AusBonsai

Howdy, Could someone please explain to me why there are about 5000 different species called lillypillies?

Ok Ok I think there is only two, but it really stuffs me trying to figure out the breed of a tree I got from the bargain bin at one of my local Nurseries.

Please help me?
Ron

Common names are an affliction.
I believe it is something to do with not being able to pronounce the Botanical name. So it is called by something people can say and remember easily.
Unfortunately common names for plants can change from suburb to suburb.
Back to you question the Boffins found a slight difference in the so decided one to be Acmena and the other to Syzygium.
Similar things are happening with the Eucalypts. Also happened with Casuarina and Allocasuarina .
This is just my take I have no Scientific facts to back this up. So if any one out there does please feel free to help us out. Pup
The reason for the edit
I just re read the original post. It behoves commercial Nurseries and any where they sell plants to have the botanical name.
That way the customer knows what they are getting.
Example Maple botanical name Acer with palmatum as the species. The reason I used the maple is as we know there are about 500 species now with all the hybrids.
Then to show how the common name becomes embeded in our thoughts. I know of people that use only Acer to describe them, and I have heard people ask what they mean. Pup

Ha ha, buddaboy, i'm like you... as soon as there are more than one thing, it's THOUSANDS of things!!!

Well Ron, you sure aint on your own when it comes to trying to identify Aussie Tree species. There are so many, I believe that even the taxonomists can't agree on them. They seem to throw new sports all the time necessitating a new name to be thought of.

I remember reading an article on the 'Tiny Trev' about how they had some seedlings that were covered in some sort of poison and the ended up with a dwarfed tree which they then took cutting off and produced the Tiny Trev a little hedging tree.

So good luck on the Lilly Pilly and when you find out how to tell the difference - please report back.

Just as frustrated,
Jon

Also add "Waterhousea" to the list of possible genus.

http://asgap.org.au/w-flo.html

(P.S. i think fly has a nice Waterhousea

JayC

JayC. wrote:Also add "Waterhousea" to the list of possible genus.

http://asgap.org.au/w-flo.html

(P.S. i think fly has a nice Waterhousea

JayC

I would like to know when the moderators are going to change the swearing policy here. I mean Waterhousea indeed
Next it will be babingtonia

Surely you meam Babbling-tonia?
Penny.

mudlarkpottery wrote:Surely you meam Babbling-tonia?
Penny.

You are right Penny after being in the coffee shop I am liable to do that Pup

I blame You...... Genia! (Eugenia)

JayC