tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post7610413112859927552..comments2024-03-27T07:35:21.832-07:00Comments on Plants are the Strangest People: Thoughts on Botanical Namesmr_subjunctivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14113199755474482747noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-31079769173229021422019-03-14T22:06:39.873-07:002019-03-14T22:06:39.873-07:00Mr_Subjunctive - I absolutely love your blog. I l...Mr_Subjunctive - I absolutely love your blog. I love your wit. I love your no BS approach. And I love your straightforwardness. You have so much useful information on your blog, and I really appreciate you taking all the time to share it with us. <br /><br />I recently wrote a similar post, "Common Name Confusion". Eat your plant nerd heart out!<br />https://xylemrising.com/2019/03Cristiehttps://xylemrising.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-88001376194898127552010-11-02T11:48:23.776-07:002010-11-02T11:48:23.776-07:00I too tend to use the botanical names, as like mos...I too tend to use the botanical names, as like most others, it avoids confusion. However, I do make exceptions without thinking about it. For example, my Sollya heterophylla when spoken becomes my Bluebell Creeper. <br />My favourite name though has to be Johannesteijsmanmia MagnificaKeithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04337680951744816607noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-6992524181540594242010-06-07T15:49:07.730-07:002010-06-07T15:49:07.730-07:00Or Solanum esculentum as some botanist has renamed...Or Solanum esculentum as some botanist has renamed the tomato.<br /><br />I just use a fake Italian accent the first time I run through the name to get something that works.Patnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-9822536797704173742010-02-10T16:50:51.976-08:002010-02-10T16:50:51.976-08:00great - will link to this post when I need an expl...great - will link to this post when I need an explanation - thanks for writing itGarden Beethttp://www.gardenbeet.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-26809020669472131242009-03-09T11:58:00.000-07:002009-03-09T11:58:00.000-07:00I thought of this post the minute I saw this:http:...I thought of this post the minute I saw this:<BR/><BR/>http://www.typetees.com/product/1723/You_say_tomato_I_say_Lycopersicon_esculentumLancehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17953459540634785074noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-83841623308477977162009-02-01T13:52:00.000-08:002009-02-01T13:52:00.000-08:00mr_subjunctive, thanks for this, and I agree with ...mr_subjunctive, thanks for this, and I agree with what you say wholeheartedly.<BR/><BR/>Let me add one further twist.<BR/><BR/>Jodi, if you're ever again in a confrontation with a douchebag botanist, you can keep in mind the distinction between a botanical name and a horticultural name.<BR/><BR/>The purpose of a name is communication. When I order a plant from a grower, I want to use the word theDonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01886233441603021667noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-81134266383253508512009-02-01T09:59:00.000-08:002009-02-01T09:59:00.000-08:00For shame, Benjamin! If you wife actually wants t...For shame, Benjamin! If you wife actually wants to try to learn the names, why put her off or overwhlem her? I think it's pretty cool that she wants to learn them. Why not label a few of the plants (perhaps ones she seems to really like) and help her master those names. Once that happens label a few more plants for her to learn?<BR/><BR/>Mr S -- every consider doing some recycling? Next timeAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-72148500079551391262009-02-01T01:05:00.000-08:002009-02-01T01:05:00.000-08:00I find your post very interesting, but I find it h...I find your post very interesting, but I find it hard even to remember the lay man's names, needless to say, the botanical names. <BR/><BR/>Like you say, the Mother-in-law's tongue, and the Mind your own business plant, I had great fun discussing these names with my friends. We get a chuckle out of them.<BR/><BR/>My posts are mainly lay man's names, sorry.<BR/><BR/>I like your photos.Ann, Chen Jie Xue 陈洁雪https://www.blogger.com/profile/04399207312968010460noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-70601970760718850062009-01-30T22:15:00.000-08:002009-01-30T22:15:00.000-08:00I too agree with your comments. Common names are s...I too agree with your comments. Common names are sometimes confusing, and in the world of cacti, there may be numerous common names depending on the region, subspecies, etc. Many folks who collect specimen plants really want and need to know. What really bothers me is to buy a plant that is mislabeled, and you won't know it for years, or else you've called out the botanical name and someone who Aiyanahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04525758484165324330noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-42725206252288343302009-01-29T12:41:00.000-08:002009-01-29T12:41:00.000-08:00I flove this post! (and yes, the f is meant to be ...I flove this post! (and yes, the f is meant to be there...) It oughta be required reading for gardeners as a way to encourage them not to fear the botanical names. I hear all kinds of pronunciations and make a few odd ones myself because as you say, we normally read botanical names long before we hear them. Even some of my professors way back in the day had some curious pronunciations of Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12107236871193698777noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-7814913969073919492009-01-28T16:41:00.000-08:002009-01-28T16:41:00.000-08:00When people give me the hairy eyeball for using La...When people give me the hairy eyeball for using Latin, I try and liken it to given names and nicknames. You may know three Barbs, but I'll bet you only know one Barbara Jean Whaite. <BR/><BR/>I generally get the glazed eyes and the polite smile, but y'know, it's their problem.