Botanical names
robert korfhage (korfhage@lis.pitt.edu)
Mon, 30 Jan 95 15:41:13 EST
I've just read Barry's piece on correct plant names, and it is very helpful,
at least to me. However, it leaves open one question that I occasionally
think about: What's the difference between 'var,' 'ssp,' and 'f'? Is this
largely a matter of some botanist's personal preference, or are there clear
rules for when each should be used. I thought that I understood cultivar,
but with Barry
's explanation, I'm not quite sure. Barry says "a plant which has been
selected as special, and has been described..." I thought that a cultivar
was a particular form that had been (artifically) developed, and would breed
true as to color, shape, ....
Bob
korfhage@lis.pitt.edu