Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

DONATE TODAY

Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?

A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?

Share

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

Search Smarty Plants
See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

 
rate this answer
1 rating

Monday - March 21, 2005

From: San Diego, CA
Region: California
Topic: General Botany
Title: Smarty Plants on aceae
Answered by: Damon Waitt

QUESTION:

How is the family suffix "-aceae", as in Asteraceae, pronounced? I find disagreeing claims in my searches- "ay-see-ee" and "ay-see-ay" seem to be the most common, but I've also seen just "ay-see". Is there any agreement on this among botanists?

ANSWER:

Not really, though I rarely encounter the "ay-see" pronunciation. Here are afew tips to keep in mind regarding pronunciation:
1. classical scholars don't always agree on pronunciation
2. professional botanists vary substantially in their pronunciation
3. individual botanists rarely are completely consistent in pronunciation
4. people tend to pronounce names the way they first learned them regardless of any subsequently-encountered rules.

Click here for some great guides to botanical pronunciation from Google.
 

More General Botany Questions

Smog-eating plants from Ft. Worth TX
September 30, 2012 - Looking for a list (40 >) of Native Texas Plants for Fort Worth Urban (Condo) that are Drought tolerant or (drip irr) and Fragrant and long blooming and eat up the city smog. Fort Worth is in a non-at...
view the full question and answer

Is Devilsclub related to Gunnera?
March 09, 2009 - Is Devil's Club related to Gunnera?
view the full question and answer

Do bees visit cedar trees and other conifers for pollen?
November 30, 2013 - I was wondering if honey bees or native bees visit cedar trees for pollen? and what about other conifers?
view the full question and answer

What is the difference between indigenous and native?
November 03, 2015 - What is the difference between indigenous and native?
view the full question and answer

Do plants grow better under artificial or natural light?
May 25, 2009 - Dear Mr. Smarty Plants, So do plants grow better under artificial lights, or sunlight???? and if so what happens when they are growing? Which seedling sprouts first??? What happens as they grow? I a...
view the full question and answer

Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.