HORTAX NEWS Vol 1, Part 5 - 31 May 2001

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The Role of HORTAX - Some thoughts from the Chairman Crinan Alexander, Royal Botanic Garden, 20A Inverleith Row, Edinburgh, EH3 5LR, Scotland, UK. <c.alexander@rbge.org.uk> HORTAX has achieved much in the last twelve years thanks to Susyn Andrews's energetic chairmanship (1988-1998) combined with a lot of hard work by the other members of the group, in particular Diana Miller (Secretary) and Piers Trehane (retiring Editor of the Newsletter). Our activities have coincided with, and we hope contributed to, a rapidly increasing, world-wide interest in cultivated plant taxonomy. There are now probably more researchers in this area than ever before. As HORTAX settles into its second decade, we should reflect on its role, and how we may best bring about our objectives. The primary role of HORTAX must be directly or indirectly to serve those who need to use or understand the names of cultivated plants. These users and their needs include: Horticulturists and researchers in plant-breeding and related disciplines working directly with plants in the trade or in private and public institutions: The need for useful, usable and correct names and epithets. Botanists and horticulturists involved in the taxonomy and nomenclature of cultivated plants: The need for Codes and other procedures which are concise, logical and easy to follow. Members of the public: The need for confidence that plants on sale and displayed in collections will be correctly named, and some understanding of the rationale and background to the names that are apparently thrust upon them. Legislators and other officials in national or international bodies concerned with framing or interpreting legislation involving plant names: The need for awareness of the Codes of Nomenclature and their implications. It is also very important that the members of these groups should not only be aware of each other's activities, but also communicate effectively with each other. Progress in this complex field can best be brought about if everyone involved is aware of and open to the priorities and constraints directing other workers. HORTAX should continue to play a key role in opening or keeping open lines of communication. Good progress has already been achieved through the Third International Symposium (1998) and the publication of its Proceedings (1999) as well as publication of HORTAX NEWS. We intend our Newsletter to continue in electronic form on our Web site, and we look forward to future symposia being organised on a regular basis. (See details of the forthcoming symposium in Toronto in this issue.) The thirteen members of HORTAX represent several different disciplines concerned with accuracy and stability in the names of cultivated plants, ranging from "classical" botanical taxonomy through horticultural taxonomy to DUS (Distinctness, Uniformity and Stability) testing of potential new cultivars and the granting of Plant Variety Rights. Our expertise in the latter area was recently strengthened when Liz Scott from NIAB (formerly the National Institute of Agricultural Botany) joined the Group in March 2001. Details of the professional interests of all Group members, and even their portraits, can be found on our Web site: http://www.hortax.org.uk/ Funding of groups such as HORTAX can sometimes be precarious, and we are very grateful to the Stanley Smith Horticultural Trust (UK) for continued support over the last ten years, and also to the organisations employing us, which have supported travel and facilities for meetings and conferences. At present, a small surplus left over from the 1998 symposium has allowed us to move forward on a couple of projects, one of which is the publication of this final hard-copy edition of the Newsletter, the other being the preparation of a booklet on plant names and their correct formation and use. We hope to publish this booklet, aimed at horticulture students, in the next few months. We were also pleased to be able to lend some money to the European Garden Flora project to help pay artists' fees and the salaries of assistant editors during the last few months of preparing the final volume, Vol VI; this was published in the autumn of 2000 bringing this impressive project to a close. Though most members of the Group work in research institutes of one sort or another, we are very aware that we must keep in touch with the real world in which the names of cultivated plants are given and used. If anyone reading this feels there is some problem we should be tackling or some area in which we should be involved, then please get in touch with me at the address given above.

HORTAX NEWS Vol 1, Part 5 - 31 May 2001

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Postscript: The 3rd International Symposium on the Taxonomy of Cultivated Plants, Edinburgh, 1998 Mike Grant, Botany Department, The Royal Horticultural Society's Garden, Wisley, Woking, Surrey GU23 6QB, UK It's not often that one looks at a conference programme and realises that every single aspect of it appears to be unmissable. That was the feeling I had on the train to Edinburgh in July 1998 and it somehow seemed appropriate that I got talking to an American sitting next to me who wanted to know what all the crops were that we were seeing out of the train window. I resisted the temptation to bore him with my observations on the increasing trackside frequency of self-sown, yellow-foliaged Sambucus canadensis or clonal variation in Epilobium angustifolium as we sped north. One of the most valuable aspects of the Symposium was the presence of a significant number of highly experienced non-professional botanists. This was evident from the first day, when UK National Collection holders revealed findings from research on their collections. On the same day, we heard how a surprising number of common species in cultivation are represented by only one clone. This fact contrasts rather strikingly with the diversity of some cultivar collections. The second day heralded a shift in pace as the ornamental seed trade led us in to their fast-moving commercial world. This was, to me, the most alien and interesting aspect of horticultural taxonomy to be unveiled at the Symposium. The presentations made clear the difficulties we have when trying to place the products of the ornamental seed industry into a taxonomic framework. I think everyone benefited from the exchange of ideas, especially those involved in producing the next edition of the ICNCP. Likewise the next sessions, on trademarks, patents, and plant variety rights, further areas where nomenclatural regulations may need to take more account of users' needs and commercial practice. It was reassuring to hear from Registrars world-wide who are creating nomenclatural stability through their activities. I know there were several Registrars present in the audience and I am sure they were as distressed as I was to hear about the problems faced by rose registration in the USA. The culton concept received a good airing the next morning and was probably the most popular topic of conversation throughout the week in the non-hierarchical environment of the conference bar. The same environment was very conducive to the formation of shifting cultivar-groups, perhaps helping delegates to formulate their ideas on such things prior to the Open Discussion on the ICNCP. From some point during the week, I