Vernacular names [Was: Mystery thorn tree]
 

In article ,
"P van Rijckevorsel" wrote:
Gene Royer schreef
What a silly thing to say in a public forum.
Do you ever stop to think before you hit the send key?
You're as silly as an Anseranas semipalmata.

+ + +
Actually it does not require thinking to repeat an established truth.
Vernacular names are only useful in a limited social context.
If social context is not specified it is a guessing game what the vernacular
name applies to. IIRC it is not that hard to find vernacular names that
refer to as many as a hundred species. Vernacular names often are worse than
useless because people assume that they adequately name a plant when they
give a vernacular name. Old stuff, especially in a public forum.

Here in Oz, especially in the world of tropical pasture grasses and
legumes, the cynics would point out that you *have* to use the common
names because the bloody taxonomists keep changing the latin
binomials. So the only constant name is the common one. ;-)

P.S. To the doubting Thomases -- the mystery thorn was identified to
the OP's satisfaction almost as soon as the query was posted. Which
was pretty bloody impressive, I reckon! (Then again, those thorns
*were* rather unusual, so anyone familiar with the plant would
recognise them easily I guess.. Just like those who are familiar with
particular species can recognise them along the roadside when
passing at 70 mph.)


Cheers, Phred.

--
LID

Vernacular names [Was: Mystery thorn tree]
 

Phred schreef
Here in Oz, especially in the world of tropical pasture grasses and
legumes, the cynics would point out that you *have* to use the common
names because the bloody taxonomists keep changing the latin
binomials. So the only constant name is the common one. ;-)

+ + +
That is true enough I guess. On the other hand the common names in Oz are
often the same ones as are used in other parts of the world for completely
different plants.
PvR

Vernacular names [Was: Mystery thorn tree]
 

In article ,
"P van Rijckevorsel" wrote:
Phred schreef
Here in Oz, especially in the world of tropical pasture grasses and
legumes, the cynics would point out that you *have* to use the common
names because the bloody taxonomists keep changing the latin
binomials. So the only constant name is the common one. ;-)

That is true enough I guess. On the other hand the common names in Oz are
often the same ones as are used in other parts of the world for completely
different plants.

Yes, in a general sense that's pretty right. But, in the specific
field of tropical herbage plants used in sown pastures, Oz stole a
march on the rest of the world for several decades, so "our" common
names for these plants are widely recognised.

Mind you, we've really fallen off the pace in the past 10 years or so,
so any new material will most likely have a Portuguese or Spanish
name, courtesy of Brazil and other South American countries.


Cheers, Phred.

--
LID

Vernacular names [Was: Mystery thorn tree]
 

Phred schreef
Yes, in a general sense that's pretty right. But, in the specific
field of tropical herbage plants used in sown pastures, Oz stole a
march on the rest of the world for several decades, so "our" common
names for these plants are widely recognised.

+ + +
But in many other fields things are really confusing:
try ash, box or rosewood.
PvR

Vernacular names [Was: Mystery thorn tree]
 

Phred schreef
Yes, in a general sense that's pretty right. But, in the specific
field of tropical herbage plants used in sown pastures, Oz stole a
march on the rest of the world for several decades, so "our" common
names for these plants are widely recognised.

+ + +
But in many other fields things are really confusing:
try ash, box or rosewood.
PvR

Vernacular names [Was: Mystery thorn tree]
 

In article ,
"P van Rijckevorsel" wrote:
Phred schreef
Yes, in a general sense that's pretty right. But, in the specific
field of tropical herbage plants used in sown pastures, Oz stole a
march on the rest of the world for several decades, so "our" common
names for these plants are widely recognised.

+ + +
But in many other fields things are really confusing:
try ash, box or rosewood.

Yes. I agreed with you on that:
"Yes, in a general sense that's pretty right."


Cheers, Phred.

--
LID

Vernacular names [Was: Mystery thorn tree]
 

But in many other fields things are really confusing:
try ash, box or rosewood.

Phred schreef
Yes. I agreed with you on that:
"Yes, in a general sense that's pretty right."

+ + +
OK, OK,
PvR