How to abbreviate the genus name when listing plants

Discussion in 'Plants: Nomenclature and Taxonomy' started by chirita, Dec 27, 2006.

  1. chirita

    chirita Active Member

    Messages:
    73
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    british columbia canada
    I am making a list of all the plants I own. Rather than writing out the complete genus name for each I would like to abbreviate the genus where I have many species and cultivars to list. However I am confused as to how to do this for genera that start with the same letter in the alphabet.As an example I have Chlorophytum comosum and Chirita balansae. Would it be correct to list them both as C. comosum and C. balansae. How would someone looking at my list know that one is a Chirita and the other a spider plant? Is there a reference to which i could go that would list all the accepted abbreviations for different genera.
     
  2. Michael F

    Michael F Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator 10 Years

    Messages:
    11,419
    Likes Received:
    502
    Location:
    Britain zone 8/9
    Best to spell them out if there's any risk of not knowing which genus is meant. Abbreviating is only done where there is no room for doubt.
     
  3. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

    Messages:
    21,279
    Likes Received:
    793
    Location:
    WA USA (Z8)
    You know from the sequence. You spell it out the first time it is used in the list and then abbreviate afterward, until the next genus. Like this:

    Abelia 'Edward Goucher'
    A. x grandiflora
    A. zanderi
    Abies grandis
     

Share This Page