JARS v42n1 - A. buttercup (Poem)

I'm called schlippenbachii .
Named for Mr. Schlippenbach,
Even though he was not my first choice:
Far too rarely taxonomists,
Historical botanists,
Give namesakes that much of a voice.
Do you think nudiflorum
Was furnished a forum
When renamers revised the last time?
Was my naming an omen
That they'd find a cognomen
That folks can't pronounce, spell or rhyme?

Some day some revisionist,
Ambitious taxonomist
May learn who first gave me the eye
'Twas poor Mrs. Buttercup,
Sweet Mrs. Buttercup,
Who showed Mr. Schlippenbach I!

Copyright 1987 Bob Carlson