HERB - Nomenclature

[Christine A Seelye-King]

Ok, here is a topic I would like to explore.  This comment about the
lilac variety vs. species got me thinking about this, which I have been
doing lately.  I would like to become much more familiar with the
classifications of plants, and some general discussion here will work
wonders, I think.  

On Thu, 20 May 1999 17:37:29 -0500 Roberta R Comstock
<froggestow at juno.com> writes:
>The common lilac (_Syringia vulgaris_) is native to lands in the 
>Eastern Mediterranean region - the Balkans, Turkey, Persia - hence 
>Persian Lilac.  I think French lilac is probably a variety rather than 
>a distinct species.   <snip>
>Hertha

	I take it a variety is one step below a species?  Are there 'points of
difference' as in heraldry that says that something is different, but not
different enough to be considered a separate species?  

(Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species)

Here are some comments made some time back about this topic.  They
explain why I am confused, anyway!

Keith E. Brandt, M.D. wrote (quoting about chamomile):
>"...To make matters worse, even the name of the plant family to which
>this herb belongs has been changed from Compositae to Asteraceae."
> Galen

This isn't correct (even tho a direct quote from a book).  The Botanical
Nomenclature experts periodically issue Rules of Nomenclature.  Over the
last century they've been steadily reorganizing, so for example
scientific names of American plants of 1920's publications are
drastically different from the names we'd use now.  In mid-century they
organized the family names.  Plant families are the key group people use
for recognition: its the custom to mention the family of a plant so that
if you don't know the actual plant, the family will help you visualise
_Physalis angulata_ may mean nothing to you, nor the common name,
cutleaf ground cherry, but if I tell you its in the Tomato Family and
you visualize leaves with a funky smell, short herb, branching like a
tomato, tomato-like white/yellow flower, fruit like a small green cherry
tomato--
you're close and way ahead of visualizing a mint or an oak.

So the revised system required that each family be named for a genus
within that family.
Solanaceae:  _Solanum_ is nightshade, a tomato relative 
Poaceae is the grass family:  _Poa_ is the genus of Kentucky bluegrass, 
Asclepiadaceae is the milkweed family, _Asclepias_ is the genus of
milkweeds
etc. for 450 families

The -ceae is the ending that says: family

BUT, there were 5 big, important, plant families with traditional names,
and the Botanical Congress couldn't get the votes to make them conform.
So they compromised by allowing those families to keep their traditional
names.  That is, they left it that both names are legal.
So Compositae is a correct family name for daisies, chamomile, tansy,
marigolds, dandelion
but so is Asteraceae (named as you see for _Aster_)
The others are: grasses Poaceae or Gramineae, mints Lamiaceae or
Labiatae, umbels (dill, parsnip)
Apiaceae or Umbelliferae, and mustards (cabbage, broccoli) Brassicaceae
or Cruciferae.

I think its worse than changing because an author is free to use
whichever one they prefer, driving you to two places in the index, not
just one.  

One reason the old names held out is they are descriptive:  Compositae
have a compound head of lots of little flowers, Umbelliferae have flower
stalk in the form of an umbel, mustards have cross-shaped flowers
(Crucifer-ae).

Its not that the system is illogical, exactly, its just the product of
400 years of work, and so, complex.

Mistress Agnes deLanvallei, O.L., Mag Mor, Calontir
Promoting study and safe re-creation of all the uses of plants in the
Middle Ages: If I can aid your investigations, I would be honored to do
so.
(working on it, thanks Mistress Christiana)
kkeeler1 at unl.edu

	And from me again...
	So, is that why I find garlic and other alliums listed as Liliaceae and
as Alliaceae?
	And what and when was the Botanical Congress?
	Much enlightening discussion would be wonderful. 
	Christianna
	sitting back and ready to take notes!
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