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pcplantdb - Re: [pcplantdb] common names

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  • From: "Lawrence F. London, Jr." <lfl@intrex.net>
  • To: pcplantdb@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [pcplantdb] common names
  • Date: Thu, 09 Sep 2004 17:22:18 -0700

John Schinnerer wrote:

Common names are vital information and should be included in db search
routines.
They have everything to do with local and indigenous knowledgebases.
People growing up
around plants in their yards and neighborhoods learn common names first
and they are retained in memory
for a lifetime.

Yep - and totally different plants in different locales/bioregions may
(do) have the same common name. So it is useful, and, potentially
confusing.

Very true.

Try figuring out what turnip salad is, creecy greens.

Common name 'ironwood' is an example I am familiar with re the above.

There is an ironwood tree around here, often multistem; a native variety.
Beautiful landscape plant
in mixed plantings or as specimen.

Common name combined with images and detailed descriptions and so on will
be required to help users determine which of many plants with same common
name they are actually getting info on.

I can see how comon names may be of secondary importance
but still very important to have in the database. When doing a search enter
biome/geographic location/climatic zone/bioregion plus common name of
the plant to find out what it is and looks like in different areas around the
globe.

--
L.F.London
lfl@intrex.net
http://market-farming.com
http://www.ibiblio.org/ecolandtech




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