I'm guessing that would be "natural order", i.e. "ordo naturalis" in
Latin. Herbalists seem to use the term a lot. See ICBN article 18.2
for a list of these old terms that should be translated into "family".

On Thu, 16 Mar 2006 12:54:35 -0700, Mareyn wrote
(in article . com):

My boss just came to me and asked, "Do you have any idea what the
"n.o." in front of a botanical family name means?"

Now, I probably knew the answer to this back when I was in college, but
it has since been purged from my mind. I've been looking through the
International Code of Botanical Nonmenclature trying to figure this
out, but I'm having no luck.

Does anyone happen to know the answer to this, right off the top of
their heads?

example: n.o. Aristolochiaceae

Thanks for your help!


--------------------------------------------------
Nadia Talent
Department of Botany, University of Toronto,
25 Willcocks Street, Toronto, M5S 3B2, Canada
Fax +1 416-978-5878
Also: Department of Natural History,
Royal Ontario Museum, 100 Queen's Park West, Toronto, M5S 2C6