Cymbidium rectum

[Cym Ladye]

Sadly, it is. Registered by Ridley in 1920 from a specimen found on the Malay Peninsula. Blame RHS for allowing it.

Trivia for the day

CL

[Andrew]

Originally Posted by Cym Ladye

Sadly, it is. Registered by Ridley in 1920 from a specimen found on the Malay Peninsula. Blame RHS for allowing it.

Cymbidium erecta had been taken (twice) and its main distinguishing feature is the erect spike. There probably wasn't much of a choice. According the the monocot checklist, you should blame the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, not the RHS.

[kavanaru]

Very nice flowers

Originally Posted by Andrew

Cymbidium erecta had been taken (twice) and its main distinguishing feature is the erect spike. There probably wasn't much of a choice. According the the monocot checklist, you should blame the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, not the RHS.

Keeping in mind this is a species, neither the RHS nor any other horticultural group can be blamed for accepting the name... That's not their business in this cases! The only one to be blamed (if that would be necessary - which I think is not the case here!) would be the botanists naming the species!

RHS and other horticultural groups very often accept names which can be quite funny or politically incorrect, as that's the name given by the hybridizers self, and the RHS has not much to say there, e.g. Paph Ho Chi Min (considered by many as insulting for the vietnamese folk) or Phrag. Prince Albert (pearcei x M. Dick Clemens)

As Ron said, the name itself has nothing bad in it, but the association people does with the human anatomy (which by the way, is called rectum because it is the only part of the human larger intestine which is "more or less" straight and vertical: between the anus and the rest of the intestine - most people wrognly think actually that the anus is the rectum! Anal cancer: Treatment - Patient Information [NCI PDQ] - AOL Health)

[Andrew]

Originally Posted by kavanaru

Keeping in mind this is a species, neither the RHS nor any other horticultural group can be blamed for accepting the name... That's not their business in this cases! The only one to be blamed (if that would be necessary - which I think is not the case here!) would be the botanists naming the species!

The Strait Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society was not a hortricultural group. It was the scholarly society that published the description of this species in its journal. While it's hard not to find some humour in the name, I don't have a problem with Ridley's choice of a name. Moving beyond this case, while I agree that the author of the munuscript bears the blame for the work they submit for publication in a journal, it is not unreasonable to question the editorial board of a journal for misjudging the merit of manuscripts they publish. Scientists are always complaining about journals placing more emphasis on impact and politics than scientific merit when accepting papers. As a more extreme example of this, lets not forget how red-faced Science was after the Hwang Woo-Suk fraud.

[kavanaru]

Originally Posted by Andrew

The Strait Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society was not a hortricultural group.

that's why I did not mentione them in my post

however, I do not agree that the editorial board of the journal should make a statement on the name given to a new species (not their job neither their business!) even less in this case where the name is perfectly correct...

[orchids3]

Having a senior moment regarding how the plant came to be called Cym rectum but it was and interesting story. Two early plant explorers and toxonomists were the best of friends and promised each other that they would name their next discovery after the other. The first kept his promise (I dont remember the Name) but after that the two men had a falling out and disagreement. The second explorer and toxonomist kept his promise by naming the plant as he promised rectum as it was the what the thought of the first. Even toxonomists have a sense of humor - I know I need to fill in some blanks regarding this story as I said I am having a senior moment.

[johnblagg]

Originally Posted by orchids3

Having a senior moment regarding how the plant came to be called Cym rectum but it was and interesting story. Two early plant explorers and toxonomists were the best of friends and promised each other that they would name their next discovery after the other. The first kept his promise (I dont remember the Name) but after that the two men had a falling out and disagreement. The second explorer and toxonomist kept his promise by naming the plant as he promised rectum as it was the what the thought of the first. Even toxonomists have a sense of humor - I know I need to fill in some blanks regarding this story as I said I am having a senior moment.

Harry that is a great story and now the humor factor has went up by a factor of 10


THANK YOU

[Cym Ladye]

Thank you all for a most interesting as well as humorous background on the registration of this species. Although I am familiar with some of the better known stories behind the registration of some Cymbidium species, I am always curious to hear more. This thread, complete with a photo, has been a most informative adventure, (senior moments and all! ) even though most of us will never grow it.

Sorry I blamed the RHS on this one. You are correct in the part they play in registration of species names. Their acceptance of hybrid names is another subject for another day......

CL

[orchids3]

Does anyone know the story behind the hybrid Cymbidium Portagee Pal (Cymbidium rectum x Cymbidium Dry Hole). Strange names make me curious. Sometimes names are registered with the intent to insult someone or make a backhand reference to someones character - maybe?