have this vague memory of the launch of an association for cultivated plant taxonomy. The impact of the microchip and molecular biology was much in evidence towards the end of the week with sessions on databases and DNA fingerprinting. Practitioners were demonstrating their powers and gently revolutionising the practice of horticultural taxonomy. The poster room provided a cool retreat and emphasised the international flavour of the Symposium. The delegate list revealed there were participants from 30 countries present. If one wanted to get even cooler, or wetter, then one ventured outside to admire the amazing display of Dierama, Eryngium and that white daisy (was it Chiliotrichum?) around the campus. If you wanted to get really soaked, you went on the coach trip to Logan Botanic Garden, although the garden is ample reward for any discomfort. For the mid-conference excursion I went to Dawyck Botanic Garden where Pseudotsuga menziesii made more of an impression than the eponymous beech. That visit reminded me of a story I heard from a non-horticultural member of the RHS staff who, on an earlier visit to that garden was promised sight of the famous Dawyck beech. She replied that she didn't realise it was a trip to the seaside. I may have missed the beach, but I wouldn't have missed the Symposium for anything! Proceedings of the Symposium are available as: Andrews, S., Leslie, A. C., & Alexander, C., (eds) Taxonomy of Cultivated Plants: Third International Symposium. Proceedings of the Meeting held in Edinburgh, Scotland 20-26 July 1998. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, UK. Pp [i]-xix, 1-553. 1999. ISBN: 1 900347 89 X. £27.00 Available from The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew http://www.rbgkew.org.uk/data/subject.html [Note: This page has moved to http://www.kewbooks.com/]

HORTAX NEWS Vol 1, Part 5 - 31 May 2001

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XXVIth International Horticultural Congress, August 11-17, 2002 Much of what follows is adapted from the Call for Abstracts published by the organising committee of the Congress. Further information, including the full documentation outlining all 23 Symposia, may be obtained from the address given under Contacting the Congress Organisers, or may be found on the Congress Web site: http://www.ihc2002.org/   Toronto - the place to be in 2002 The Canadian Society for Horticultural Science, in conjunction with the International Society for Horticultural Science, the American Society for Horticultural Science, the Potato Association of America, and many other participating and cooperating societies invites horticultural science professionals from around the world to attend the XXVIth International Horticultural Congress. We are expecting scientists from more than 70 countries to help us celebrate the latest progress in horticultural science and technology. We know that you will enjoy the hospitality, vitality, and cultural diversity of Canada's largest city and of the province of Ontario, a region rich in natural beauty and in horticultural science and industry. The theme for the XXVIth IHC - "HORTICULTURE: ART AND SCIENCE FOR LIFE" - reminds us that we must not lose sight of the integral role of artistry in our chosen discipline - that the horticultural arts and sciences exist to nourish and enrich the human body and the human soul. The Congress program will explore this reality and relate the very latest developments in horticulture science to the human condition - to human lives in context. In seven outstanding colloquia, world-class speakers will address subjects of great contemporary importance such as Genomics, Food Safety, Plant Based Medicines, Space Agriculture, The Knowledge Business, and Improving Human Life Quality. Twenty-three multi-day symposia will combine oral presentations and poster discussions to delve deeply into topics such as Protected Cultivation, Biotechnology, Plant Genetic Resources, Vegetable Crops Breeding and Seed Production, Issues in Sustainability, Environmental Stress, Postharvest Horticulture, Asian Plants with Unique Horticultural Potential, and Taxonomy and Nomenclature of Cultivated Plants, to name just a few. These symposia of which S22: The Fourth International Symposium on the Taxonomy of Cultivated Plants is detailed below, will form the heart of the scientific program of the XXVIth IHC. Less structured evening workshops will meet the needs of various society-linked working groups to discuss topics of special interest. As will be fully described with this Announcement and Call for Papers, your scholarly contribution to the Art and Science of horticulture can be recognized at this Congress by: Contributing a paper (or papers) to the Congress - many of which will be linked to a Congress symposium; Presenting a poster to a Congress-wide audience; Participating in a symposium-linked poster discussion session; Publishing an abstract in the Program and Abstracts book and, in many cases, a full paper in a symposium-linked volume of Acta Horticulturae; and Participating in workshops. With an array of symposium-linked tours on the concluding Saturday, you will have an opportunity to explore the horticultural and scientific riches of southern Ontario. More extensive pre-Congress tours of the Maritime Provinces, Quebec, and British Columbia are in an advanced stage of planning. All tours, plus an attractive program for accompanying persons, will be announced with the Registration and Housing Package to be distributed in June 2001. Finally, the importance of fellowship, relaxation, renewal of spirit, and exploration has not been overlooked. It begins with a gala Welcome Reception on Sunday evening and concludes with a wrap-up social event Friday evening. Wednesday is reserved as a day for delegate enrichment - to enjoy Niagara Falls, experience Ontario's diverse horticulture industry, and enjoy the sunshine and fresh air with a picnic lunch on the grounds of Queenston Heights Park. This large group of scientists, representing many countries and the unique blend of disciplines and specializations promised by the list of symposia and participating and cooperating societies, will provide a special opportunity to renew old friendships, make new ones, and develop new personal perspectives on the art and science of horticulture. We look forward to seeing you, and learning with you, in Toronto in 2002.   Symposium 22: The 4th International Symposium on the Taxonomy of Cultivated Plants Conveners: Steven Clemants (USA) - steveclemants@bbg.org Campbell Davidson (Canada) - cdavidson@em.agr.ca Piers Trehane (UK) - piers@indhort.demon.co.uk Sponsors to date: ISHS Commission on Nomenclature and Registration American Association of Botanical Gardens and Arboreta (AABGA) Horticultural Taxonomy Group (HORTAX) Symposium Web site: http://www.ihc2002.org/ihc2002/multi_day-symposia_S22.htm Each of the 23 Symposia will run concurrently in its own rooms at the Congress centre and will feature one session per day on the Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday (Wednesday is given over to an excursion to Niagara Falls for all Congress participants). The themes for each day-long session for Symposium 22 are outlined below: they are not cast in stone and are subject to change, but the following is outlined to give a taste of what the Conveners of this symposium intend. Each session will start with a presentation from an invited key-note speaker and will be followed by eight presentations selected from the contributed papers by the Conveners assisted by members of an International Scientific Committee (the members of this Committee are shown on the Symposium Web site). Two hours will be given over for lunch and attendance at the poster session in the middle of the day and there will be a more extensive open forum at the end of each day to debate the issues raised in each session. There will be organised two-hour workshops on specific topics in the evening of the Monday, Tuesday and Thursday.   