names

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David Bracey

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names
« on: January 20, 2012, 05:07:06 PM »
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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 I have gardened in sub-tropical Florida, maritime UK, continental Europe and the Mediterranean basin, France. Of the 4 I have found that the most difficult climate for gardening is the latter.

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MikeHardman

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Re: names
« Reply #1 on: January 20, 2012, 05:51:39 PM »
Sorry DABRA, I can't remember if that was me or not!
Mike
Geologist by Uni training, IT consultant, Referee for Viola for Botanical Society of the British Isles, commissioned author and photographer on Viola for RHS (Enc. of Perennials, The Garden, The Plantsman).
I garden near Polis, Cyprus, 100m alt., on marl, but have gardened mainly in S.England

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JTh

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Re: names
« Reply #2 on: January 20, 2012, 11:55:59 PM »
David, I seriously hope you don't wish to introduce those horrible abbreviations here?
Retired veterinary surgeon by training with a PhD in parasitology,  but worked as a virologist since 1992.
Member of the MGS  since 2004. Gardening in Oslo and to a limited extent in Halkidiki, Greece.

David Bracey

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Re: names
« Reply #3 on: January 21, 2012, 08:39:23 PM »
Dear JTh ,wooophs, just an idea.
MGS member.

 I have gardened in sub-tropical Florida, maritime UK, continental Europe and the Mediterranean basin, France. Of the 4 I have found that the most difficult climate for gardening is the latter.

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JTh

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Re: names
« Reply #4 on: January 22, 2012, 11:30:32 AM »
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.
Retired veterinary surgeon by training with a PhD in parasitology,  but worked as a virologist since 1992.
Member of the MGS  since 2004. Gardening in Oslo and to a limited extent in Halkidiki, Greece.

David Bracey

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Re: names
« Reply #5 on: January 22, 2012, 09:48:04 PM »
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. 

 
MGS member.

 I have gardened in sub-tropical Florida, maritime UK, continental Europe and the Mediterranean basin, France. Of the 4 I have found that the most difficult climate for gardening is the latter.

ezeiza

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Re: names
« Reply #6 on: January 23, 2012, 02:25:29 AM »
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.

David Bracey

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Re: names
« Reply #7 on: January 23, 2012, 09:32:30 AM »
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................
MGS member.

 I have gardened in sub-tropical Florida, maritime UK, continental Europe and the Mediterranean basin, France. Of the 4 I have found that the most difficult climate for gardening is the latter.

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JTh

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Re: names
« Reply #8 on: January 23, 2012, 10:19:57 AM »
Let me guess:

POAVI: polygonum aviculare
STME: Stellaria media
POANN: Poa annua
ALMYO: Alopecurus myosuroides

And what is the prize?
Retired veterinary surgeon by training with a PhD in parasitology,  but worked as a virologist since 1992.
Member of the MGS  since 2004. Gardening in Oslo and to a limited extent in Halkidiki, Greece.

David Bracey

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Re: names
« Reply #9 on: January 24, 2012, 09:05:44 AM »
Not 100% correct.  Polygonum has a carpital P however I could send you the Bayer list of weed abbreviations.  Well done!  David
MGS member.

 I have gardened in sub-tropical Florida, maritime UK, continental Europe and the Mediterranean basin, France. Of the 4 I have found that the most difficult climate for gardening is the latter.

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John

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Re: names
« Reply #10 on: January 24, 2012, 10:26:35 AM »
I thought the first was Poa viviparia!?
John
Horticulturist, photographer, author, garden designer and plant breeder; MGS member and RHS committee member. I garden at home in SW London and also at work in South London.

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John

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Re: names
« Reply #11 on: January 24, 2012, 10:30:08 AM »
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!
John
Horticulturist, photographer, author, garden designer and plant breeder; MGS member and RHS committee member. I garden at home in SW London and also at work in South London.

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JTh

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Re: names
« Reply #12 on: January 24, 2012, 10:59:17 AM »
Thanks for your offer David, but I think life is easier without another set of names.
Retired veterinary surgeon by training with a PhD in parasitology,  but worked as a virologist since 1992.
Member of the MGS  since 2004. Gardening in Oslo and to a limited extent in Halkidiki, Greece.

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ritamax

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Re: names
« Reply #13 on: March 07, 2012, 08:10:38 PM »
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!
Hobbygardener (MGS member) with a rooftop garden in Basel and a garden on heavy clay with sand 600m from seaside in Costa Blanca South (precipitation 300mm), learning to garden waterwise