Nomenclature

diana chapman rarebulbs@earthlink.net
Mon, 11 Jul 2005 08:37:16 PDT
Since we seem to have members on the PBS forum who are versed in Latin or
linguistics, I would like some clarification of spelling, if possible.

Calochortus westoni when first described was spelled thus.  It has morphed
into C. westonii, repeated in recent articles and even in the Jepson Manual.
What gives?  The same applies to C. gunnisoni, now spelled C. gunnisonii.  I
thought from my extremely distant memories of Latin that the "i" ending
means "of" or "from" or "belonging to" or something of that sort, so why put
two of them?  Then what about C. leichtlinii, C. nuttallii, C. coxii, C.
howellii, C. lyallii and C. weedii?  And then there's Camassia cusckii etc.,
etc.

Comments appreciated.

Diana
Telos Rare Bulbs


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