Leucojum

Mary Sue Ittner msittner@mcn.org
Sat, 27 Mar 2004 18:02:50 PST
Dear John,

Are you saying that the only two species that will be considering Leucojum 
are Leucojum aestivum and L. vernum?  Did I read that right? All the rest 
will now be known as Acis? How in the world do you pronounce Acis? Does the 
world follow what Kew proposes? This isn't a change based on DNA testing, 
but a change on the basis of physical characteristics? Is it possible that 
when DNA is done, that they will all be back together?

I think I said it before but if the botanical names keep changing as 
rapidly as they seem to lately soon we will no longer be able to say to all 
those people who prefer using common names that using botanical names 
allows us all to know that we are talking about the same plant. How do we 
keep up?

I haven't quite recovered from the thought that the first year my Scilla 
natalensis is finally going to bloom it has been converted to Merwilla 
natalensis.

Mary Sue

>This plant is now correctly known as Acis tingitana, to follow the very
>sensible suggestion from botanists at Kew that all the small Leucojums with
>narrow leaves and unmarked flowers revert to the old genus Acis, reserving
>Leucojum for the robust, wide-leaved, green-marked L. aestivum and L.
>vernum.
>
>John Grimshaw


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