunteers available is not that large. I have been told that the registrar for spireas places the pod parent last when recording parentages because he feels males are always more important. When the organization has to deal with stupidity at that level, they certainly dont need to be bothered with stuff like can we use 3 or 4 words. The American Iris Society had very competent and intelligent
 registrars. Unlike some other societies, they have been at the forefront of creating meaningful checklists. It is my understanding that the Peony Societys now deceased registrar would only register Peonys for hybridizers she liked. The world is not a perfect place and I am sure the ISHS received complaints, but without a reasonable alternate who is willing to takeover, it is very hard for them to control registrars. I was stunned to talk with a horticultural taxonomist who was not aware that the horticultural code and the botanical code are under the authority of the United Nations Commerce Committee. This is because of possible fraud in international commerce. Some countries like the Netherlands utilize the codes and the registry to such a degree, that a plant that if a vendor is found to be selling a plant that does not fit the international registry, the government can destroy the entire stock of misnamed plants. We may joke about plant names but legitimate names can have huge
 economic consequences. I think all of us appreciative that the governments of the world, even sometimes the USA, ensure that we get the plant that we are intending to purchase.

            In a later post I would like to hear some discussion of topics that are really useful concerning registration. For example, why cant the American Iris Society work out an agreement with the Dutch Royal bulbgrowers to CO-REGISTER bulbous Irises. Or how could we work out a system for collecting images of Irises at the time of registration. I have presented a proposal in the new Medianite. What does everyone think?

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