HIST: Swerti, the Name

In a message dated 3/1/05 3:01:41 PM Eastern Standard Time, 
DFerguson@cabq.gov writes:

<<  If treated as a botanical name (at species or any lower ranking), the 
rules of
 nomenclature need to be followed. >>

I am not going to attempt to elaborate upon Dr. Tucker's informal statements 
about 'Swerti' since he is the taxonomist, not I; I merely presents them as I 
finds them, although I do think we should consider approaching warily this 
matter of trying to bring some ancient names into conformity with the oftimes 
volatile rules of nomenclature. 
 
I will say that the styling of the entry for 'Swerti' in the 1939 AIS 
Alphabetical Iris Check List indicates that the compilers did *not* consider 'Swerti' 
a discrete species as such. It is styled as a garden name, and that seems 
eminently reasonable to me. 

The Check List compilers also made clear they did not consider the name 
synonymous with I. aphylla, nor do I see any indication they wished to define it as 
a form of I. pallida, either. 

The authority of the name Iris pallida is Larmarck, and the date is 1789.  

William Dykes spoke of "I. Swerti" [sic] in his *The Genus Iris* on page 167. 
He said it bore the same relation to *I. Cengialti* [sic, now I. pallida 
subspecies cengialtii] as I. plicata bore to I. pallida. He also noted it was 
found in Sweert's Florilegium as figure 3 of plate 40, and was therein identified 
as "Chamaeiris oris coeruleis alba." 

Dykes also says that the latter Iris is synonymous with I. aphylla Hort. non 
Linn--that is the aphylla of gardens not that of Linnaeus, which, he notes, is 
illustrated in a book published in 1834, the *Hortus Britiannicus* of Robert 
Sweet--that is right, Sweet--  which is probably where I saw it, the aphylla 
as plicata, I mean.

I do not see "Swerti' or any variation thereof mentioned as a synonym of Iris 
pallida in any form nor Iris aphylla, in the most recent definitive book, 
such as it is: the BIS book from Cambridge. Someone is free to backtrack over 
that to confirm if they feel like it, indeed I encourage it.

Cordially,

Anner Whitehead
Richmond VA USA

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