Linnaeus, birthday of :)
Peter Collinson wrote to Linneas on April 20, 1754:
“My dear friend, we that admire you are much concerned that you should perplex the delightful science of Botany with changing names that have been well received, and adding new names quite unknown to us. Thus, Botany, which was a pleasant study and attainable by most men, is now become, by alterations and new names, the study of a man’s life, and none now but real professors can pretend to attain it. As I love you, I tell you our sentiments.”
Ref: See digitized correspondance list here (L5411), courtesy of the Swedish Linnaean Society, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, Uppsala University and its library, and the Linnean Society of London, with the collaboration of the Centre international d’étude du XVIIIe siècle.
These interesting plant names, using Linnaean classification of course, celebrate the day:
Hebejeebie Heads, 2003 (Plantaginaceae) a member of the Hebe complex; it has caused taxonomists anxiety because its classification is problematic. [Botanical Society of Otago Newslette
Narcissus assoanus Dufour. (rushleaf jonquil, a U.S. lily)
Musa L. (banana) Linnaeus wrote that he wanted this one word to do the work of three. First, it is named after the Arabic word for banana,muz or muez, acknowledging the role of Muslem cultures in popularizing the fruit. Second, it honors Antonio Musa, doctor to Roman emperor Augustus. Third, it honors the nine Muses.
Thalia L. (tropical plant, Marantaceae) Named after Johannes Thal (1542-1583), an herbalist who wrote a flora of the Harz Mountains, but also honoring Thalia, one of the Graces.
All from Mark Isaak in his delightful Curious Taxonomy
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