Cavan Allen

As our hobby grows, I think that our knowledge of the plants we keep should keep pace. I can think of a couple reasons why we should all make the effort to learn our plant's scientific names. It's not hard! A couple reasons are:

- It helps us to know the requirements of what we're keeping.

- We learn interesting things about the plants we keep that we otherwise might not know.

- It spurs an investigative spirit that leads to more and more success in keeping aquarium plants.

- Sending something on to someone else? To avoid any mix ups, make sure you have what you think you do.

- It's just interesting. Yes, we're not all nerds about this kind of thing like I am, but it really is fun to find out the identity of that attractive new plant you found locally.

- A lot of sources, like a few LFS here that shall remain nameless, don't feel the need to accurately identify what they're selling. It's often up to you to find out what something really is and then decide if it's really what you want. The unfortunate practice of selling non-aquatic plants as ones that are suitable for submersed life is a good example of what I'm talking about here.

- If nobody tried to accurately identify anything, where would our hobby be? This one is a bit hard to articulate, but I think it's an important one to mention. Maybe someone else can help me out.

Please discuss what I've talked about here and bring up a few points of your own. Why do you think we need to learn scientific names and properly identify what we've got?

MiamiAG

Hey Cavan,

I absolutely agree. Learning and using scientific names prevents mix ups that are detrimental to our hobby. It allows us to easily understand what plant we are discussing or looking to trade/buy.

How do you think someone who is new to the hobby can go about learning the scientific names of plants?

Phil Edwards

I agree that using latin names aids in preventing a lot of confusion, that's for sure. Sometimes using a common moniker is appropriate though and can actually be the thing to avoid confusion.

For me, the easiest way to learn the latin name is to simply not use common names. That forced me to learn and use the latin. It quickly became second nature and is easier now than having to remember a common name. It's also great for forming associations between plants in the same genus. Once the association is made about the general shape and habit of Rotala and the Generic name I can spot most Rotala even if I don't know the exact species. Then it just becomes an issue of figuring out the specific epithet and there it is, another species learned.

Another great way to learn the latin is to look in the Plant Finder.

Learning to identify at least the genus of a plant also helps me make generalizations about their keeping requirements. I know that Rotala generally require the same conditions and that Vallisneria may not. If my tank is favorable for Rotala then I know not to get Vallisneria, for example.

Knowing the latin is also a great way of keeping pesky "experts" at the LFS away when they try to push a product on me. "Oh really? That's Hygrophila corymbosa not Hygrophila difformis and I don't think it would do well if I used that pH buffer." It's the speaking in italics part that's hard for me.

Regards,
Phil

MatPat

Practice, practice, practice

The main reason I learned the scientific names for the plants is that they are often called different common names in different parts of the country!

If you do a Google search on "Stargrass" you will find several plants with the common name stargrass. However, do a search for Heteranthera zosterifolia and you find the Stargrass we usually refer to.

I have found since moving back to Ohio from Maryland, some folks here call Didiplis diandra "Stargrass" instead of Blood Stargrass.

Learning the scientific name can greatly reduce the confusion of the identity of plants and make it much easier to get the plant you truly want

ruki

It takes alot of time, but so far it seems worth it.

It's quite difficult though. People don't want to use Latin and instead want to use a cutesy name, or worse yet make up their own cutesy name for a plant

It's taking me about a year, with purchase of several plant ID books to become comfortable doing this though.

hoppycalif

Learning to read the Latin names has been difficult for me, but I'm getting there. My major problem is that I rarely know how to pronounce the Latin words. This isn't a problem for posting here, but it certainly would be a problem if I tried to carry on an in person conversation with someone about my Cryptocoryne beckettii petchii.

ruki

What's simultaneously amusing and irritating is that my SO has no trouble reading the Latin names. Perhaps this is an 'unfair' advantage when coming from a country that teaches chemisty with the word Kalium instead of the word Potassium.

Some Latin names are practically impossible for me to pronounce at this time.

BryceM

I hate it when someone asks me what plants I have. I know darn well what is in the tank and I can probably tell you who I got it from, how fast it grows, and where it looks best in the tank. The uncertainty of how to pronounce the name of it though is crippling.

I might have "Blickza eau-bear-tee, or it might be "Blyzzza O-bert-eye"..... who knows?

A phonetic guide as part of the plant finder would be quite helpful. We just need to find a native speaker of Latin, hehe.

gnatster

So how do we get the Pope into aquatic plants?

SCMurphy

Scientific names are not always Latin based, they can be based on what ever native tongue is spoken in an area where something is discovered. Scientific names are most important in writing. In speaking, well, you have to trade pronunciations with the people you are talking to until you come to understand one another.

For example, at the ECS meetings in Switzerland, I was asking a German fellow to say a name again for me, Americanized Latin is not the same as Germanized Latin is not the same as Swissed Latin, etc. Herr Josef Bogner proceeded to lecture me on the (irony) importance of scientific names. I only slowed him down when I explained that the binomial naming system was also important in my field of work and I was only asking for a repeat of the name so I could filter out the differences in accents. I got a "Goodt!" and the conversation continued.

Cryptocoryne bogneri is named in honor of Herr Bogner's efforts in the botanical world.