LIBRARY 

 NEW YORK 

 BOTANICAL 



TORREYA QARDEN 



Vol. 32 May-June, 1932 No. 3 



The pronunciation of botanical names 

 H. A. Gleason 



Since the beginning of modern botanical science, names of 

 Latin derivation or latinized form have been given to plants. A 

 few botanists have attempted to ridicule the custom by using 

 names of a different form, such as the meaningless combinations 

 of letters used by Adanson, but these attempts are mostly for- 

 gotten. Throughout the world botanists are now accustomed to 

 Latin names, under modern codes of nomenclature such form 

 is obligatory, and the usage may now be considered one of the 

 basic features of scientific terminology. 



One of the chief difficulties in the oral use of such names lies 

 in the diverse manners of pronunciation. At every gathering of 

 botanists variations in pronunciation are heard. In most cases 

 these cause no confusion among professional botanists, although 

 they sometimes produce a ripple of laughter, but they may be 

 and frequently are confusing to the younger botanist or ama- 

 teur, and they certainly indicate a lack of uniformity among 

 botanists. 



Our only present means of readily ascertaining a pronuncia- 

 tion acceptable at least to some botanists is to consult current 

 manuals, in which the accented vowel and its quantity are in- 

 dicated by a grave or acute mark. I have an idea that most 

 botanists do not follow these recommendations in every case. 

 If the reader is interested, he might pronounce the following 

 common generic names, to assure himself of his own methods, 

 and then consult the seventh edition of Gray's Manual to see if 

 he is really orthodox: Althaea, Anemone, Conium, Empetrum, 

 Erigenia, Hypericum, Itea, Lechea, Picea, Pilea, Reseda, 

 Urtica. Then if he wishes a greater surprise, he can try Physo- 

 stegia and Pycnanthemum. 



It is hazardous for a botanist to attempt to discuss the matter 

 of pronunciation in the face of possible criticism from classi- 



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