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Citing collection numbers

You know I never said that, Norma. Why would you throw out the baby with
the bath water? A collection number is only part of the information.
Different collectors and botanical gardens have their own recording system
for their acquisitions and that results in there being more than one number
for the same plant. More importantly, those numbers will trace back to an
original collector who found the plant at a specific locality at a specific
time.

Keeping good records should not be a chore but should be part of the fun.
Knowing the history of a plant is powerful knowledge and should be the
responsibility of any serious collector. It is both a status symbol for
shows and valuable information to pass along to anyone who may be doing
scientific studies in the future. It elevates ones contribution to level
higher than just being than a grower of pretty plants.

It is unfortunate that some plant dealers do not include the collection
number with their sales. But many, such as Grigsby, do mention them in
their catalogs. It becomes real detective work trying to piece all the
information together.

Most of this info will not fit on a label. That's why many keep a notebook.
Having a computer makes it even easier to keep and update records. You're
already more than halfway there already.

Do you see the point now?

See Gordon Rowley's book "Name That Succulent" for more information on
keeping records.
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