Iris domestica

antennaria@aol.com antennaria@aol.com
Mon, 29 Aug 2005 10:20:42 PDT
Jim,
 
I'm wondering about the name "Epidendrum domesticum".  Do you think the name "domesticum" was applied because the plant was known only from cultivation, or had been widely "domesticated".  
 
The reason I ask, this reminds me of another taxonomic conundrum in Allium that was finally sorted out, well... sort of.  Specifically, Allium "aflatunense" of horticulture, cultivated for perhaps two centuries in Holland and grown by the millions to fill the fall bulb bins at your local Nursery center, was found to be an imposter... not the true Allium aflatunense at all.  But with the provenance of the A. "aflatunense" of Hort largely unknown, this long-cultivated plant was formally recognized recently as it's own species, and published as Allium hollandicum!  The most seen cultivar is A. hollandicum 'Purple Sensation'.
 
I believe the choice in naming in this case, is silly. Surprisingly, in the horticultural world where names become deeply entrenched, the name Allium hollandicum really took off and became universally used. 
 
 
Mark McDonough        
Pepperell, Massachusetts, United States  
"New England", near New Hampshire  
USDA Zone 5
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website: http://www.plantbuzz.com/
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