<BR/><BR/>KorinaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-68338726932181055692009-01-28T16:28:00.000-08:002009-01-28T16:28:00.000-08:00How many people outside a few who follow Broadway ...How many people outside a few who follow Broadway musicals know <I>schadenfreude</I>. I love the word however.<BR/><BR/>My sister always called Anthuriums - Peter on a Platter. One of the few times I like the common name. My main issue with botanical names is - I can't spell worth crap. But that's my issue.<BR/><BR/>Love the blues btw.Lancehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17953459540634785074noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-7568680263677312022009-01-28T09:14:00.000-08:002009-01-28T09:14:00.000-08:00I couldn't agree more with your comments. I had a...I couldn't agree more with your comments. I had a discussion recently with my mom (who only uses common names and thinks botanical ones are silly and useless). When I mentioned that I had a new plant, Ctenanthe lubbersiana (which incidentally doesn't have a common name that I am aware of), I told her it was in the same family as Calathea. She looked at me with a blank face. But I knew she hadAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-77845461918818131492009-01-28T07:30:00.000-08:002009-01-28T07:30:00.000-08:00MY wife has asked for plant labels too! I have lik...MY wife has asked for plant labels too! I have like what, 300 plants at this point? So when we go around adn she tries to learn plant names, I give her th elatin ones just to piss her off. I DO have the labels--weatherproof ones they say--and a list all ready for my laser printer, stakes too.Benjamin Vogthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10661489036836711335noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-20800594485835642342009-01-28T05:01:00.000-08:002009-01-28T05:01:00.000-08:00Linas / patientgardener:Usually, though, even if a...Linas / patientgardener:<BR/><BR/>Usually, though, even if a name gets changed, the old name persists for a long enough time that it's possible to find out what you want to find out without having to know the new one. I mean, <I>Setcreasea purpurea</I> hasn't been the correct name for <I>Tradescantia pallida</I> for a long time, but you can still find references to it. It's not like discarded mr_subjunctivehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14113199755474482747noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-85609893219316576122009-01-28T04:40:00.000-08:002009-01-28T04:40:00.000-08:00This was a very interesting post. I agree that th...This was a very interesting post. I agree that those in the plant world should know the latin names. Like you I find that if I want reliable information I need the latin name to find it. I do get fustrated though when plants are reclassified and have new names. I have recently received some seeds from garden societies which do not appear in the most recent edition of the RHS plant guide and IHelen/patientgardenerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02164036792673009326noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-32047533624024254582009-01-28T04:37:00.000-08:002009-01-28T04:37:00.000-08:00I just read something in a botany book, though, th...I just read something in a botany book, though, that one drawback to only following the Latin scientific names is that they are sometimes subject to change. If a plant is renamed because of a new species discovery, for example, there is no particularly good way to promulgate its new name, so you end up with high confusion until enough people actually look it up on that international list over Linas Alsenashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17669276506456425372noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-35262200099856198392009-01-28T04:07:00.000-08:002009-01-28T04:07:00.000-08:00I have a picture but no name of a plant. Pls tell ...I have a picture but no name of a plant. Pls tell me how do I go about googling for its name ... botanical and common name ... thanksAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-90954953772249867922009-01-28T03:01:00.000-08:002009-01-28T03:01:00.000-08:00I know the botanical names of all my plants, and a...I know the botanical names of all my plants, and all the plants on my wish-list. For me there is no doubt which fern I am referring to when I say <I>Cheilanthes lanosa</I>. However, the Hubster can't cope. He doesn't know any of the botanical names, and can just about tell the difference between a fern and a cycad.<BR/><BR/>He'd be equally as crap if I referred to the sago palms rather than <IJuliahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04695173188736074202noreply@blogger.com