One major thing I left out is the
publication of the species description. Once the paper has been
completed it needs to be published in a recognized scientific journal.
Those of us who are members of and support the International Aroid
Society receive an annual copy of the IAS journal Aroideana which is
where aroid papers are often published to science. More often than
not, IAS members get to learn about new species before almost anyone
else! If you are interested in exactly how a species is described you
can find an article on the IAS website entitled STANDARDIZATION OF
ANTHURIUM DESCRIPTIONS by
Dr. Thomas B. Croat and George S. Bunting.
And by the way, just in case you haven't renewed your IAS membership
for 2009, the dues are now due. Please continue to support the
International Aroid Society. And if you haven't joined, do so now by
visiting the IAS website.
http://www.aroid.org/
Steve Lucas
www.ExoticRainforest.com
ExoticRainforest wrote:
Hi Daniel, I've been corresponding
with Beth about this plant for some
time and will attempt to give you an answer. The type specimen needs
to be a plant with known collection data
(elevation, forest type, epiphyte or terrestrial) that has been fully
described, ie, roots, stem, internodes, cataphylls,
blades, veins, inflorescence, infructescence and details on the female
and male flowers as well as pollen with detailed information on both
the adaxial (upper) surface as well as the abaxial (lower) surface of
the blade including the midrib, primary lateral veins and tertiary
veins. The people at the Quito Botanical Garden apparently did not
collect field
notes when they rescued their specimens which were in danger of being
destroyed so that data does not now
exist. They have given Beth an approximate location where it was found
and Beth is now working with Dr. Tom Croat to find it in the wild and
do the necessary field work to satisfy the publication of a scientific
description of a new species. The senior botanist also grants
the plant its name. One complete leaf must be dried and properly
preserved so information can be compared to other known species
specimens. A
dried blade may dry a different color than known species or exhibit
features not easily seen on a living specimen, thus the need for the
comparison. All that info plus the dried specimen and a living
specimen known as the "type specimen" must be deposited in a recognized
botanical garden collection. Of course, Tom will do that work with
Beth working as the junior co-author and the dried material and type
specimen deposited in the Missouri Botanical Garden living collection
of aroid species.
Genetic analysis is not normally
done to publish a scientific description. The new problem in botany is
far too many genetic botanists have little to zero idea what any
species looks
like in the wild state including natural variations, they only know how
to determine a species by
using genetic information which is virtually worthless to a field
botanist such as Dr. Croat. Field botany is regrettably a dieing breed
of scientist! If you are armed only with genetic data, how in the
world do you know how to recognize a plant in the wild? You can't
easily do a genetic analysis in the middle of an Ecuadorian rain forest.
Hope that helps.
Steve Lucas
www.ExoticRainforest.com
Daniel Devor wrote:
Hi Beth, Perhaps you could
explain
to a total novice who has never field collected plants what you mean by
collecting the "type specimen" and then showing us pictures of plants
that are already collected, flowering and fruiting (maybe I mesread and
this is a different plant)?? It seems the people at the Quito
Botanical Gardens could, if they chose to, compile a complete
description of the plant in question, including a proper genetic
analysis if they deemed it appropriate. Are you saying that all that
is left to do is find the original field notes for collection local?
Sorry for the naive questions, but
I'm just curious :o)
Thanks ,
Dan
-----
Original Message -----
From:
d*@mail2designer.com
To:
aroid-l@gizmoworks.com
Sent:
Sunday, December 28, 2008 11:19 AM
Subject:
[Aroid-l] New Species Anthurium, sect. Belolonchium
Hi folks! As Steve said, I've found this big, ornate-leafed Anthurium,
which Dr. Croat says is undescribed, and for which I am doing the
fieldwork to collect the type specimen and take the environmental data.
He mentioned y'all might like to see it! I took a number of descriptive
photos of the specimens that are growing at the Quito Botanical
Gardens, and for ease of viewing they live in their own gallery. Here's
the address:
http://s256.photobucket.com/albums/hh196/HabloPorArboles/Unknown%20Anthurium/
I hope to find specimens with mature seed; if not I will have to take
cuttings in order to home-culture the plant. When I have viable seed
for it, I'll post another message for collectors. As a private citizen,
it is very difficult for me to ship live plant matter out of the
country, but they have no problem with germplasm.
Steve: I am not normally in the coastal forests, but it looks like I'll
get an opportunity to go later this month. I shall certainly keep an
eye out for your species, and if I find it I will take wild photos, and
the observations you wanted. I can also bug EcuaGenera on your behalf.
Cheers!
Beth
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