Session 1: PLANT NAMES - A MEANS OF COMMUNICATION? Use and abuse of plant names: Trademarks: Variety denominations: Registration, statutory and non-statutory: Plant retailers' perspective: Names in databases: Names on garden labels: Megadatabases of plant names: Promoting use of the Code. Session 2: TRENDS AND DEVELOPMENTS IN CLASSIFICATION METHODS Review of modern methods: Case studies: Clonal determination methods: DNA analysis: Inert DNA markers as proprietary identifiers: Traditional morphological methods: Phenology versus Phylogeny: Do cladistic methods have a role to play in cultivated plant systematics? Trials, scientific and commercial: Consensus taxonomies. Session 3: FRUIT AND CROP PLANT CLASSIFICATION Statutory requirements: International standards: National listing and International lists: Need for a universal, user-driven nomenclature: Stabilisation of names: Landraces: Heritage varieties: Case studies [especially for tropical subjects]: Germplasm depository perspectives. Session 4: CULTIVATED PLANT TAXONOMY - A WORTHWHILE DISCIPLINE? Future of such taxonomy: Training for the discipline: Taxonomic instruction at school and college level: Bibliographic research and resources: Development of Standards in the herbarium: Taxonomists in the trade and in public gardens: Clonal reference collections: Horticultural floras: The role of botanical gardens: Interaction with the public: Communication with the real world. In addition to the organised sessions, it is planned to hold a number of evening workshops including one for International Cultivar Registration Authorities (ICRAs) and an open meeting on the Cultivated Plant Code so that further input can be made into development of its next edition. If anyone has further ideas for this symposium, especially regarding holding a workshop or any other side-meeting please contact the Conveners or members of the International Scientific Committee. The developing programme will be posted on the dedicated symposium Web site given above. Please bookmark this URL or add it to your favourites and revisit from time to time to keep abreast of any developments and changes.   Congress Call for Contributed Papers Introduction The XXVIth International Horticultural Congress introduces a new approach to organizing and scheduling contributed papers. The overall aim is to provide participants with the best of all possible options - an array of focused and carefully organised symposia and poster sessions held within the shell of a World Congress with all the associated opportunities for international networking and inter-disciplinary learning. More than 500 contributed papers will be selected for oral presentation within the 23 symposia. Those not selected for oral presentation by the symposium teams may be presented as posters "linked" to a symposium. All posters will be centrally displayed for the duration of the Congress and presented to a Congress-wide audience in a general poster session. Here is how it will work. Authors are now invited to submit titles and abstracts of original scholarship for review by the Scientific Program Task Force and by the conveners of the 23 Congress symposia. The convener or conveners of any one symposium will select up to 30 papers for oral presentation and designate other contributions as "symposium-linked" posters to be discussed within the context of that symposium. Each symposium will result in a volume of Acta Horticulturae which will contain papers presented as key-note addresses, selected oral presentations, and as symposium-linked posters. All contributed papers will be presented as posters except those specifically selected by the symposium conveners for oral presentation. All posters, whether linked to a symposium or not, will be scheduled for presentation to a Congress-wide audience during four one-hour poster sessions in the Congress Exhibition area. All posters will remain in place for the duration of the Congress. It is believed that this format will lead to a more interesting and dynamic program. The information provided with this Announcement should be sufficient for you to submit a title and abstract for consideration by the Scientific Program Task Force. However, additional information about the Congress and about the symposia is posted at http://www.ihc2002.org/ and is worthy of your attention. Please ensure that your abstract is transmitted, either electronically via our Web page (our preferred option) or on a diskette sent by air mail to reach us by October 15, 2001. Please use one or the other method of transmission, not both! Conditions for Acceptance and Presentation of Contributed Papers: The Scientific Program Task Force (SPTF) shall have full authority to assign papers to an appropriate Congress session. Rejection of a paper by the SPTF shall be final. Authors understand and accept that their paper will be presented as a poster (1.2 × 1.2 m) unless specifically selected for oral presentation. The information contained in the paper has not previously been published, either electronically or in print, or presented at another scientific meeting. The paper reports the results of original research or scholarship with direct relevance to horticulture. The abstract must be informative; those suggesting that the work is not yet complete will be rejected. Papers dealing with new methods in horticultural research, extension or education are welcome and encouraged. Participants may be listed as the presenting author on no more than two contributed papers. Authors understand that if they agree to link their contribution to a symposium they will be expected to deliver a manuscript for Acta Horticulturae at the time of the Congress. The official language of the Congress is English. Authors are expected to present personally; translation services will not be provided. All presenting authors must be registered for the Congress by April 15, 2002. Papers attributed to presenting authors not registered by that date will be considered withdrawn and will not appear in the program or abstract book. Procedures for Submitting, Judging and Assigning Contributed Papers Please read carefully Authors are encouraged to carefully consider the information about the 23 multi-day symposia (see http://www.ihc2002.org/) and indicate a first, second, and third choice of symposia that match the topic of their contribution. The presenting author must be clearly indicated. Contributions should be submitted as early as possible - and no later than October 15, 2001. All contributions will be acknowledged and given a file number. There will be an initial review by two members of the SPTF. It is at this stage that contributions will be accepted or rejected and this decision will be based solely on scientific merit, appropriateness, and completeness of the information. Contributions accepted by the SPTF and with content that appears related