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The Plant List

Examples of plant stories from The Plant List

Screengrab of The Plant List website

Common Daisy - Bellis perennis L.

This species has 29 synonyns recorded. It is also part of the Compositae family, one of the largest families

Common Daisy - Bellis perennis L.

This species has 29 synonyns recorded. It is also part of the Compositae family, one of the largest families

Lemon scented basil - Ocimum × africanum Lour.

Widely used as a culinary herb, this species was first named in 1790 - but since it has been renamed with 7 synonyms

Actaea racemosa (black cohosh) used to treat a variety of ailments is frequently known by its synonym Cimicifuga racemosa.

The bluebell, Hyacinthoides non-scripta (L.) Chouard ex Rothm has 26 synonyms in The Plant List.

The bluebell, Hyacinthoides non-scripta (L.) Chouard ex Rothm has 26 synonyms in The Plant List.

Cocos nucifera L. – The coconut - is a member of the Palm family. It is a large palm (30 m tall) grown throughout the tropics. Almost all the plant is useful for humans providing fibres and oil. Coconut water from the fruit provides an isotonic electrolyte balance and serves as a nutritious food source in addition to the white flesh. The Plant List records 5 scientific synonyms.

(credit: A.McRobb)

Sequoiadendron giganteum (Lindl.) J.Buchholz (Giant Sequoia). The Plant List records 18 different synonyms for this very well known tree which is a native of the Sierra Nevada in California.

(credit :A.Farjon)

Abrus precatorius L. (Crab’s eye, or false liqourice)

The seeds are often used as beads and in percussion instruments and are highly poisonous. The root has been used as a substitute for liquorice despite poisous quality. The Plant List has 11 synonyms for this plant which could help health clinics who fail to communicate with one another effectively as each tends to use a different name

(Credit: G.Lewis)

Common Beech - Fagus sylvatica L.

Has 51 synonyms (49 from The World Checklist, 2 from Tropicos)

Mu Xiang - Saussurea costus (Falc.) Lipschitz

A plant widely used in Traditional Chinese Medicine. This plant has 5 synonyms - a different name being used in each national pharmacopoeia - preventing communication between health regulators.