Day 155: Poor little Cardamine nuttallii! You would think I could remember its name when you consider the fact that it grows under the big Doug fir in my yard, but every year, I have to look it up again. "Cardamine, cardamine," I say to myself, "bittercress. What's so hard about that? You can remember things like 'Icmadophila ericetorum' and 'Stereocaulon paschale.' Why not 'Cardamine nuttallii?'" I don't rely on mnemonics with one exception: "Houses have shingles." That's how I remember the field characteristic which most easily differentiates a House Finch from a Purple Finch. House Finch has streaks ("shingles") on its breast. Cardamine doesn't give me any clues. "Cardio?" There's nothing heart-shaped about it. Nuttall was a naturalist who lent his name to numerous species. Bittercress? I've never chewed on its leaves. I'm just a little embarrassed to admit that this unassuming little flower simply will not register in my mental database no matter how many times I make the entry. Cardamine! Maybe by admitting my failing publicly, I can force its name to stick.
I experience floral-illiteracy. I can't couple shapes/colors with a name. Tell the name over and over and it will not stick. I can't remember shapes. They don't register. Good thing I didn't aspire to be a naturalist.
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