On 23 Aug 2012, at 1:08, Bulborum Botanicum wrote: > spore elements A confusion between "spoor" and "spore" and thence between "trace" = "track", "spoor" (of an animal) and "trace" = "a minute amount". Etymologically the latter meaningn of "trace" is probably a development from the former. Is this cause for laughter and derision? No, of course not. Could many of us with English as our first language manage as well in another language? This leads me to an intersting subject: As, with various degrees of truth, French is considered the language of love, German the language of mathematics, and Italian the language of music, which language, if any, can be said to be the language of gardening? Not Latin! That is the language of botany. -- Rodger Whitlock Victoria, British Columbia, Canada Z. 7-8, cool Mediterranean climate