L. = Linnaeus?

[Yuri P. Nekrutenko]

Albertine C. Ellis at March 16 wrote:
>   Dear Collaegues,
>   I have a somewhat curious problem.
>   In botany the names of authors usually are abbreviated. To satisfy an
>   editor I have to render the authors of a number of plant species in full.
>   No big problem, except - to my surprise - for L. (usually pronounced as
>   Linnaeus), which I was regrettably silly enough to look up too.
>           Both Harvard and Missouri Botanical Garden databases give for L.
>   "Linnaeus, Carl von";

BOTH ARE WRONG. CORRECT: Linnaeus, Carolus OR Linne', Carl von

as far as I know his name was Carl (Latinized as
>   Carolus on title pages) Linnaeus. In addition, Harvard mentions as
>   alternative name "Carl von Linne", the accent on the e understandably
>   having been devoured by the ASCII code.
>           Zander (*1) gives "Carl von Linn=E9", Flora Europaea (*2): "C. von
>   Linn=E9 (C. Linnaeus)", the name he bore after he received a knighthood
>   (1761).
>           I hope I am not expected to check for every species wether it has
>   been published before or after 1761.

WHY NOT? A TAXONOMIST SHOULD KNOW SUCH DETAILS. IT'S A SENSITIVE TEST FOR
HIS (HER) PROFFESSIONAL COMPETENCE. A TAXONOMIST SHOULD KNOW PRIMARY SOURCES.

>           Did I miss something? A rule, a recommendation, an agreement, the po=
>   int?

IF YOU ARE A FLORIST, YOU MISS NOTHING.

>   Information on this topic will be highly appreciated by
>   Albertine Ellis
>
Best regards.
Yuri.

Dr. Yuri P. Nekrutenko
Institute of Zoology
UA-252601 Kiev 30, MSP
U K R A I N E
e-mail: ypnekrut at mbat.freenet.kiev.ua