Date: Fri, 8 Oct 1999 09:34:29 -0700 From: Ivan Snyder <bioexp@juno.com> To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg3486$foo@default> Subject: Manmade Species?
Hi CPers,
Let me first introduce myself. I am a new subscriber to this CP list
server. Some of you may recognize my name. I have been a member of the
International Carnivorous Plant Society since 1983 and have written a
number
of articles for our journal the Carnivorous Plant Newsletter as well as a
few
articles in a couple of overseas journals. As a hobbyist I enjoy growing
and
studying all sorts of CPs. Particularly I enjoy conducting breeding
exper-
iments with sundews.
In the December 1998 News and Views section of CPN was mentioned my work
with the chemical Colchicine used in inducing fertility of sterile hybrid
sundews.
Such plants thus restored have a doubled chromosome number and are known
as
allopolyploids. An article on this subject is forthcoming in CPN. The
first
successfully treated sundew is a cross of Drosera anglica with D.
spatulata.
Growers may know of this hybrid as D. x watari. Presently the valid name
is
D. x nagamotoi.
Now to the matter of the subject title here; "Manmade Species". Some
consider
these allopolyploids as being themselves separate species, as in the case
with our familiar sundew D. anglica. This species is accepted as being a
natural allopolyploid whose parent species were D. rotundifolia and D.
linearis.
The coming CPN article will deal mainly with the treatment and selection
process involved with Colchicine use. I felt that the philosophical
details
might make an amusing discussion topic here. So, what is your opinion?
Should
this new manmade allopolyploid be elevated to the species status as D.
nagamotoi; or should it be kept at the hybrid level as D. x nagamotoi?
Ivan Snyder
Hermosa Beach
California
Try Juno Web: http://dl.www.juno.com/dynoget/tagj.
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