The Importance of Scientific Names

There are abundant of plant species growing in different parts of the world. Each plant possesses various names depending on locality. For international understanding, scientific name will be served for communication.

Thai name: Sap Pa Rod (central), Kanoon tong, Ya nut (southern), Bor nut, Ma nut (northern), Buck nut (north-eastern)
English na me: Pineapple
Spanish name: Piña
Portuguese name: Abacaxi.
Scientific names: Ananas comosus (L.) Merr. (Scientific names comprise three parts: genus, specific epithet and author name.)

Genus : Ananas "Ananus" comes from South America, meaning 'excellent fruit'
Species epithet : comosus"comosus" refers to the apperance of pineapple stalk which consists of bundles of tightly fibers.
Initials of individual (s) who appointed the name :(L.) Merr.(L.) - Carl Linnaeus, a Swedish botanist who first named the plant Bromelia comosa Merr. - Edward Wilson Merrill, an American scientist who, on further studied and changed the name to Ananas comosus. The initial author L. was retained in honor of Linnaeus

Scientific name of Kan phai Mahidol is Afgekia mahidoliae Burtt et Chermsir. Thai botanist, Assist. Prof. Dr. Jirayupin (Chermsiriwat) Junprasong firstly identified this plant. She worked together with Mr. B.L. Burtt and named it to commemorate the late Princess mother, Somdet Phra Srinagarindra Boromarajajonani. The article was published in Notes from the Botanic Garden Edinburgh Vol. 31(1) in July 1971.

Genus : Afgekia The genus was named in honor of Arthur Francis George Kerr, an Irish medical doctor who contributed greatly to the study of flora in Thailand in the early 1920s.
Species epithet : mahidoliaeThe species epithet was named in honor of the Princess Mother, Princess Srisangwan. English botanist Mr. B.L. Burtt suggested the Royal last name in Latin "mahidoliae"
Initials of individual (s) who appointed the name : B.L. Burtt et Chermsir.B.L. Burtt. = Brian Laurence Burtt, English botanist Chermsir. = Asst. Prof. Dr.Jirayupin (Chermsiriwat) Junprasong, Thai botanist.