In the Name of Plants: From Attenborough to Washington, the People Behind Plant Names

Most who work with plants, whether pros or amateurs, know of Carl Linnaeus, the 18th-century Swedish botanist who developed the scheme for naming plants and managed to name nearly everything that was then known. Strict genus and species rules remain, while the number of known plants increases. Botanist Knapp (Flora) has been selective, choosing 30 plants and their namesakes in this lovely and informative volume that highlights plants that were named for people. Some were botanical adventurers and discoverers: see the genuses Bougainvillea and Franklinia, named after Louis de Bougainville and Ben Franklin, respectively. Even Lady Gaga has 19 different species of fern that bear her name, Gaga. Each lengthy, well-written entry gives an extensive description of the plant, its discovery, environment, and the person honored with the name. The illustrations are a combination of historic botanical drawings, photos, and portraits.