For those interested in why "those darned taxonomists" change names, Alan Weakley (author of the new flora of our area) has written a wonderful article titled “'Red-headed step-children' – part of the family or not?" that I--as editor--have included in the summer issue of
Chinquapin, the newsletter of the Southern Appalachian Botanical Society. Past issues are now being posted on the SABS website
www.sabs.appstate.edu, but since this is the current issue it's available only to members. If anyone is interested in seeing this--and joining SABS--simply email me at
scottranger@comcast.net and I'll send you a PDF of the issue.
He specifically deals with:
Amphianthus is now a
GratiolaNemopanthus are now simply
IlexDuchesnea is now included in
PotentillaBelamcanda is longer isolated away from
IrisCimicifuga is no more and is an
Actea the way Linneaus thought it was
Dodecatheon are now included in
Primula!
Leiophyllum and
Loiseleuria are now included in
Kalmiaand perhaps most heretical of all,
Hepatica are no more since they're all
Anemone.
It's great reading.
Scott Ranger
