Botanical Names

1. Botanical Names Ever changing world of botanical names, families and common names. Presented by Betty Girard McKenzie Seeds

2. Botanical names - • Science is evolving all the time. • Botanists study plants with more in-depth and determine that what they thought were characteristics in common are not as related botanically as they thought originally. • This results in ongoing changes in botanical names and families.

3. How it affects us? • Regulatory regulations no longer are keeping up with botanical name changes. • So many regulations refer to old names. • This may lead to confusion. • It is important for all to keep up with these ongoing changes.

4. McKenzie Seeds Review - • Last summer McKenzie Seeds reviewed all of its botanical names and found many changes that we were not aware of. • 1,598 flower packet varieties and 1,700 vegetable packet varieties are listed. • It took a long time to verify and update all of these botanical names and families. • And still keeping with the older CFIA versions for regulatory references.

5. Pepper Capsicum cultivars - In reality, there are different botanical names depending upon the cultivar and hotness scale (Scoville scale). We treat them all as Capsicum annuum. Nothing wrong with that it makes it simpler; the seed sizes and seeds per gram vary quite a bit. • Capsicum annuum, which includes bell (0 SR), cayenne (30000-50000 SR), paprika (2500-8000), & jalapeños (2500-10000 SR) • Capsicum baccatum, which includes the ají (30000-50000) • Capsicum chinense, which includes habaneros (100000-350000) • Capsicum frutescens, which includes tabasco (30000-50000) • Capsicum pubescens, which includes rocoto (50000-250000)

6. No matter how you slice it - still a tomato: Tomato • Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. var. esculentum • Lycopersicon lycopersicum (L.) H. Karst. • Solanum lycopersicum var. lycopersicum Is still in the Solanaceae family but is now a Solanum genus. Quite a change. There are some references that state Solanum spp. are weeds; so that is not a true statement anymore. CFIA grade tables and M&P still reference the old names. The M&P has to wait until grade tables are updated in order to change. AOSA rules may reference old names but have switched to the new names in most cases. It is also updated annually.

7. What references to use? • In Canada, for items listed in the grade tables and M&P we are forced to use the older versions of the botanical names. Until these are updated, we have to reference these. This is also true for the Noxious Listings. • We should be aware of the changes that are involved not only in crops but also in weeds. • Example is the listing of a potential invasive weed used the botanical name Nasella tenuissima common name Mexican Feather Grass and it has been known and sold in Canada by the botanical name Stipa tenuissima common name Pony Tails.

8. GRIN USDA/ARSGermplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN) • This is the best and most up-to-date reference for botanical names. It is electronic resource on the website http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/index.pl It is important to try to stay with one resource whenever possible. • The AOSA Uniform Classification for Weeds and Crops is a resource but it is based on the GRIN so it is better to go to the GRIN directly.

9. Other resources • There is the ISTA Stabilized List. I have never used this and try to stick with the GRIN - http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/index.pl • Common names vary between areas, countries and between generations. • There are resources for common names as well. You can search the GRIN for common names. • Inventory of Canadian Agricultural Weeds is also a resource for common names. It is recommended to use the names with * beside it. They were developed in 2003 which does make them older versions. It covers all items not just seed. • http://dsp-psd.pwgsc.gc.ca/Collection/A42-100-2003E.pdf • http://dsp-psd.tpsgc.gc.ca/Collection/A42-100-2003F.pdf

10. To Be Sure…. Use Botanical • Botanical names are clearer and can be clarified easier. If possible, use them on your Reports of analysis or your Seed Certificates. • There are common names that refer to many different things. Even something come like the Forget-Me-Not flower which is either a Myosotis or a Cynoglossum or a Brunnera type. Very different flowers and plants. • A weed common name like Quack grass or Couch grass is one that is confusing depending upon where you live in North America.

11. Seeds, Seeds and more Seeds - • Beside the Federal Canadian Noxious listing, there are Provincial noxious listings. • If we had to make sure all seed lots were free of all noxious both Federal and Provincial, we are talking about 257 different seeds and that might not include municipal or county listings as well. There is no overall official listing including them all. McKenzie Seeds has always kept a database of them for reference and updates it regularly. • In the USA, they have Federal plus State Noxious listings which is now in an up to date complied official listing for you to print off in the lab. • There is also now Invasive Plant species as well to keep track of. • The Seed Analysts writing examinations get a listing of items as well. • Not all of these lists encompass everything and new things are being added to many of them which can create problems. There is not sufficient identification or samples of the weeds/crops. As there are many different species in any one genera to say that this species is distinguishable from this species without having the benefit of examining multiple seeds makes the remarks questionable. Items are added to listings which in some cases are not clearly able to be visually identified in the lab or if they are able to be identified in the lab are certainly not being able to be identified by a grader without a microscope.

12. If unsure, check the GRIN. • Be wary of common names especially if you test outside of your immediate geographical area. • Questions? • Comments?