how many differences for a species?

Jim McKenney jimmckenney@jimmckenney.com
Sun, 22 Oct 2006 11:42:19 PDT
Mary Sue asked: " I don't know who determines what you need to have a new
species. Hopefully someone will respond with that."

The "who" in question, at least to the extent that any "who" exists, are the
peers of the author of the name. In other words, peer review determines
which new names will be taken seriously. In vetted publications, a sort of
peer review also determines what gets published. 

That simple explanation assumes that every practicing botanist has a peer
who is in fact capable of objectively reviewing his or her work. That's not
always the case, but methodologies are also subject to review, and in a
sense that's a different peer group altogether. 

Exasperating, isn't it? That's what you get for believing in species. 

Jim McKenney
Montgomery County, Maryland, USA, USDA zone 7, where I've been busy
photographing bulbs, corms and so on for upload to my website as a gallery
of bulbs: won't people be surprised when it turns out to be literally that! 

My Virtual Maryland Garden http://www.jimmckenney.com/
 
Webmaster Potomac Valley Chapter, NARGS Editor PVC Bulletin
http://www.pvcnargs.org/Bulletins/

Webmaster Potomac Lily Society http://www.potomaclilysociety.org/










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