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ROSES - Part 2 |
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This set of rules for nomenclature has become more important than ever in recent years, owing to the production of so many new varieties of plants each year. Primarily it was designed to elucidate botanical naming, and it has done a great service. That aspect concerns us less than the naming of horticultural varieties and, in particular, of varieties of roses. The code consists of principles, rules, and recommendations. The principles govern both the rules and recommendations; the rules state those things that must be done, while the recommendations relate to aspects that are less imperative. Under the rules, any variety that is first given a certain name has the prior and sole right to that title for all time, and the name must be retained by that variety for all time. In other words, the name must never be duplicated or altered. The recommendations suggest many things: the avoidance of names bearing marked similarity to those already in use, the omission of the articles "a" and "the" and titles such as "Mr", "Mrs", "Miss", "Madame", "Monsieur" or their equivalents, the use of titles consisting of only one word whenever possible, and a request for a maximum of three words in any name, as well as the choosing of titles that are easy to pronounce.
These rules and recommendations cannot apply to names already given to varieties, but adherence to them is most desirable in all bestowing of horticultural titles in the future. A translation of a name to another language was regarded, until recently, as an alteration, but it is now allowed provided that the original name is given as well, in brackets. Sometimes raisers disregard the recommendation to avoid titles that are difficult to pronounce. In those cases, with the consent of the registrars of rose names, "commercial synonyms" are now permitted. This, unfortunately, opens the way to all sorts of more or less legitimate name-changing. There are already organizations for the registration of plant names in Great Britain, the United States of America, France, and Australia; others will be co-operating very soon. This should bring an end to the ridiculous situation wherein several roses each bear several names. Three roses of fairly recent raising have been called Canberra; another three have been named Daybreak; there are two called Afterglow, and, to make matters worse, one of them was formerly known by a different name-thus two rules have been broken in the renaming. There are two Golden Butterfly roses, of which the second also breaks another rule relating to nomenclature in that it is a translation of Goudvlinder. Many more such examples could be given. Renaming of roses is usually inspired by mercenary opportunism. Admiral was publicized in America as WAVES, the initial letters of Women Accepted for Voluntary Emergency Services, the American women's auxiliary naval organization, and was offered for sale there during the war years. Helvetia was altered to Mandalay, and sold as a novelty during the South-East Asia campaign. Minna Kordes became World's Fair, and was featured in extensive plantings at the large Exposition after which it was named. President Nomblot was changed to Horace McFarland, probably the best-known American in the rose world. Quebec became Mme Marie Curie, thus breaking a rule by altering a name, and disregarding a recommendation by including the title Madame. Rosenmarchen was renamed Pinocchio at the time the Walt Disney film of that name was being shown in America. Mme A. Meilland was listed and sold in France in 1942 under this, its original and therefore correct, name, but in Germany it has always been called Gloria Dei, and in Italy, Gioia, while it was introduced into America in 1945 and sold under the title of Peace, its fourth name, despite the existence of another rose named Peace. Mrs Verschuren was altered to R.M.S. Queen Mary soon after Britain's huge luxury liner made her maiden voyage to America. Instances such as these could be quoted in large numbers. America has been the chief offender, but other countries have condoned the practice. Names consisting of as many as six or seven words have been given to some roses; they are not only unnecessary, but they prevent the varieties from ever becoming popular. |
