万物简史 第515期:丰富多彩的生命(11)

 The flowers' leaves serve as a bridal bed, which the Creator has so gloriously arranged, 花儿的叶子当做新婚之床，这一切造物主已经作好了极好的安排，

adorned¹ with such noble bed curtains, and perfumed with so many soft scents² that the bridegroom with his bride might there celebrate their nuptials³ with so much the greater solemnity. 挂起了如此高雅的床幔，洒上各种各样淡雅的香水，新郎和他的新娘可以在那里更庄严地庆祝婚礼。

When the bed has thus been made ready, then is the time for the bridegroom to embrace his beloved bride and surrender himself to her. 一旦床铺这样准备停当，接着就到了新郎拥抱新娘，把自己交托给她的时候。

He named one genus of plants Clitoria. 他把一种植物命名为“阴蒂”（即蝶豆属）。

Not surprisingly, many people thought him strange. 许多人认为他很古怪，这是不足为怪的。

But his system of classification was irresistible⁴. 然而，他的分类体系是极富魅力的。

Before Linnaeus, plants were given names that were expansively descriptive. 在林奈之前，植物的名字过分重于描述，长得不可开交。

The common ground cherry was called Physalis amno ramosissime ramis angulosis glabris foliis dentoserratis. 普通的酸浆属植物被叫做Physalis amno ramosissime ramis angulosis glabris foliis dentoserratis。

Linnaeus lopped it back to Physalis angulata, which name it still uses. 林奈把它缩短为Physalis anguulata（灯笼草）。这个名字现在依然沿用。

The plant world was equally disordered by inconsistencies of naming. 由于名称不一，植物界简直一片混乱。

A botanist⁵ could not be sure ifKosa sylvestris alba cum rubore, folio glabro was the same plant that others called Rosa sylvestris inodora seu canina. 一位植物学家不知道Rosa sylvestris alba cum rubore，folio glabro是不是就是指别的植物学家称之为Rosa sylvestris inodora seu canina的同一种植物。

Linnaeus solved the puzzlement by calling it simply Rosa canina. 林奈干脆把它叫做Rosa canina（多刺月季），从而解决了这个难题。

To make these excisions useful and agreeable to all required much more than simply being decisive. 这样大刀阔斧地缩短植物名称，使这些名称对大家有用并为大家接受。这需要的不仅是果断，

It required an instinct — a genius, in fact — for spotting the salient qualities of a species. 还需要一种本能——实际上是一种天才，能够发现一个物种的显著特点。

 

1 adorned   

[计]被修饰的

参考例句：

• The walls were adorned with paintings. 墙上装饰了绘画。
• And his coat was adorned with a flamboyant bunch of flowers. 他的外套上面装饰着一束艳丽刺目的鲜花。

2 scents   

n.香水( scent的名词复数 )；气味；（动物的）臭迹；（尤指狗的）嗅觉

参考例句：

• The air was fragrant with scents from the sea and the hills. 空气中荡漾着山和海的芬芳气息。
• The winds came down with scents of the grass and wild flowers. 微风送来阵阵青草和野花的香气。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 nuptials   

n.婚礼；婚礼( nuptial的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Their nuptials were performed by the local priest. 他们的婚礼由当地牧师主持。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• If he married, when the nuptials would take place, and under what circumstances? 如果他结婚，那么什么时候举行婚礼？在什么情况下举行婚礼？ 来自辞典例句

4 irresistible   

adj.非常诱人的，无法拒绝的，无法抗拒的

参考例句：

• The wheel of history rolls forward with an irresistible force.历史车轮滚滚向前，势不可挡。
• She saw an irresistible skirt in the store window.她看见商店的橱窗里有一条叫人着迷的裙子。

5 botanist   

n.植物学家

参考例句：

• The botanist introduced a new species of plant to the region.那位植物学家向该地区引入了一种新植物。
• I had never talked with a botanist before,and I found him fascinating.我从没有接触过植物学那一类的学者，我觉得他说话极有吸引力。