‘Fungi are vital to life on Earth. In the UK alone, we have an estimated 12,000 species. Yet despite the growing popularity of fungal forays in the autumn, the vast majority of our fungi have only a Latin name. Lengthy mouthfuls of Latin can be off-putting and difficult to remember. Would Gadus morhua and Solanum tuberosum go down as well with the British public as ‘cod and chips’?’
Latin is the international language used by biologists for the naming and description of living things. Its use is obligatory in the naming of plants and animals, which are new to science. Common or vernacular names for species are not used in biological nomenclature because there is no consistency. Common names can vary from place to place for the same species (some species have acquired more than a hundred common names over the centuries), or a common name used for a species at one location can be found to refer to a completely different species elsewhere in the country. The universal system of binomial nomenclature founded by the Swedish naturalist, Carl Linnaeus (1707-78) ensures that every organism is supplied with two Latin names indicating the genus and species to which it belongs, e.g. Lactarius vellereus - a fungus (from Latin: meaning ‘milky white’ and ‘velvety’ respectively).
However, common or vernacular names are popular and easier to recall for most of us, especially if they are colourfully descriptive, e.g. Beefsteak fungus, or Stinkhorn. Thus, ‘in 2000, under the umbrella of the Fungus Conservation Forum, Plantlife joined forces with the British Mycological Society, English Nature and Scottish National Heritage to produce a list of recommended English names for approximately 1,000 species of fungus. This list includes the most common UK species, all the main edible and poisonous species, and species commonly illustrated in the more popular field guides. It also includes rarities of conservation concern linked in the UK Biodiversity Action Plans and the British Red Data List.’
‘A further 400 or so new names were created for those (fungi) with only a Latin name. The list gives each fungus species a group name, plus a word or two of description. Most well-established group names such as milkcaps, inkcaps, boletes – are retained, but members of the genus Russula become ‘brittlegills’ and Cortinarius are restyled ‘webcaps’, after the veil which protects them when young. Other inventions make use of colour, texture, or smell, including ‘blushing’, ‘toughshank’ and ‘slimecap’. The full list is available on www.plantlife.org.uk or request a copy from Plantlife Bookstore, Summerfield Books, Main Street, Brough, Nr Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria CA17 4AX, enclosing a cheque for £6.’
I wish to thank Plantlife for permission to quote extensively from their newsletter, ‘Plants & people’, Issue 12:Winter 2003.
Colin Hawes
© 2003 Suffolk Naturalists' Society