What's so important about a name?

Sometimes in the field of taxonomy there are some misleading names that cause confusion and frustration. In the early days everyone was going crazy to have an opportunity to name species. Names were being slapped on species right and left without thinking it through. Sometimes, there were errors in transcription that led to unintened names. As a result some species are stuck with misleading names that in some instances can lead to erroneous assumptions. I'd like to mention some of these now.


Washingtonia robusta (left, right) and Washingtonia filifera (center)

Two of the most common species of palm trees planted in southern California are Washingtonia robusta and Washingtonia filifera. They are closely related and it is not uncommon to find hybrids between the two species yet the two plants are distinctly different in one feature-the trunk diameter. W. filifera has a stouter trunk and grows from 60-80 ft. tall. W. robusta has a narrower trunk, and tends to grow from 80 to 100 feet tall. The term robusta refers to something being stout in nature while the term filifera means thread bearing. Both species have threads at the margins of their leaf segments so the name filifera was not entirely distinctive in separating the two species. However, the name robusta should have been given to the species with the stouter trunk.

Ehrharta erecta is a non-native plant that has caused southern California great concern because it is choking out the native grasses along the coast. The species name erecta gives the impression that this grass stands up straight. However, only when it is crowded does it become somewhat erect but in general it is a prostrate plant. Therefore the word prostrata would have been far more appropriate name for this species. The fact that it is prostrate is of major concern to it's own propagation. the nearly horizontal new growing culms are just barely above horizontal if a plant is in a non-crowded environment. These prostrate inflorescence's weigh down to the ground with mature seeds and are a major feature of E. erecta's ability to reseed itself so successfully. I know two other species of Ehrharta that are uncommonly found in California, E. longiflora and E. calycina. In contrast to E. erecta, these two species grow completely erect. It is puzzling to me why the author chose Erecta for a plant that is prostrate, when other species are more clearly erect.

The scientific name of Jojoba, a native shrub of the southwestern United States is Simmondsia chinensis. The species name chinensis may impart that this plant has origins in China. However, it is only known to occur as a native plant in the southwestern United States. Shortly after this plant was named,there was an article written in a botanical journal suggesting that the name be changed before it was ingrained in the botanical society but this recommendation was refused.

While there are no hard and fast rules about naming species, I find for myself it is important that the names accurately reflect species characteristics or at the very least do not suggest something entirely uncharacteristic. If you know of other plant species that in your opinion are misnamed or do not accurately characterize a particular species please share these with me. This is something of interest to me and someday I'd like to gather a list of these species to share.