The Plant List

Nathan Lange plantsman@comcast.net
Thu, 30 Dec 2010 13:19:30 PST
The FoxNews story is a fascinating read for its misplaced emphasis 
and omissions of fact.  Where other less politically motivated news 
outlets emphasize the technological accomplishment of the work, its 
important implications, and the massive international effort itself, 
the headline at Fox is that scientists were wrong and have found a, 
"surprising lack of diversity among plant life."  Never mind that not 
one botanist is ever quoted as being "surprised."  However, the story 
does mention Charles Darwin repeatedly in the context of scientists 
being wrong.  And don't expect to read anything in the Fox story 
crediting the success and involvement of big scary world government 
organizations like the International Botanical Congress or the 
Convention on Biological Diversity or the fact that this is the 
United Nation's International Year of Biodiversity.  Best not to 
mention them or the fact that one in five of the world's plant 
species is threatened with extinction.  FoxNews at their best.

I did read elsewhere that the longest plant name in the database is 
Ornithogalum adseptentrionesvergentulum and the shortest is Poa fax.

Nathan



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