to one or more Congress symposia (as indicated by the author or judged so by the SPTF) will be forwarded to one or more symposium conveners. Symposium conveners will select some contributed papers for oral presentation and identify others as symposium-linked posters (i.e., posters that will be discussed during the symposium and published in the volume of Acta Horticulturae). Some papers may be selected by several conveners, requiring correspondence among conveners and between conveners and authors before the final program is put in place. Authors will be officially informed by March 1, 2002 if their contribution has been selected for oral presentation (18 minutes plus two minutes for discussion) or has been identified as a symposium-linked poster. In either case they will be asked to prepare a manuscript (maximum eight pages) for Acta Horticulturae. The guidelines for publication in Acta Horticulturae are available at http://www.ishs.org/. All papers to be presented as posters, including those linked to one of the symposia, will be assigned to one of the Congress-wide poster sessions and will be on display in the Exhibition area for the duration of the Congress. A Program and Abstracts book containing the abstracts of all invited and accepted contributed papers will be provided to participants at the beginning of the Congress. The scientific program of the XXVIth IHC is meant to be as inclusive as possible - it imperative that all authors have a fair opportunity to present, highlight and discuss their research. Please come prepared to share your work with colleagues through interaction at your poster and in discussion sessions specific to the symposium you have designated.   Important Dates Deadline for submission of abstracts: October 15, 2001 Acceptance/non-acceptance notices to be received by: December 1, 2001 Official notification of oral or poster presentation: March 1, 2002 For your abstract to appear in the abstract book the presenting author must register for the Congress by: April 15, 2002 Manuscripts of papers selected for inclusion in a volume of Acta Horticulturae must be received by: August 17, 2002   How to Submit an Abstract Abstracts can be submitted 'on line' via the Internet, by e-mail attachment, or by sending us a diskette by airmail. On-line submission is our preferred option. Please use one method of transmission only. Complete the on-line form available at http://www.ihc2002.org/ or using the downloadable MSWord template to provide us with all of the information asked for below. Send us this file either by e-mail to IHCabstracts@em.agr.ca or on a diskette sent by air mail to: International Horticultural Congress c/o Dr. Peter Hicklenton Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Atlantic Food and Horticulture Research Centre 32 Main Street Kentville Nova Scotia Canada, B4N 1J5 If you are unable to use the MSWord downloadable template, please provide the following information at the head of your word processor (MSWord or WordPerfect) file. The abstract complete with all required contact information must reach IHC2002 by October 15, 2001. Contact information is required only for the presenting author who should carefully verify all details before submitting. Remember that the presenting author must be registered for the Congress by April 15, 2002 for the abstract to appear in the Program. Information to be entered at top of abstract file: Name of Presenting Author Affiliation Complete mailing address Telephone, Fax and E-mail ***VERY IMPORTANT*** Indicate your first, second and third choice of symposium (name and number) with which you would like to see your paper associated Please indicate if this paper is eligible for the Student Poster Awards Competition (see the rules below) Please indicate if you are willing to present your paper orally if requested to do so by a symposium convener. Note: Text may be entered across a standard width 'page'. It is not necessary to type within a box.   Instructions Abstracts must be written in English The abstract including title, name(s) of author(s), institutional affiliation(s) and address(es) must be formatted as per example Please select Times Roman font (10 point) in MSWord or WordPerfect The title should be completely capitalized and should start flush with the left margin Names of the author(s), institutional affiliation(s) and address(es) should be entered one line below the title line. The presenting author should be designated with an asterisk (*) to the right of the family name Insert one empty line before entering text Limit the text to 300 words or less. Example Name: Dr. Anthony Davies Affiliation: Canadian National University Mailing Address: Institute for Biotechnology, Canadian National University, Harlow Hall, 75 Yonge Street, Toronto, Ontario M5W 1F5, Canada. Telephone: (416) 354-2745 Fax: (416) 354-3411 E-Mail: Adavies@cnu.ca 1st choice symposium: S1; Biotechnology or Horticultural Crop... 2nd choice symposium: S14; Berry Crop Breeding, Production and... 3rd choice symposium: S4; Environmental stress and horticultural... Eligible for poster competition: No Are you willing to present the paper orally if requested? Yes Differential Gene Expression Following Cold Temperature Stress in Raspberry A. Davies*1, T.R. Spinola1, K.A. Harmon2 and S. Edwards3 1 Institute for Biotechnology, Canadian National University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5W 1F5 2 Department of Horticulture, University of Quebec, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3A 2M7 3 Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Horticulture Research Centre, Cornwall, Ontario, N4T 3G5 Cold temperature stress in summer fruiting red raspberry is known... (no more than 300 words)   Student Poster Competition Prizes will be awarded for the best student poster associated with each symposium and also to three student posters that are not associated with any particular symposium. Symposium conveners will arrange the judging of symposium-linked posters; Congress SPTF members will evaluate all others. The student must be the first author and the presenting author of the poster. Up to 25 cash awards will be presented on Friday, August 16, 2002.   Contacting the Congress Organisers If you require further information on procedures, dates or any aspect of the XXVIth IHC, please contact the following: For General Information XVIth IHC Congress Canada Bathurst Street, Suite 101 Toronto, Ontario Canada M5V 2P2 Phone: +1 416-504-4500 Fax: +1 416-504-4505 E-Mail: IHCreg@congresscan.com On the Scientific Program Dr Yves Desjardins Département de phytologie Pavillon Paul-Comtois, local 3236C Université Laval Québec, Canada G1K 7P4 Phone: +1 418.656.2131, poste 2359 Fax: +1 418.656.7856 E-Mail: Yves.Desjardins@plg.ulaval.ca For further information on Symposium 22 only, contact the Conveners Steven Clemants (USA) - steveclemants@bbg.org Campbell Davidson (Canada) - cdavidson@em.agr.ca Piers Trehane (UK) - piers@indhort.demon.co.uk

