Re: Botanical Latin
David Poole wrote:
>
> Julie wrote in agreement with Charles:
>
> >..... I find it more useful to encourage my colleagues and public
> >contacts to use scientific names, however they want to pronounce them,
> >rather than common names.
>
> Another "me too" from me. I don't give a fig about someone's
> pronunciation as long as they've got the right name and not its common
> name. So Dahlia can be Day- lia, Dah -lia and Fuchsia can Fuchs-ia
> or even Fewsha - it doesn't take rocket science intelligence to
> recognise the plant in question. However if someone says 'butterfly
> bush' are we talking Buddleia or something else?
>
Dave-
Try (As I formerly did for nearly twelve years) to reply to gardening
questions posed live to a radio programme and you will begin to realize
the almost total ignorance about plant names of much of the gardening
public, even those keen enough to phone in with their questions. Many's
the time I have asked "what sort of plant are we taking about?" to be
met with "dunno, some sort of daisy, I think."
I have an impression that for many Kiwis, even some of those who can
tell a rose from a camellia, most if not all border plants at least are
either daisies or lilies. This has spilled over into common English
names for native plants with the magnificent Ranunculus insignis being
popularly known as the Mt Cook lily ( I suppose mainly because the
flowers are white. Ah me!).
While I am "on the line" to you I must just take the opportunity to say
how much I have enjoyed "visiting" your garden. The site is so
interesting and well laid out (I liked all the detailed descriptions,
which made me feel I was walking round with you) and I am quite overawed
by the amount of plants you manange to tuck in and all looking so
healthy and happy in your jungle - congratuations.
Moira
Moira
--
Tony & Moira Ryan <theryans@xtra.co.nz>
Wainuiomata,
New Zealand (astride the "Ring of Fire" in the SW Pacific).
