The MGS Forum
Members' notice-board => Notices => Topic started by: David Bracey on January 20, 2012, 05:07:06 PM
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Someone recently commented on Latin names and how long/complex they are, especially when writing them. Was it Mike.?
We used to use a simplified system to identify weeds in the field. For example Galium aparine became GALAP. THe first two letters of the generic name followed by the first three letters of the specific name.
There are instances....I`ve forgotten them ......where this abbreviation could cover 2 or 3 species however the sense of the sentence should eliminate these errors.
I will take some plant names at random and let`see what happens.
Erysimum candicum becomes ERCAN
Ligustrum japonicum becomes LIJAP
Phyla (not Lippia) nodiflora becomes PHNOD.
and Alisdair becomes ALAIR
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Sorry DABRA, I can't remember if that was me or not!
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David, I seriously hope you don't wish to introduce those horrible abbreviations here?
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Dear JTh ,wooophs, just an idea.
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No problem, David, but I believe that creating new names like that will make everything even more complicated and less precise. I agree, some names are rather cumbersome, like Paeonia mlokosewitschii, which is quite a handfull, but at least there is no doubt which plant you are talking about. This forum is after all not only for a few members with their own lingo, but anybody out there looking for information about a specific plant should be able to get a hit also at this site, which they would not if we created our own nomenclature.
There is always a discussion if the Latin names should be dropped, some seem to think it is just snobbishness and a way to create a distance to 'ordinary people'. Coming from a country with four million people and not having English as my mother tongue, I can assure you that the scientific names make it much easier for us when we try to communicate in another language. I have no problems generally using my own language when I speak to Swedes and Danes, but when it comes to names of birds and plants, most of them are completely different. Even in my own country I sometimes have problems, we have two official languages (plus Sami, which I don't understand at all), and more dialects than you can imagine, even here Latin names are sometimes very useful.
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What could be easier than PAMLO but of course you would have to know the plant in the first place.
No doubt there are members out there who have to learn plant names in Greek, Spainish, Italian, French, Croatian and even English as well.
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Similar codes are used in landscaping. Of course it is not for replacing the current accepted nomenclature but an useful tool when working in the field where necessarily a limited number of species will be found.
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That`s very interesting. Of course there were a limited number in my case, for example POAVI, STMED, POANN, ALMYO etc. A prize for their latin names................
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Let me guess:
POAVI: polygonum aviculare
STME: Stellaria media
POANN: Poa annua
ALMYO: Alopecurus myosuroides
And what is the prize?
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Not 100% correct. Polygonum has a carpital P however I could send you the Bayer list of weed abbreviations. Well done! David
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I thought the first was Poa viviparia!?
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Actually, thinking about this doesn't this mean this is just as confusing as using common names or you have to learn all of the abbreviations as well as the full latin names!
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Thanks for your offer David, but I think life is easier without another set of names.
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The good thing: it is a dementia prophylax to memorize things!
I for myself come from Finland, my husband is Russian, I live in germanspeaking Switzerland and have a garden in Spain - I am actually trying to learn the plant names in all these languages plus the latin name!