Selling species (from today's Science)

[Ken Kinman]

Johan,
     Yes, I retracted that statement when some botanists informed me about
him naming some "genera" after people.
     But as for the genus Linnaea, I believe that it was originally named in
honor of him by a Dutch colleague, but since that predated the official
beginning of botanical nomenclature, it officially dates from Linnaeus'
book.  In any case, he seemed to be very humble about it.  And you have to
admire his sense of humor, especially in naming a noxious weed after a
German biologist who he didn't like.
                       -----Ken Kinman
*****************************************************
>From: Johan Liljeblad <Johan.Liljeblad at NRM.SE>
>Reply-To: Johan Liljeblad <Johan.Liljeblad at NRM.SE>
>To: TAXACOM at USOBI.ORG
>Subject: Re: Selling species (from today's Science)
>Date: Wed, 9 Feb 2000 11:30:33 +0100
>
>>     But I suspect Linnaeus would frown on naming species after people,
>>even for prominent biologists (which I believe began in the latter 19th
>>Century),
>>rather than the descriptive names he used.
>
>But he certainly named some genera in a non-descriptive way: e.g the plant
>genus Linnea which he obviously named after himself...
>
>Johan Liljeblad   ________________________
>
>    Department of Entomology
>    Swedish Museum of Natural History
>    P.O.Box 50007
>    SE-104 05 Stockholm
>    SWEDEN/SUEDE
>
>    Voice: +46-8-5195 4091
>    Fax:   +46-8-5195 4099
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