Arisaema hybrids

[Wilbert Hetterscheid (prive)]

Do I detect a disdain for taxonomists here at the end.........? And how does
begging for food help us, poor taxonomists, in understanding the nature of
species?????????

Taxonomist Hetterscheid



> -----Oorspronkelijk bericht-----
> Van: Arisaema Enthusiast Group (AEG) Discussion List (and other hardy
> Aroids) [mailto:ARISAEMA-L at NIC.SURFNET.NL]Namens Barry Yinger
> Verzonden: woensdag 2 juni 2004 13:43
> Aan: ARISAEMA-L at NIC.SURFNET.NL
> Onderwerp: Re: Arisaema hybrids
>
>
> Quite a few wild "species" (remember that this is strictly a human
> concept, not a plant concept) hybridize freely in the wild in
> disturbed
> habitats and resegregate as "species" in settled, stable habitats.
> Oaks and violets commonly do this, along with at least certain species
> in many other genera.  This intergressive hybridization and subsequent
> segregation to "species" recognized by humans can be a device to keep
> species vigorous through the introduction of new genetic information.
> Anyone who doubts the importance of this should examine the phenotypes
> on display in the British royal family.
>
> Keep in mind too that many "species" are polymorphic, that is, they
> appear in quite a wide variety of forms that don't make sense to
> humans, although the plants seem to figure it out.  Some groups of
> arisaema ("serratum" for example) don't make sense to us because our
> species concept reflects our often desperate human need for clear and
> absolute certainty in separating and labeling different kinds
> of things
> (not to mention people).  It is impossible to understand
> certain genera
> such as Asarum without a great sense of inner calm and a
> willingness to
> try to see this through the "eyes" of the plants.  I think that all
> taxonomists should be required to spend two years in a Buddhist
> monastery, preferably in Thailand where they will have to beg
> for their
> food.
>
> Barry Yinger, USDA Zone 6, Pennsylvania, USA