The Botanic
Nomenclature for Agroforestry Database is a compilation
of the taxonomic status of over 8000 woody and
herbaceous taxa found in agroforest ecosystems. The
database was prompted by the multiplicity of (mis)spellings
and synonyms emerging in agroforestry literature, and
the need for consistency. Currently there exists
specialised volumes (e.g. Index Kewensis) for checking
species identities but these are available to only a
small fraction of scientists and others working in
agroforestry. The database will be made available on the
internet as well as being produced as a booklet.
There are several advantages of
getting names right. It enables you to search electronic
sources of information (bibliographies, electronic
abstracts and internet) for available literature. It
enables you to communicate with others about species in
that alternatives (synonyms) can be highlighted, and you
can be confident that you are each talking about the
same plant.
As a standard we have used Index
Kewensis and where necessary employed Mabberley’s
(1997) Plant Book as a back up reference. In choosing
between alternate forms of Latin spellings we have used
William Stearn’s (1992) Botanic Latin as a guide.
