USDA standardized taxonomy

[JOSEPH E. LAFERRIERE]

Yesterday, someone mentioned a proposal concerning an official
US government system of nomenclature and taxonomy. This idea
certainly has merit, as thousands of forest rangers, range
managers, wildlife biologists, and other people work for the
US Forest Service, Park Service, and serveral other agencies. They
cannot be expected to keep up with the latest changes in the
systematics literature.
  I do wish, however, to point out a problem. Many such federal
employees follow such standardized listings slavishly, even when
the books conflict directly with international standards.
Those of you who have been subscribing to Taxacom for a long time
will recall the controversy I fell into almost two years ago. My
boss at the time, officially working for a university, but engaged
in a long-term study on federal property under federal grant,
insisted on shortening any commemorative plant name ending in
-ii. Thus, Yucca shottii became Yucca shotti. Another problem that I
did not mention on Taxacom at the time was that he was also
following the USDA's [United States Department of Agriculture]
official listing of plant names. There were
two or three cases in which my search of herbarium literature
showed this USDA list to be incorrect, recommending junior
synonyms be used in place of older synonyms, even though
every book I looked in accepted the older synonym. The boss, despite
his PhD in zoology, paid no heed to my findings.
   My point is not that standardized listings by a government
agency should not be made or used. My point is that the people
who make the lists take care to follow current international usage.
No nation, not even the US, should think its decrees should
take precedence over international agreements.
   Incidentally, the USDA's official list of plant names did
say Yucca shottii, not Yucca shotti. It is strange how some people
can have selective loyalties.

Dr. Joseph E. Laferriere
Celestial Union Gallery
http://www.BusinessOn.com/cugall

--
Dr. Joseph E. Laferriere
"Computito ergo sum ...  I link therefore I am."