The Naming of Names: The Search for Order in the World of Plants.

THE NAMING OF NAMES: The Search for Order in the World of Plants

ANNA PAVORD

Modern botanical taxonomy, the systematic naming of plants, arose out of necessity: Early-17th-century apothecaries needed to know whether the herbs going into their medicines were the real deal. A mistake could prove deadly to a patient and harmful to an apothecary's business. Over the following centuries, and especially during the Renaissance, European scholars developed a universal method of naming plants not only for the sake of druggists but also to instill a sense of order on the natural world. Pavord, an author and gardening correspondent, recounts the rich history of plant taxonomy from its beginnings with the Greek philosopher Theophrastus in the third century B.C. From there, credit can be spread among enterprising European and Arab scholars, physicians, gardeners, and meticulous and artistic plant illustrators. Replete with high-quality reproductions of historic plant paintings and sketches, this thorough account will appeal to readers interested in the often-overlooked history of botany. Bloomsbury, 2005, 471 p., color prints, $45.00.