John Grimshaw wrote: "I am surprised at the usually so-precise Jim McKenney's outburst against the invaluable word affinis, abbreviated to aff...Aff. means quite clearly and simply, 'akin to...’" John, let me see if I can persuade you that I am trying to be as precise as I usually try to be. Because there appears to be a compliment of sorts to me in the quote above, I will attempt in my response to be affable and to avoid outbursts. I object to the use of this term affinis in the way being discussed because it is illogical: it does not deliver what it promises. It purports to state the very things which are in fact unknown: relationship and identity. The word akin expresses natural relationship, not mere similarity. What sense does it make to use the word akin before such natural relationship is established? This distinction between natural relationship and mere similarity is the salient difference between modern taxonomy and taxonomy as practiced up until the beginning of the twentieth century. Isn't this usage of affinis a vestige of nineteenth century taxonomic practice and thought, a vestige of the times when taxonomists believed that if things looked alike, they must be related? You know as well as I do that similar appearance does not necessarily indicate natural relationship. A better term would be simulans, in the sense of resembling. That word avoids any implication of necessary biological relationship. Jim McKenney jimmckenney@jimmckenney.com Montgomery County, Maryland, USA, 39.03871º North, 77.09829º West, USDA zone 7 My Virtual Maryland Garden http://www.jimmckenney.com/ BLOG! http://mcwort.blogspot.com/ Webmaster Potomac Valley Chapter, NARGS Editor PVC Bulletin http://www.pvcnargs.org/ Webmaster Potomac Lily Society http://www.potomaclilysociety.org/