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Forthcoming Conferences Rhododendrons in Horticulture and Science, Edinburgh 2002 Friday 17 - Sunday 19 May 2002 This international conference is being supported and sponsored by The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and The Royal Horticultural Society. The conference will provide a range of lectures by many internationally renowned speakers covering many aspects of rhododendrons and related plants. It will aim to provide a mix of horticulture and science that will appeal to a wide audience and will cover cultivation, collection and status in the wild, taxonomy including recent molecular work, problems with pests and diseases and the use of rhododendrons in modern gardens. There will be a poster display of recent work and an art exhibition of fine rhododendron paintings, many of which have been painted from the cultivated collections in Edinburgh. For the benefit of international delegates the conference immediately precedes the Chelsea Flower Show and coincides with The Floriades, a three month horticultural spectacular in the Netherlands held once every ten years. Conference participation will be limited to 200. If there is sufficient interest there will be workshops on rhododendron identification hosted by Dr David Chamberlain and Dr George Argent on 16th and 20th May and each restricted to 25 persons. A pre-conference tour to southern gardens and a post-conference tour to northern gardens will be arranged, but numbers will probably be limited to 30 persons per tour. To register interest, or seek further information, please contact: Dr George Argent Rhodo'02 The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh EH3 5LR, UK Email: g.argent@rbge.org.uk Fax: +44 (0)131 552 0382   4th International Oak Conference, 2003 Friday 12 - Tuesday 16 September 2003 This, the fourth triennial conference is being organised by the International Oak Society and will be held in Winchester, England. This will be the first such conference outside the USA and up to 120 delegates are expected to attend from Europe, Asia and the Americas. The last major conference on oaks held in England was 30 years ago. The scientific programme will include presentations from leading experts in the fields of taxonomy, ecology, cultivation, history, conservation, forestry, timber and wood-use, providing interest for all those with a diverse interest in the oaks of the world. It is planned to hold an optional pre-conference tour in The Netherlands and Belgium and a longer optional post-conference tour through the west and south-west of England looking at notable oak plantations and collections. Each tour will probably be limited to 40. Part of the scientific programme will be spent examining cultivated oaks close to Winchester. A full social programme is being planned to ensure that the meeting will bring together oak enthusiasts from all over the world. The conference itself will be held in a purpose-built residential conference centre just ten minutes walk from the heart of the historic city of Winchester. Full details of the conference will be posted to all those interested at a later date and further information will soon be posted on the International Oak Society Web site: http://www.saintmarys.edu/~rjensen/ios.html To register interest, or seek further information, please contact: Ron Holley 23 Crescent Road Alverstoke Hampshire, PO12 2DH UK Email: 23crescent@supernet.com Fax ('phone first): +44 (0)2392 585972

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Inaugural Meeting of IACPT A Record of the Inaugural Meeting of the International Association for Cultivated Plant Taxonomy held in the Prestonfield Room, John McIntyre Centre, at the Pollock Halls of the University of Edinburgh on Saturday, 25th July 1998 at 7.30pm. The following account has been adapted from the transcript of the meeting. Those present: Trehane, P., (UK) in the Chair and Abugalieva, S.I., (Kazakstan); Alanko, P., (Finland); Alexander, C., (UK); Amerson Jnr, A.B., (USA); Bachmann, K., (Germany); Baum, B.R., (Canada); Berg, R.G. van den, (Netherlands); Brandenburg, W.A., (Netherlands); Brickell, C.D., (UK); Cirtautas, V., (Lithuania); Coombes, A., (UK); Dawson, I.A., (Australia); Fantz, P.R., (USA); Ferguson, A.R., (NZ); Glen, H.F., (RSA); Grant, M.L., (UK); Green, F.N., (UK); Groendijk-Wilders, N., (Netherlands); Haston. E., (UK); Hazekamp, T., (Italy); Hetterscheid, W.L.A., (Netherlands); Hunt, P.F., (UK); Huttunen, M.A., (Finland); Jakobsdóttir, D., (Iceland); Knüpffer, H., (Germany); Lean, A., (UK); Lemmers, W., (Netherlands); Leslie, A.C., (UK); Louneva, N.N., (Russia); Malécot, V., (France); Matthews, V.A., (USA); McAllister, H.A., (UK); McClintock, E., (USA); McGregor, M., (UK); McNeill, J., (Canada); Miller, D.M., (UK); Munson, R.H., (USA); Nurse, M.C., (UK); Ochsmann, J., (Germany); Price, G.R., (USA); Rivera-Núñez, D., (Spain); Rodríguez-Acosta, M., (Mexico); Rutherford, A., (UK); Sadie, J., (RSA); Sandved, M., (Norway); Smekalova, T.N. (Russia); Spencer, R., (Australia); Staples, G., (USA); Stirton, C.H., (UK); Stork, A.L., (Switzerland); Strachan, J.M., (USA); Tebbitt, M., (USA); Thornton-Wood, S.P., (UK); Thorvaldsdóttir, E.G., (Iceland); Vasconcelos, M.T.C., (Portugal); Victor, D., (UK); Waters, T., (UK); Whiteley, A.C., (UK); Whiteman, J., (UK); Wiersema, J.H., (USA); Woods, J. (UK); Woods, P.J.B., (UK). Altogether, 63 people were present. In opening the meeting, Trehane welcomed all those attending and praised the stamina of the participants after what had been a hard-working symposium over the previous few days. Before continuing with the meeting, Trehane asked all those present to sign a register of attendance. Trehane then made reference to the notice in the last edition of Hortax News and the flyer that had been circulated with the conference papers as to the aim of this meeting. The symposium had clearly demonstrated that many of the areas of concern surrounding the discipline of cultivated plant taxonomy required a wider collaborative effort for their resolution. Trehane then introduced the individual members who had joined him on the ad hoc steering committee and who had given advice and support leading up to this meeting. They were Niall Green, Wilbert Hetterscheid, Roger Spencer, George Staples, and Simon Thornton-Wood. Trehane was pleased to report that the Stanley Smith Horticultural Trust (UK) had provided generous funding towards the setting-up costs of this Association and that the Royal Horticultural Society, through the good offices of its Director of Horticulture, Joyce Stewart, had agreed to look after its banking and subscription arrangements for its initial years. A constitution was in the process of being developed which was to be in accordance with Article 60 and following of the Swiss Civil Code. Trehane outlined the general principles of the constitution as provisionally drafted, but stressed that the fine details will have to be determined during the next stage of its development. A number of suggestions were received from the floor which would be referred to an incoming Council for consideration. Trehane then formally moved a number of resolutions: Resolution 1: "That this meeting resolves that an International Association for Cultivated Plant Taxonomy be hereby formally constituted". Carried unanimously by show of hands. Resolution 2: "That this meeting elects the undermentioned as Council members of the International Association for Cultivated Plant Taxonomy and empowers such Council to appoint further members to Council in pursuance of its objectives and further authorises Council to elect the officers of the Association from amongst itself". Crinan Alexander (Scotland), Bernard Baum (Canada), Hélène Bertrand (France), Kees von Ettekoven (The Netherlands), Hugh Glen (South Africa), Niall Green (Scotland), Wilbert Hetterscheid (The Netherlands), Natalia