Tall Melilot

[asheleaf]

hi all, can anyone tell me the current name for tall melilot. Is it altissima or altissimus? I'm finding both. Not sure which is the new one or which is the old.

Also, while i'm here, is there a definite webstie for wild flowers where I could locate info like this?

thanks in advance, Ashe

[AshLee]

Hi Ashe,

It's altissimus according to the vegetative key by Poland & Clement, 2009.

HTH

Ash

[AlanS]

The new edition of 'Stace' (2010) also gves altissimus.

This is basically an argument over whether Melilotus is masculine or feminine. Most genera that end in _us are masculine and so individual species names (epithets) also have masculine endings (_us, _er, etc.)

However, there is a group of Latin nouns that end with _us but are feminine, and many tree genera (Populus, Sorbus, Ulmus, Fagus, Prunus ....) are feminine and so take epithets with feminine endings (often _a). Hence Populus alba, Prunus spinosa, Ulmus glabra ....

Evidently there has been a dispute over the gender of Melilotus as a Latin noun, but the consensus is that it is masculine. Indeed, the current International Code of Botanical Nomenclature (Vienna code, 2006) - the rules by which all plant Latin names are governed - specifically cites Melilotus as an example where botanical tradition (which over-rides any classical use) determines that the genus is treated as masculine. (Article 62.1 Ex. 1, if anyone cares.)

So Stace correctly gives Melilotus altissimus, M. albus, M. indicus and so on.

Alan

[asheleaf]

thank you for taking the time to explain the reasoning behind it all. They do like to complicate things, renaming & reclassifying everthing.

cheers, Ashe

[Dorts]

The name of this genus comes from the words Mel (honey) and lotus, a term for
clover-like plants. Often refered to in other countries as 'Yellow Sweet Clover' .
Dorts.

[Hedera]

Am interested in this post because in the 20's and onwards my father used to grow what he called Bokhara clover for the bees in our orchard. It looks like melilot with white flowers and has a very sweet smell. Has anyone heard of it?

[Dorts]

Originally Posted by Hedera

Am interested in this post because in the 20's and onwards my father used to grow what he called Bokhara clover for the bees in our orchard. It looks like melilot with white flowers and has a very sweet smell. Has anyone heard of it?

It's another name for White Melilot - Melilotus albus .
Dorts.

[Hedera]

Thank you Dort! Brings back a lot of memories. It grew nearly 5ft tall and the honey was very light and won prizes.

[Dorts]

Originally Posted by Hedera

Thank you Dort! Brings back a lot of memories. It grew nearly 5ft tall and the honey was very light and won prizes.

The honey sounds great. You don't happen to still have a jar I suppose?
Dorts.

[asheleaf]

Originally Posted by Dorts

The honey sounds great. You don't happen to still have a jar I suppose?
Dorts.

2 jars?

thanks, Ashe