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How complete and correct was Linnaeus’ knowledge and classification of the Swedish flora?
Author(s) -
Tyler Torbjörn
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
nordic journal of botany
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.333
H-Index - 33
eISSN - 1756-1051
pISSN - 0107-055X
DOI - 10.1111/j.0107-055x.2007.00117_6.x
Subject(s) - biology , flora (microbiology) , checklist , rank (graph theory) , genus , diversity (politics) , vascular plant , ecology , zoology , ethnology , anthropology , sociology , species richness , paleontology , genetics , mathematics , combinatorics , bacteria
The degree to which Carolus Linnaeus managed to describe the vascular plant species diversity of his native country, and the proportion of his taxonomic decisions concerning the rank and generic classification of these same species that are considered correct by present‐day taxonomists, is analyzed by comparing the most recent checklist of the Swedish flora, excluding later immigrants, with the works of Linnaeus. It is concluded that 79% of the species occurring in Sweden by the year 1700 were recognized and accepted by Linnaeus. Of these, ca 74% are still today accepted with the same rank, and are referred to the same genus. Thus, one answer to the current popular question of to what extent ‘Linnaeus was right’ is: approximately three quarters!