Same genus/Different Kingdoms

[richard a fagerlund]

Generic names occasionally cross botanical/zoological lines.  There
are no rules against it.  The name Grayia is shared by a plant
and an African snake.


On Thu, 19 Sep 1996, Davis, Peter ext. 3232 wrote:

> I noticed recently the apparent duplication of a genus name for both an
> insect and a plant.  The genus name is Pieris.  In the Insecta, this genus
> appears in the Order Lepidoptera and Family Pieridae.  The best known example
> of the genus is Pieris rapae (Linnaeus), the cabbage white butterfly.  The
> genus name Pieris also appears in several books for a plant belonging to
> the Family Ericaceae.
> I am not a taxonomist but I would like comments on this apparent duplication
> and what significance it has from people on the list who are knowledgeable in
> these matters.
>
> Thanks   Peter Davis
>

Richard Fagerlund                    Mail: 993 Orchid SW
University of New Mexico                   Rio Rancho, NM 87124
E-mail: fagerlun at unm.edu            Phone: (505) 896-2524