Mary Sue wrote:

Yes, this is correct. L. vernum is the type species of the Linnean genus
Leucojum.

Yes. The type of the genus is Acis autumnalis, and there are about 10
species in all.

AYcis or A cis ( a as in apple). A cis is probably more correct in
classical terms, but probably most people will use Aycis, as they do when
referring to Handel's opera, 'Acis and Galatea'. Acis was a shepherd in
Greek mythology.

If the world is wise it follows an authoritarive piece of taxonomic work;
if not, it can continue to be reactionary. This is fine so long as the
user can adduce arguments at least as convincing as those used by the
professionals.

This isn't a change based on DNA testing,

The work I am quoting from is an excellent, model study of a group of
closely related plants Galanthus and Leucojum, carried out at RBG Kew by
Dolores Lledo, Aaron Davis, Manuel Crespo, Mark Chase and Michael Fay,
entitled:

'Phylogenetic analysis of Leucojum and Galanthus (Amaryllidaceae) based on
plastid matK and nuclear ribosomal spacer (ITS) DNA sequences and morphology.'

It is currently in press, but I was given permission to use it for my
lecture at the recent RHS Snowdrop day.

They used three different DNA sequences, plus an analysis of 46 physical
characters to arrive at a cladogram (in effect a family tree showing
evolutionary relationships) that shows that Galanthus is most closely
related to Leucojum, and that Acis is a clearly defined group of its own.
In consequence their division follows these groups, and makes total sense
when one looks at the living plants.

all

This can be difficult, but in horticultural circles the rate of change is
generally so slow that it scarcely matters; the new names become instated
by slow osmosis, giving plenty of time for everyone to get to know what is
being discussed. Most good gardeners only refer to things by their
specific name anyway!

Think about it - how like a Eurasian Scilla is 'Scilla' natalensis? Not
very! It is a typical case of a non-European plant being shoe-horned into
a European genus by European botanists; now we have more refined taxonomic
techniques it is possible to untangle the former mess and place such
plants in their correct taxonomic place. A classic example of this are the
Australian everlasting flowers, stuffed into Helichrysum by European
botanists, now slowly and painfully being disentangled.

John Grimshaw

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