Sue wrote:

Anna Pavord has a recent book out on the history of plant classification.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article...832130,00.html

The Independent magazine was doing a special on her book two weeks ago.
I half read 'The Tulip' from her a few years back and find her very
difficult to read. The above book is quite amazing however, but still
her style of writing is a bit annoying. What has fascinated me in that
article was the insight into artists of the time when plant names were
loosing their original names from being shifted country to country. In
this article it explained the paintings of Botticelli's and that the
famous flowers he painted weren't just ciphers but were central to a
new beginning in plant naming.

I think I'll get this book ... )