Iris Cohen schreef:
Any botanical name with L. after it dates from 1753.

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! ! ! Linnaeus did not die in 1753 and published quite a few names later on!
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If you want to pay your respects, there is a heroic size statue of
the gentleman in the Chicago Botanic Garden.

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The tercentenary in 2007 should be big, worldwide.
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If you are mainly a gardener, you don't have to worry about them.
Iris,

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Quite. They should not be contagious.
PvR