Re: Botanical language

Date:          Sun, 24 Jan 1999 18:59:44 -0800
From:          "paul@nevco.k12.ca.us" <paul@nevco.k12.ca.us>
Reply-to:      paul@nevco.k12.ca.us
Organization:  NCSOS
To:            medit-plants@ucdavis.edu
Subject:       Botanical language

Ix asked:
>Am I the only one troubled by talk of "yellow oxalis"?  Is it too hard
>for
>some correspondents to identify plants?
>
>Then Carol asked:
>Do we have a convention on this mail list that we *must* use scientific

>names when posting?
>
>*****
>
>I'll weigh in with a suggestion that we refer to the scientific names
of
>plants when necessary. A casual reference to a plant in a more general
>discussion about a broader subject such as lawns should not require any

>more identification than its common name. But if we're talking about
>species of plants and places where they grow, it's probably wise to be
>as specific as possible to avoid confusion.
>
>In the long run, it probably is very useful to know the genus and
>species names of the plants we're talking about. But language works
best
>when it is the most inclusive as possible.
>
>By the way, I just read a brochure for the Yosemite Association's 1999
>field seminars. There are wildflower and birding outings that have been

>designed for people put off by overly scientific language in nature
>study. That should be a warning that linguistic rules get in the way of

>enjoying flora and fauna.
>
>So, what was "yellow oxalis" anyway?
>
>Paul Harrar
>Nevada City, CA (Zone 7, 2,700 feet)


Dear all,

I know it can be a pain learning Latin names but it is easuer on us 
all in the long run, esp. when we are in groups like Medit-Plants. 
Here near Adelaide we have, in our very own garden, at least 5 
different yellow oxalis - all weedy introductions from Sth Africa - 
Cape Province, and all common 'lawn' weeds. Now which one would I be 
writing about if I just told you I had a 'yellow oxalis'? And how 
would you know if the one I was talking about was the same as the one 
you consider a weed? A bother at the beginning, but not all that hard 
really, to learn about Oxalis pes-caprae, O. corniculata, etc etc 
etc.

regards

trevor n

-----------------
Trevor Nottle
Garden Writer, Historian,     
Lecturer and Comsultant 
       
    'Walnut Hill'                          
     5 Walker St       
     Crafers SA 5152 
     AUSTRALIA

Phone: +618 83394210
Fax:   +618 83394210
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index