trademarks

[Robin Panza]

>Despite what U.Smith said I think there may be cause
>for worry regarding trademarks on plant names.  To use
>another business world example, the use of the names
>"Rollerblade", "Kleenix", and "Xerox" have been upheld
>in court.  Rollerblade Corp. took to task the local
>newspapers, etc. for calling all inline skates "rollerblades"
>and won in court.  Rather than voice our personal opinions
>regarding the use of trademarked names I suggest someone
>who knows the laws pipe in here.

This is a case of applying a trademarked name to another product.  We, being
proper systematists, would never apply the same genus+specific epithet to a
different species.  There is nothing illegal about referring to Rollerblade
brand skates by the term "rollerblade".

Robin Panza                     panzar at clpgh.org
[not a lawyer]