I thought I had provided the answer when I said that Salvia horminum is now considered as synonym of S. viridis. Let me explain in simple words for those who do not have an access to Species plantarum of Linnaeus (1753) or have not been able to follow the reason for S. viridis having coloured bracts whereas viridis means green
Linnaeus on page 24 describes these two species one after another viridis 7. Salvia foliis oblongis crenatis, corollarum, galea semi-orbiculata, calycibus fructiferis reflexis. Horminum 8. Salvia foliis obtusis crenatis, bracteis summis sterilibus majoribus coloratis. * * * * *Salvia viridis *with normal green bracts (hence no reference to them) and *Salvia horminum *with upper bracts coloured and sterile. Obviously the second being much more attractive has been widely cultivated and better known of the two (There is no mention of S. viridis in Bailey, Manual of Cultivated Plants). When these two species were merged into one, all specimens little known normal green plants (*S. viridis* s. s.) and much better known widely cultivated with upper coloured sterile bracts (*S. horminum*) are known under the single name *S. viridis* (s. l., including formerly distinctinct species S. horminum). I think that should explain the mystery of viridis to all. -- Dr. Gurcharan Singh Retired Associate Professor SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007 Res: 932 Anand Kunj, Vikas Puri, New Delhi-110018. Phone: 011-25518297 Mob: 9810359089 http://people.du.ac.in/~singhg45/ On Mon, Aug 23, 2010 at 11:37 AM, Dr Pankaj Kumar <[email protected]>wrote: > No, thats your assumption Vijay. Give me one more example where the > colour has been used for denoting any of life other than colour. Its > just because the green calyx. But yes, many may say that all Lamiaceae > has green calyx, but that doesnt matter in Taxonomy. The reference > used by Linne names this plant as "Horminum > coma viridi" which precisely leads to calyx colour, or in worst case > these is a tuft of green leaves below the inflorescence. > Regards > Pankaj > > > On Aug 23, 11:00 am, Vijayasankar <[email protected]> wrote: > > Dear Pankaj ji, > > > > Salvia viridis (all Salvias for that matter) is reported to have "healing > > properties" and also considered as "tonic" which helps keep you 'healthy' > > and "young" i.e. green, all the time!! This is what i infer from the Wiki > > link. So the specific epithet here denotes the use of the plant and not > its > > colour or appearance. Am i right? > > > > With regards > > > > Vijayasankar > > > > On Mon, Aug 23, 2010 at 12:39 AM, Dr Pankaj Kumar < > [email protected]>wrote: > > > > > > > > > Thanks for sharing, but the question still remains unanswered, why the > > > name is viridis, which means green. > > > Pankaj > > > > > On Aug 23, 10:22 am, tanay bose <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > Thanks Gurcharan ji and Vijaya ji for enlightening me about the > specific > > > > epithet of the plant. > > > > tanay > > > > > > On Mon, Aug 23, 2010 at 10:17 AM, Vijayasankar < > [email protected] > > > >wrote: > > > > > > > Yes Gurcharan ji, Wiki also provides the etymology: "...*viridis*, > from > > > > > the Greek, refers to the color green, with implications of youth > and > > > > > vigor..." so here the specific epithet refers the use of the plant. > > > > > > > With regards > > > > > > > Vijayasankar > > > > > > > On Sun, Aug 22, 2010 at 11:20 PM, Gurcharan Singh < > > > [email protected]>wrote: > > > > > > >> Tanay and Vijayasankar ji > > > > >> The answer may lie in the fact that species for many years was > known > > > as S. > > > > >> horminum, a greek name for sage. Only recently it has been merged > with > > > S. > > > > >> viridis, originally described as distinct species by Linnaeus > > > > > > >>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salvia_viridis > > > > > > >> <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salvia_viridis> > > > > >> -- > > > > > > >> Dr. Gurcharan Singh > > > > >> Retired Associate Professor > > > > >> SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007 > > > > >> Res: 932 Anand Kunj, Vikas Puri, New Delhi-110018. > > > > >> Phone: 011-25518297 Mob: 9810359089 > > > > >>http://people.du.ac.in/~singhg45/ > > > > > > >> On Mon, Aug 23, 2010 at 9:11 AM, tanay bose < > [email protected] > > > >wrote: > > > > > > >>> This question also stuck me but I found Vijaya Ji has already > placed > > > it > > > > >>> well !! > > > > >>> tanay > > > > > > >>> On Mon, Aug 23, 2010 at 8:45 AM, Vijayasankar < > > > > >>> [email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > >>>> Nice pictures Gurcharan ji. But why the name 'viridis' (means > > > 'green')? > > > > > > >>>> With regards > > > > > > >>>> Vijayasankar > > > > > > >>>> On Sun, Aug 22, 2010 at 9:54 PM, Gurcharan Singh < > > > [email protected]>wrote: > > > > > > >>>>> Salvia viridis from Kashmir, perhaps a recent introduction in > > > Kashmir > > > > >>>>> Gardens. Photographed from Hazuribagh Garden in Srinagar on > June > > > 16, 2010. > > > > > > >>>>> -- > > > > >>>>> Dr. Gurcharan Singh > > > > >>>>> Retired Associate Professor > > > > >>>>> SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007 > > > > >>>>> Res: 932 Anand Kunj, Vikas Puri, New Delhi-110018. > > > > >>>>> Phone: 011-25518297 Mob: 9810359089 > > > > >>>>>http://people.du.ac.in/~singhg45/ > > > > > > >>> -- > > > > >>> Tanay Bose > > > > >>> Research Assistant & Teaching Assistant > > > > >>> Department of Botany > > > > >>> University of British Columbia > > > > >>> 3529-6270 University Blvd. > > > > >>> Vancouver, B.C. V6T 1Z4 (Canada) > > > > >>> Phone: 778-323-4036 > > > > > > -- > > > > Tanay Bose > > > > Research Assistant & Teaching Assistant > > > > Department of Botany > > > > University of British Columbia > > > > 3529-6270 University Blvd. > > > > Vancouver, B.C. V6T 1Z4 (Canada) > > > > Phone: 778-323-4036 >
