Re: perennials DIGEST V3 #700

In a message dated 3/11/00 11:02:38 PM Central Standard Time, 
perennials-owner@mallorn.com writes:

> Date: Sat, 11 Mar 2000 13:42:07 -0700
>  From: connie hoy <coneh@uswest.net>
>  Subject: Re: bulbs, corms tubers and other Geophytes...
>  
>  Janis and everyone,
>  may I ask if these new lists are associated with the report I heard that 
Kew
>  would be
>  doing DNA testing to verify all that seemed in question?And perhaps all as 
> time
>  and monies allowed..Many were very disturbed to hear this but I am just
>  wondering..Any that know?
>  

I don't know if these particular lists are a result of DNA testing, but they 
probably are.  I do know that the recent DNA technology has given taxonomists 
a very useful new tool that has led to many discoveries and thus many 
reclassifications.  

Reclassification is nothing new.  The scientific names of plants have been 
changing ever since the days of Linnaeus.  (After all,  those taxonomists 
have to do something to earn a living.)  However, I fear we are in for some 
major restructuring now that technology has enabled it.
It is all very exciting, really -- all of this new information.  It is also a 
bit disconcerting to those of us who spent years in school struggling to 
memorize all those Latin names and learning to pronounce and spell them.  I 
am starting to feel like a dinosaur already and I may not be able to adapt.  
Oh well, I suppose I can try.  --Janis

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