Jim McKenney wrote:
"In most groups to which I belong, members will not hesitate to correct one another (sometimes very rudely) about the identification of plants, especially if the “wrong” botanical name is used. It goes so far that some people will pipe up and – comity be damned – sharply correct a speaker’s identification during a lecture/slide presentation. In the past this was confined mostly to persons with a highly specialized knowledge of the area in question (and we have not shortage of experts here). But now that so many popular gardening publications jump at the chance to use the latest and greatest name, everyman now thinks himself an expert." Forgive me, Jim, if I am misinterpreting your comment. However, I think you were alluding to botanical synonyms. For example, in my alpine area, the large-flowering yellow composite is known to me as Hymenoxys grandiflora. But recently published, very popular, pictorial wildflower guides identify this species as Tetraneuris grandiflora. Additionally, an older synonym I remember from my introduction to wildflowers some 35 years ago was Rydbergia grandiflora. The genus Senecio is another example. The species formerly in Senecio that are native to my area have been split into several genera. However, in my garden, they still bear their "Senecio" identification. If some "highly educated" visitor objects to my "lumping", he or she may excuse him or herself and go visit another garden, possibly managed by a "splitter". Jane HendrixMountain View Experimental GardensPeak 7 Area - Breckenridge, Colorado U.S.A.Elevation: 10,000 feetUSDA Zone 4Website: http://www.picturetrail.com/hendrix
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