Names are applied to persons, places, or things for identification in communication between individuals. Once they are familiar to people who use them - say in conversation - they are perfectly effective identifiers and changes are, except in rare instances, unnecessary. Accpetance of current taxonomic nomenclatural gyrations is fine for those who are intimately involved with their choreography, but are optional for those who want to grow the plants they have known all their lives. It seems to me that botanical taxonomy should be conducted by a numerical system that the statistical machinery can easily understand and by which the machines that create these systems can communicate directly. Such a mumerical system would allow frequent rejuggling of evolutionary trees without creating confusion or worse in those who actually work with the plants and enjoy them for their individually appealing traits.
The needs of the gardening public and the professional taxonomists are different and I see no need for the communication system of one to be forced on the other. Though I find the evolutionary studies of the taxonomists interesting, I see no need to alter the names of my friends in the garden. I will continue to enjoy my Cornus each spring when it flowers and in the fall when the leaves turn lovely. John Gyer Clarksboro NJ USA ----- Original Message ----- From: Kyle Baker To: Alpine-L, the Electronic Rock Garden Society;postings copyright by authors. Sent: Monday, February 20, 2012 9:50 AM Subject: Re: [Alpine-l] Rock Garden Conifers I had to refer to my copy of Botanical Latin by William T. Sterns to figure this one out...Picea I could see, but ab - i - es,.......that one took me some figuring out...but then of course I'm struggling to keep up with all the new nomenclature....first hit me with orchids, then with the asters...then I discovered Chaemepericlymenem canadense to a local arboretum....for those that have not run into this yet this last one is Cornus canadense...all Cornus in the New world are no longer Cornus......oh my head Mr. Kyle Fletcher Baker, MCN Maine Zone 5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ From: penstemon <[email protected]> To: Jim McKenney <[email protected]>; "Alpine-L, the ElectronicRock Garden Society; postings copyright by authors." <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, February 20, 2012 9:36 AM Subject: Re: [Alpine-l] Rock Garden Conifers >Your first statement is true for Latin; those three words ARE three syllable words. The words are three syllable in Latin, two in English. There is no linguistic—or social—justification for pronouncing botanical names as though they were Latin. Bob Nold Denver, Colorado, USA _______________________________________________ Alpine-l mailing list [email protected] http://mailman.science.uu.nl/mailman/listinfo/alpine-l ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ _______________________________________________ Alpine-l mailing list [email protected] http://mailman.science.uu.nl/mailman/listinfo/alpine-l
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