Louneva (Russia), Roger Spencer (Australia), George Staples (USA), Simon Thornton-Wood (England), Piers Trehane (England) and John Wiersema (USA). Carried unanimously by show of hands. Resolution 3: "That this meeting empowers the Council to develop and register a constitution for the Association in accordance with due legal process". Carried unanimously by show of hands. In response from a question from the floor, Trehane outlined that once the constitution was in place, the officers appointed, and the annual subscription was decided, a mailing would be made to as many as possible, inviting them to subscribe to the Association. The possibility of establishing a category of charter members would be examined. On the question of the Association producing a regular scientific publication, Trehane stated that this had to be a matter of priority, but that such a publication could not appear until the Association's finances could sustain it. In the meantime, it was suggested that a newsletter might be produced to keep the membership informed about progress. Trehane mentioned that he had been invited to organise a mini-symposium at the forthcoming International Botanical Congress in St. Louis and that he would be doing this under the aegis of this Association. In conclusion, Trehane reminded the meeting that there would be a considerable workload placed on a few. He was prepared to make his personal commitment towards developing the Association, but it had to be remembered that he, as everyone else, already had responsibilities and duties and that the meeting must not expect everything to be in place overnight. A milestone had been achieved this evening and he thanked everyone present for their support. Postscript: Since this inaugural meeting, not a lot has been heard of this initiative, but I would like to assure those attending as well as other interested parties who have been supportive, that a great deal of preparatory work has been undertaken. Due to my personal workload, I have had to prioritise my duties for the time being. However, the IACPT constitution is shortly due be approved by the elected Council and the membership drive may be expected to start in September 2001. There will be a General Meeting of IACPT during the Toronto Congress where a full report of the Association's activities will be made. Further information may be obtained by contacting me on iacpt@indhort.demon.co.uk Piers Trehane

HORTAX NEWS Vol 1, Part 5 - 31 May 2001

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Standard Specimens at Wisley Diana M Miller, Keeper of the Herbarium, The Royal Horticultural Society's Garden, Wisley, Woking, Surrey GU23 6QB, UK For well over 100 years the Royal Horticultural Society has held meetings giving the opportunity for new garden plants to be exhibited and judged for RHS awards. The results have been recorded in the Society's publications, in many cases with details of the origin or parentage of the plant and a description. During the last century these accounts were not always sufficiently detailed to be useful, but nowadays the descriptions backed by herbarium specimens and/or illustrations of new plants judged by RHS committees, either after trial or during a meeting, are a good record for future horticultural taxonomists. The RHS Horticultural Herbarium at Wisley holds a collection of about 4,000 invaluable paintings of plants which have received awards between about 1920 and 1950, many of which are the first records of the new cultivars. In addition, there are over 20,000 photographic transparencies of plants. The RHS Horticultural Herbarium is therefore in a unique position to assess their collection of specimens and illustrations to decide which represent Standards. Over the past year, every specimen and a large proportion of the photographs have been examined, the records carefully examined, international registers, check lists and monographs consulted and where appropriate nurserymen or exhibitors contacted. Each name has been checked for valid publication (establishment). Any related material or photographs have been linked to form a Standard Portfolio and all the information, including any history, parentage and references, is recorded on the RHS Horticultural Database. In the majority of cases, where both are available, the specimen is designated the Standard but where a photograph illustrates the distinctive characters more clearly or where there is no specimen, this has been selected. Although we have erred very much on the side of caution and many probable Standards have been dismissed due to us having insufficient reliable information for confirmation, over 1,500 specimens have so far been designated as Standards. The current list of designated Standards in the RHS Herbarium, together with further details and many with illustrations of the living plants may be viewed on the RHS Web site at: http://www.rhs.org/science/mn_hb_standards.asp [Note: This page has moved to http://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/Plant-science/RHS-Herbarium/Nomenclature/] This then is the first stage in creating a "register" of Standard specimens. We are actively seeking the co-operation of nurserymen, growers and hybridisers so that in the long term, specimens and illustrations, together with useful descriptions, of as many new British cultivars as possible will be prepared and their storage location recorded. Another associated project now underway is to look at the painting and photographic collections for possible Standards. I anticipate that there will be a substantial number and at present the records in the RHS archives and the names are being thoroughly investigated. Many photographs have already been scanned to a digital format and, later this year, the paintings which prove to be Standards will also be scanned and made available on the RHS Web site. Anyone who has tried to confirm the names of older cultivars from limited catalogue descriptions will have come across problems of identification and will realise the important contribution that the designation of Standards can make but even more so, knowledge of the whereabouts of these Standards is essential. This project is therefore a major step towards helping to stabilise the nomenclature of garden plants thus easing the work of future horticultural taxonomists, as well as creating an important historical record. I hope that other institutions maintaining Standards will be prepared to undertake a similar survey of their collections. With the records held in a compatible database, a Web site, and a little knowledge of technology, all the information can be linked to create a universal searchable Web site and an invaluable international resource. Several curators and others have indicated their support for this initiative, and a few have lodged Standards in the RHS Herbarium. Please contact me with any questions or advice on starting to look for Standards as well as your thoughts and ideas on this worthwhile project. Selected literature: Miller, D. M. 1995. Standard Specimens for Cultivated Plants. Acta Horticulturae 413: 35-39. Miller, D. M. 1998. Raising Standards. The Garden 124(4): 282 - 283. Trehane, P. 1993. Standard Specimens and Standard Illustrations. Hortax News 1(1): 12-16. Trehane, P. et al. 1995. International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants - 1995. Quarterjack Publishing, Wimborne. [Article 12, Article 32, page 159]

