I'd like to order more information: how many orders of plants are there? how many of animals? I'd like a side order of a link to a list. Thank you. Pliny20:15, 10 July 2006 (UTC)[reply]
the term used before Linnaeus
The article says that the term 'order' was introduced by Rivinus instead of genus summum. But, in aphorism 200, Linnaeus's Philosophia Botanica, Linnaeus indicates his term ordo corresponds to sectio of Tournefort and genus subalternum of Ray and Rivinus. Also his classistoordo of Tournefort and genus summum of Ray and Rivinus. In Latin, genus summum literally means "the highest genus". So it seems reasonable that genus summum corresponds to classis in Linnean system and ordo in Tournefort's system, as these terms are the highest rank in each system. So my question is "Is it certain that Rivinus (not Tournefort) has introduced the term 'order'?" Please note I am quite new to Latin and I have never read treatises of Tournefort, Rivinus, and Ray.--Mzaki07:59, 23 October 2006 (UTC)[reply]
I rely on autopsy here. I red Rivinus myself, and I can confirm that. Actually, I can provide you with a reference to my book published in Russian touсhing upon the issue, though it would be, I am afraid, of little use for anyone who does not read Russian :) The concept of rank was at that time in statu nascendi and authors did not use terms consistently. The Ray's genus summum corresponds roughly to Rivinus's ordo (and Rivinus uses genus summum and ordo interchangeably), and Tournefort's classis. Linnaeus's ordo corresponds to Tournefort's section. Note, plese, that all correspondences are rather rough. One can compare different pre-linnaean classifications using Classes Plantarum by Linnaeus. Alexei Kouprianov20:44, 24 October 2006 (UTC)[reply]
