notes on word usage
diana chapman (Sat, 17 Jun 2006 10:44:43 PDT)

Common names are a pet peeve of mine, so I have to post another comment.

In perusing a gardening book, I found Sesbania referred to as "scarlet
wisteria tree". Which led me to pose the question, why isn't wisteria
called "purple Sesbania vine"? I find it extremely annoying and very
confusing to novice gardeners that a completely different genus is used in
describing a plant (as in Arum lily - actually this uses TWO different
genera). It's difficult, though, when you get ridiculed for using botanical
names. One lady, when I used the botanical name for a plant, actually said
"my, aren't we hoity-toity". Sigh.

Diana
Telos