HORTAX NEWS Vol 1, Part 5 - 31 May 2001

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Trademarks are not Names Piers Trehane, 1 Haggates Cottages, Witchampton, Wimborne, Dorset BH21 5BS, UK The proceedings of the 3rd Symposium on Cultivated Plant Taxonomy at Edinburgh featured two major contributions on trademarks (Tramposch, 2000, Gioia, 2000). The apparent use of trademarks still causes difficulty to International Cultivar Registration Authorities (ICRAs), to those who list plant names in databases, to those labelling plants and indeed to the ultimate consumer, the gardener. In fact, it is obvious that even to some of those who coin trademarks, the correct use of these marks is not fully understood. It is not always apparent as to what is a trademark and what is a name and in this piece I hope to illustrate the difference and discuss some problems stemming from the realisation that trademarks and names are quite different entities. The naming system Modern bionomenclature generally uses what is termed a binominal system for naming organisms. This system stems from the work of Linnaeus's Species Plantarum (1753) who introduced the concept of the nomen triviale as a shorthand method of referring to species which has been fully named under the ancient naming system of using the nomen specificum legitimum (Stearn, 1957). These "phrase names" were becoming increasingly cumbersome as they reflected expanding diagnostic differences between taxonomic groups, with the result that as a plethora of new plants were becoming known during this Age of Enlightenment, novel and longer true names were being required. The neat Linnaean device of the binomen was a welcome innovation soon adopted by other natural historians, but it had a significant side-effect: it moved the naming process away from taxonomy. Both the introduction of the binomen and, some two hundred years later, the acceptance of the type-method of nomenclature (replacing circumscription) separated the science of taxonomy from the discipline of nomenclature. It is worth remembering this so as to remind ourselves that the purpose of a name is essentially one of human communication to designate one distinguishable item from another. This simple dictum is featured in the introduction of all the Codes of nomenclature: I quote from the Preamble of the current Cultivated Plant Code: "The purpose of giving a name to a taxonomic group of cultivated plants is not to indicate its characters or history, but to supply a means of referring to it and to indicate its taxonomic status" (Trehane et al., 1995). Cultivated plant nomenclature works on the binominal system as does the nomenclature for animals, bacteria and feral plants. Just as the rank of species is considered to be the "basic" taxon of feral plants (Greuter et al., 2000: Art. 2.1), so too is the cultivar designated the "basic taxon of cultivated plants" (Trehane et al., 1995: Art. 2.1). While the binomen of a species is the name of a genus plus the specific epithet, the binomen of a cultivar is, essentially, the name of a genus plus the cultivar epithet. Of course, cultivar epithets are often of more than one word whereas specific epithets have to be a single word. Since the binominal system has become so entrenched in our scientific language, it has, de facto, become the international and universal means of communicating names, not just to scientists but to all who have the need to use accurate and unambiguous plant (not to mention animal and bacteria) names. Trademarks Let us remind ourselves what trademarks are by looking at the way they are defined. The Cultivated Plant Code defines the term in its glossary (Trehane et al., 1995) as "any sign (usually made from words, letters, numbers or other devices such as logotypes) that individualizes the goods of a given enterprise and distinguishes them from the goods of its competitors." Tramposch (2000) refines this further "for practical purposes" as "a sign which serves to distinguish the goods of one enterprise from those of another enterprise". So trademarks are coined and maintained by enterprises for the purposes of identifying their goods as originating from themselves: as such they act as a self appointed badge of superiority over similar goods from other enterprises. The onus is on the owner of a trademark to protect it, and in many countries there is provision to register such marks which helps to protect infringement from competitors either accidentally or with intent. Marks which are so protected are, by international treaty, entitled to bear the symbol "®" while those which are self-claimed without benefit of national registration are recognised by use of the symbol "™". In both cases it is up to the mark owner to protect the mark and this must be done to maintain lasting use of the mark. A trademark has be seen to be used and it must be used properly if it is to retain its status. In particular, rights will be lost of the mark itself becomes "generic", i.e., when it "defines a category or type to which the goods belong" (Tramposch, 2000). In legal jargon (as opposed to botanical terminology), the names of taxonomic groups of plants are generic designations, whether they be species or cultivars or the name of any other taxon established under any set of accepted rules. One of the main reasons whereby trademarks lose their status is when they become generic designations by careless maintenance of their owner. The famous case of Aspirin loosing its trademark status due to the Bayer Company failing to prevent the word becoming a household name and thus coming into public usage as a generic description for acetylsalicylic acid has been well documented (cf. Gioia, 1995). Trademarks for plant material too can, and often do, fail to maintain their original status when there are insufficient steps taken by their owners to prevent them becoming generic designations. Some nurseries have taken expert advice as to how to maintain trademarks for use with plant material and this can give an enterprising nursery marketing department a distinct advantage in selling their goods. The firm of J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co. from Boring, Oregon, USA is a massive wholesale firm shipping quality products all over North America and examination of their 1999-2000 catalogue of container-grown shade and flowering trees provides interesting examples of how to protect trademarks as well as providing evidence of how trademarks might fail. The trick is to consistently provide the generic designation for the cultivar alongside the trademark in all marketing literature and promotional material. This means that for cultivars, one always provides the cultivar name. A trademark may be coined to mark the fact that the cultivar produced by such-and-such nursery is of special quality peculiar to that enterprise and this trademark will accompany the selling literature generated by the firm in question. In the Schmidt catalogue cited above, there are a number of "names" which bear closer scrutiny. Acer platinoides 'Columnarbroad' is a cultivar name used but the catalogue clearly shows that the cultivar is sold as Parkway® maple. The indication is that Parkway is a registered trademark used for Schmidt's product of Acer platinoides 'Columnarbroad'. To check whether or not Parkway is, in fact, a registered trademark, one can consult the US Trademark database where one will find that Parkway is indeed