IGSRobin
International Geranium Society Round Robin
An
E-mail Discussion Group
for all the plants of Geraniaceae Genera
Pelargonium,
Geranium,
Erodium,
Sarcocaulon
and Monsonia
Then and Now
The IGSRobin started life as the IGS Club, set up by Diana Pederson for members of the International Geranium Society who were on-line and wishing to exchange enthusiasm for pelargoniums, geraniums and other Genera in the Family Geraniaceae. It has now settled down to around 120 members from all around the world, from Australia, to China, to Sweden, to The Netherlands, to Britain, to Italy and of course the USA. Being the most popular Genus pelargoniums tend to predominate the discussion with "hardy" geraniums (cranesbills) coming up quite often and other Genera occasionally. We have quite a few members with interests in the species of Geraniaceae, and others who specialise in Scenteds, Angels, Regals, Fancy leaf and the more unusual forms. Some of our members are authors of the best Pelargonium/Geranium/Erodium/ Sarcocaulon web sites, others are book authors. Join us and you'll find an friendly on-line specialist club.
How .....
The IGSRobin has recently changes hosts for the List, so please note the changes below
To subscribe to the list: send an e-mail to majordomo@hort.net with NO subject and with SUBSCRIBE IGSROBIN in the text area. You will be emailed to ask you to confirm your subscription.
To un-subscribe from the list: send an e-mail to majordomo@hort.net with NO subject and with UNSUBSCRIBE IGSROBIN in the text area.
To send mail to the List:
send an
e-mail to igsrobin@hort.net
Note: The IGSRobin Mailing List only accepts messages from
existing members.
To contact the List Manager:
send an e-mail to igsrobin@beeb.net
Note:
This address has Spam Control installed and you will have to confirm you genuine
interest by an email from SpamArrest on my behalf.
Explanation on "geranium" & pelargonium"
The common or garden "half-hardy" bedding or greenhouse geranium does in fact belong to the Pelargonium genus. This would not matter but for the fact that there is already a genus of (mostly) more hardy plants with the same name. The reasons for the complication are historical, and you can look it up if you are keen to get to grips with it. In many instances you and others will know exactly what type of plants you are talking about, so it will not seem to matter. However if you go out of the specific Genus when writing or talking, it may well matter and your, and others, everyday use will not have any priority over the correct naming and the way the name should be written, for our plants. So here is the International naming view on our problem.
Frost sensitive pelargoniums (common name) such as Pelargonium peltatum or Pelargonium peltatum (botanical name), the ivy-leaf pelargonium ( common name and parent of of cultivar group), are not to be confused with the more frost hardy geraniums (common name), sometimes also called cranesbills (common name, although only really applies to some species) such as Geranium pratense or Geranium pratense (botanical name), the meadow cranesbill (common name).
Common names of plants should be written in normal text, with a lower case initial letter, unless it is a Personal name or Place name. Botanical names must be distinguished from other text and is done by writing in italics if at all possible, if not then the words should be underlined. (In "plain text" in email we are restricted even beyond this point and are forced to break the naming regulations!) A Genus name that has an "s" at the end no longer represents a Genus, but a common name, so must be small initial letter and in normal type. A Genus name used as a common name should be written in its Botanical form however.
Pelargoniums (common name), at the beginning of a sentence has a capital "P" because that's what grammar dictates. Geraniums (common name) does as well!. Of course the word geranium is also used as a common name for a Pelargonium, and the only way to differentiate the difference between Pelargonium (botanical name), Geranium (botanical name) and geranium (common name for a Pelargonium) would be to put the word in quotation marks. There is no rule that I know of for this - the botanists and horticulturists don't seem to want to sort it out.
However many people are used to calling pelargoniums geraniums so it will happen quite often in the exchanges within the IGS Robin List as it does everywhere else. It may lead to confusion from time to time, but is easily resolved - we are all friends and matters can be cleared up without the need for List rules! They wouldn't work anyway as the List uses plain text where we can't use italics or underlining!
This webpage and others are available for any IGSRobin Maling List members to post photographs, graphics, articles, enquiries, in fact (almost) anything you like. In the past we have had scans of articles on pelargoniums and geraniums in the press, photos of members of the group and plants that need identifying. So, don't hold back email them to me at igsrobin@beeb.net and we can tell the List members as soon as it is up. And if you have your own website on any of the genera of Geraniaceae send me the address so I can add it to the List members website links below.
IGS Robin Members Geraniaceae websites
Alby
Scrivens - Geraniaceae is around the World
Personal but very large Website of all the Geraniaceae Genera.
Produced by Alby Scrivens.
Geraniaceae
Group
International Group for the enthusiast of the species of all the Geraniaceae
Genera; the Journal is produced in the UK, the website in Italy. Produced by
Marisa Amadio
International Geranium
Society
Website of the USA Pelargonium/geranium Society.
Produced by Brenda Archer
Marks Garden Plants
Marks website is full of snapshots of his floriferous garden, including many photographs
of geraniums.
Produced by Mark Smyth
The Pelargonium Girl
A fully bilingual (Swedish and English) website that is well worth the visit,
with so much information.
Produced by Ingrid Eriksson
pelargoniums and
geraniums
For all Pelargonium, Geranium & Geraniaceae
websites and webpages from around
the world: Societies, Shows, Nurseries, etc.
Produced by David Barrett
Any members with Geraniaceae websites, please let me know so I can add a link here
Webpage created for IGSRobin members by David Barrett
Copyright © David Barrett