Reed mace or bulrush?

[aeshna5]

Originally Posted by The Woodman

I take you point Dave, I was looking from another angle.

Where does Hedge Accentor come in ?

Accentor is a genus of insectivorous birds. Dunnock is our only regular species, but Alpine Accentor does turn up as a rare vagrant on a very irregular basis from European alpine habitats. There are more species in central Asia with about 5 species in the Tien Shan Mountains, Kazakhstan.

[Hobjob]

Bulrush - Typha latifolia
The respective names of this plant, and that of its close relative, Typha angustifolia, have been the source of confusion for many years. This one was once almost always called reedmace but became known as bulrush (or sometimes bull-rush) after a painting by Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema. His Moses in the Bulrushes showed the baby in a basket among plants which are clearly of the genus Typha. After that, the name bulrush, formerly applied exclusively to Scirpus (or Schoenoplectus) lacustris attached itself to Typha latifolia (and lesser bulrush to T. angustifolia) and many botanists have now given up the argument that these are incorrect.

Bulrush - Typha latifolia - Natural England


Support, not definitive proof though

[thunder]

Originally Posted by Hobjob

Bulrush - Typha latifolia
The respective names of this plant, and that of its close relative, Typha angustifolia, have been the source of confusion for many years. This one was once almost always called reedmace but became known as bulrush (or sometimes bull-rush) after a painting by Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema. His Moses in the Bulrushes showed the baby in a basket among plants which are clearly of the genus Typha. After that, the name bulrush, formerly applied exclusively to Scirpus (or Schoenoplectus) lacustris attached itself to Typha latifolia (and lesser bulrush to T. angustifolia) and many botanists have now given up the argument that these are incorrect.

Bulrush - Typha latifolia - Natural England


Support, not definitive proof though

This story is spoilt by the fact that Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema does not seem to have painted a picture of this title or appearance. He did paint "The Finding of Moses" but the baby is not hidden in a basket among plants of any kind. He is being carried in a basket by two young ladies - some white flowers dangle from the basket, and the bottom of the picture is framed with what appear to be delphiniums. Not a Reedmace in sight.

henrya

[treecreeper]

I am one of the diehards who will never accept 'bulrush' as a valid name for Typha Latifolia.

I don't know about the painting story but there is something similar in the pronunciation of 'gnu'. The official pronunciation is 'noo' but since Flanders and Swann ('I'm a gnu') pretty well everyone says 'g-noo'.

I'd better not get started on the pronunciation of 'deity'....


The Gnu Song
A year ago, last Thursday I was strolling in the zoo
when I met a man who though he knew the lot.
He was laying down the law about the habits of Baboons
And how many quills a porcupine has got.
So I asked him: 'What's that creature there?'
He answered: 'Oh, H'it's a H'elk'
I might of gone on thinking that was true,
If the animal in question hadn't put that chap to shame
And remarked: 'I h'aint a H'elk. I'm a Gnu!'

'I'm a Gnu, I'm a Gnu
The g-nicest work of g-nature in the zoo
I'm a Gnu, How do you do
You really ought to k-now w-ho's w-ho's
I'm a Gnu, Spelt G-N-U
I'm g-not a Camel or a Kangaroo
So let me introduce,
I'm g-neither man nor moose
Oh g-no g-no g-no I'm a Gnu'

I had taken furnished lodgings down at Rustington-on-Sea
Whence I travelled on to Ashton-under-Lyne it was actually
And the second night I stayed there I was woken from a dream
That I'll tell you all about some other time
Among the hunting trophies on the wall above my bed
Stuffed and mounted, was a face I thought I knew;
A Bison? No, it's not a Bison. An Okapi? Unlikely, Really. A Hartebeest?
When I thought I heard a voice: 'I'm a Gnu!'

I'm a Gnu, ,A g-nother gnu
I wish I could g-nash my teeth at you!
I'm a Gnu, How do you do
You really ought to k-now w-ho's w-ho.
I'm a Gnu Spelt G-N-U,
Call me Bison or Okapi and I'll sue
G-nor am I the least
Like that dreadful Hartebeest,
Oh, g-no, g-no, g-no,
G-no g-no g-no I'm a Gnu
G-no g-no g-no I'm a Gnu

[rangersarah2]

Brilliant poem. Had me giggling for ages.

I tend to use both names when I am talking to people, but I would love to be a purist about reedmace/bulrushes.

Things that have two names do cause confusion too, like the dunnock. Mountain ash and rowan is another one.

[Adam Cheeseman]

Greater Reed Mace Typha latifolia was colloquially known as Bulrush for as long as I can remember. It now appears to have been adopted as the official name, which is slightly confusing as the Common Bulrush a completely different plant has now been rebranded as Common Club-rush. At least I think that's the latest taxonomy on the matter. I'm sure someone will correct me.

Greater Reedmace is what I call it.