a trademark owned by J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co, with the registration number 1405184, dated 08/12/1986 for use for "cultivated deciduous trees" in international goods class 31. Similarly, the cultivar Acer 'Keithsform' which is said to be a hybrid between A. platanoides and A. truncatum and which name is established by grant of US plant patent number 7529 is sold under the mark Norwegian Sunset® granted (number 1915260) to the same company for use with "living trees". In both these cases, Schmidt is marketing the cultivars under trademarks and not cultivar names which are nevertheless simultaneously provided so as to maintain the status of the trademarks used by providing the true generic designations. No attempt is made to market either an Acer Parkway or an Acer Norwegian Sunset. It must therefore be incumbent upon those who list names, not to use a format in which subsequent confusion might exist. In creating alphabetic lists of Acer cultivars, the words Parkway or Norwegian Sunset must never be aligned within Acer, since neither is an epithet. Both these marks stand independently of any botanical genus name. Certainly, they may never be considered binomina: if anything they are uninomina which do not fit into a hierarchical relationship with any other taxon name below Plantae! Even nurserymen get confused about using trademarks for which they invest a considerable amount of time and effort in establishing and maintaining. In the same Schmidt catalogue the cultivars Acer rubrum 'Autumn Flame' and Acer rubrum 'October Glory' are offered for sale under the proclaimed registered trademarks Autumn Flame and October Glory respectively. Both these trademarks must fail, since they imitate the stated cultivar epithets exactly and as stated before, trademarks cannot be upheld if they imitate generic designations. Since cultivar epithets are "universally available in all countries for use by any person to denote a particular cultivar" (Trehane et al., 1995: Prin. 6), they are already in the public domain and, I would suggest, any subsequent attempt to turn them into trademarks has to ultimately fail. Nurserymen make mistakes in their lists: in fact I have not been able to trace a registered trademark Autumn Flame. October Glory® is more interesting: it was granted trademark status to another famous nursery group, Princeton Nurserymen's Research Associates in 1974 for use for "maple trees, scions, buds, stem cuttings and root cuttings of the acer rubrum species" and it was noted that the mark was first used commercially in 1961. However, if the mark has been used for a particular cultivar that does not have a particular generic designation, it is highly likely that it has become the de facto generic designation for that cultivar (I can find no evidence of other cultivar names in the promotional material) so the trademark has surely failed and anyone may now be free to use 'October Glory' as a cultivar epithet for that Acer cultivar. The distinction between trademarks and trade designations as defined in the Cultivated Plant Code (Trehane et al., 1995: Art. 11.1) is not always interpreted correctly by some nurserymen. The 1999 Wholesale Catalogue from Monrovia, California & Oregon, USA exemplifies this. A great many cultivar names are listed and an alternative marketing name is provided for each, usually made up from vernacular equivalents, common names (common in the USA, presumably) and what are apparently colloquial names (the differences in concept are amplified in the Glossary to the Code). Many Monrovia introductions have coded cultivar names, quite properly enclosed in single quotation marks to illustrate their status. However, a self-claimed trademark is often included within the alternative names provided. Looking at the overall style of the publication, it becomes clear that these "trademarks" are not trademarks at all but are merely selling names - trade designations in the parlance of the Code. The trademarks are directly linked within the alternative selling name and do not stand alone as uninomina. Although the catalogue explicitly states that such trademarks are the property of Monrovia, I very much doubt that they would be upheld as being such under legal examination. One nursery that seems to use trademarks correctly is Lake County Nursery in Ohio, USA. Examination of their 1991 Catalogue is revealing. On page 81 in the section on Malus, they promote Sugar Tyme® as a trademark for Malus 'Sutyzam' and as a "common name" they cite Sutyzam Crab. In addition, they state quite clearly that Sugar Tyme® is registered with the US Patent and Trademark Office (it is, under registration number 1367990 dated 10/29/1985). Similarly on page 99, they promote Snow Fountains® as a trademark for Prunus 'Snofozam', with the marketing name Snofozam Weeping Cherry. Again, they assert their right to the trademark by stating that Snow Fountains® is registered with the trademark office. This general approach leaves nobody in any doubt as to what is going on. The generic designation is clear and the trademark, along with its status in law is transparent. Not many individual nursery firms around the world employ trademarks for selling individual cultivars: they are more commonly used as general marketing concepts to promote excellence from the trademark owner. However, it would be helpful to all those who have to analyse "names" if a consistent approach was made by those nursery sources who do invest so heavily in the system. While the trademark system rightly rewards those who invest in promoting new plant material, what the world requires is a common-sense and unambiguous system of nomenclature that operates in a world in which plants are traded internationally. Literature cited: Gioia, V. A. 2000. Trademark rights - a sometimes overlooked tool for plant variety (marketing) protection. Pp. 81-87 in Andrews, S., Leslie, A. C., & Alexander, C., (eds) Taxonomy of Cultivated Plants: Third International Symposium. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, UK. Greuter, W, McNeill, J., Barrie, F. R., Burdet, H. M., Demoulin, V., Filgueiras, T. S., Nicolson, D. H., Silva, P. C., Skog, J. E., Trehane, P., Turland, N. J. & Hawksworth, D. L. (eds). 2000. International Code of Botanical Nomenclature (Saint Louis Code). Adopted by the Sixteenth International Botanical Congress St. Louis, Missouri, July-August 1999. Koeltz Scientific Books, Königstein, Germany. (Regnum veg. 138). Stearn, W. T. 1957. Introduction to the Species Plantarum and cognate botanical works of Carl Linnaeus. Pp. i-xiv; 1-126 in: Linnaeus, Species Plantarum. A facsimile of the first edition. Ray Society, London. Tramposch, A. 2000. Introduction to trademarks: loss of trademark rights for generic terms. Pp. 73-79 in Andrews, S., Leslie, A. C., & Alexander, C., (eds) Taxonomy of Cultivated Plants: Third International Symposium. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, UK. Trehane, P., Brickell, C. D., Baum, B. R., Hetterscheid, W. L. A., Leslie, A. C., McNeill, J., Spongberg, S. A. & Vrugtman, F. (eds). 1995. The International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants - 1995. (ICNCP or Cultivated Plant Code. Adopted by the International Commission for the Nomenclature of Cultivated Plants. Quarterjack Publishing, Wimborne, UK. (Regnum veg. 133).

HORTAX NEWS Vol 1, Part 5 - 31 May 2001

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