English Name

English Name

English names vary from place to place and from person to person. Use scientific names to confirm that information refers to the species or ecological community that you are interested in.

Ecological Communities

nglish names for ecological communities are direct translations from Scientific Names, using established English names for plants:
MacKenzie, W.H., J. Penny, D. Meidinger,  and T. McIntosh. 2016.  Vascular and non-vascular plant species list for British Columbia with synonomy and data codes: version 10.  [ACCESS 2010 Database]. Province of British Columbia. Accessed online < http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hre/becweb/resources/codes-standards/standards-species.html>

Vascular Plants:

The standard reference for t English names in BC is: 

MacKenzie, W.H., J. Penny, D. Meidinger,  and T. McIntosh. 2016.  Vascular and non-vascular plant species list for British Columbia with synonomy and data codes: version 10.  [ACCESS 2010 Database]. Province of British Columbia. Accessed online < http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hre/becweb/resources/codes-standards/standards-species.html>English names used in the list are compiled from a variety of sources (i.e. VASCAN, Washington Natural Heritage Program, Oregon Flora Checklist, Jepson eFlora) to best reflect usage in Canada and the Pacific Northwest

Animals:

In B.C., English names for subspecies are derived by taking the species English (common) name and adding the scientific subspecies name to it (with the exception of even-toed ungulates, where the whole subspecies names are in English).
B.C. animal English names are consistent with those used by NatureServe. NatureServe zoologists use a set of major references generally accepted by researchers working on a given taxonomic group. The link below goes to the major references for vertebrate and invertebrate names and taxonomy used for animals in the Natural Heritage Network:

Natureserve. 2007. Classification of Vertebrates and Invertebrates. NatureServe Explorer.

Additional information about the English names can be found in the following taxonomic catalogues:

Cannings, R.J. 1998. The Birds of British Columbia: A Taxonomic Catalogue, B.C. Minist. Environ., Lands and Parks, Wildl. Branch. 243 pp. Wildlife Bulletin B86.

Green, D.M. 1999. The Amphibians of British Columbia: A Taxonomic Catalogue, B.C. Minist. Environ., Lands and Parks, Wildl. Branch. 22 pp. Wildlife Bulletin B87

Gregory, L.A. and P.T. Gregory. 1999. The Reptiles of British Columbia: A Taxonomic Catalogue, B.C. Minst. Environ., Lands and Parks, Wildl. Branch. 28 pp. Wildlife Bulletin B88.

Nagorsen, D.W. 1990 The Mammals of British Columbia:A Taxonomic Catalogue. Royal B.C. Mus. 148 pp.