Rowan or not?

[Lancashire Lad]

My understanding is (Using Dandelion as an example). -

Taraxacum sp. - (species) would be used to describe a single member of the Dandelion genus when the particular species wasn't known.

Taraxacum spp. - (species,plural) would be used to describe more than one member of the Dandelion genus when none of the indvidual species in question were known.

Taraxacum ssp. - (subspecies) would be used to describe a single unidentified subspecies of the Dandelion genus.

Taraxacum subsp. - (subspecies) is an occasionally seen, and in my opinion better alternative, than ssp. as it avoids any possibly confusion with spp.

Taraxacum agg. - (aggregate) would be used when making reference to the whole of the Dandelion genus.

Regards,
Mike.

[Hedge Witch]

Can you use the family instead of the genus when you use spp.?

E.g. rosaceae spp.

[Lancashire Lad]

Originally Posted by Hedge Witch

Can you use the family instead of the genus when you use spp.?

E.g. rosaceae spp.

I suppose you could, although it might be considered wrong or slightly unconventional by trained botanists.

For example, if you were describing an unidentified Sorbus, an unidentified Prunus, and an unidentified Rubus, collectively they are Rosaceae spp.

I probably added to the confusion by referring to Dandelion family in my post above, when I should have said Dandelion genus. (I've now corrected that by editing the post).

Maybe someone with a biology/science background can enlighten us.

Regards
Mike.

[KeenTeen17]

Originally Posted by diggleken

its just laziness to use agg...................he he
Eyebrights one, where euphrasia agg is often seen used, because there are so many species, over 130 known, and differences are so small that sometimes location is the best indicator I gather.
Count me out of that one.
I always thought that agg was used where there were so many possibles, whereas spp was maybe from just a few likely close suspects - is that right?
Cheers
Ken

I was told that in order to claim a find of an Eyebright, you need to send six separate samples of the plant for another person to ID and authenticate it

[A-daisy-a-day]

Crikey, what have I started here, so much for my little ol' bit of Rowan from the path edge, I didn't realize he[she] was part of such an illustrious family, I am now in awe of my own Rowan and shall treat it with a lot more respect forthwith
giving it obeisance every morning.
NOw I found this strange plant the other day....................