Fwd: Establishing taxa as "present"

Jane McGary janemcgary@earthlink.net
Sat, 30 Aug 2008 09:39:49 PDT
Jim Waddick wrote,

Even if all the
>grown species are given the OK, how could any reasonable list exclude
>the last rare species if it ever were to come into cultivation?
>Shouldn't the entire genus get approval.?

You couldn't go by that. For example, there are tiny alpine Centaurea 
species that will never invade anything, but that are grown by a few rock 
gardeners; but no one would suggest that the entire genus is safe. 
(Probably all the invasive ones are already here, however.)

Are there any weedy
>carnivorous plants? Weedy Tecophiliaceae. ? etc.

Oddly enough, the carnivorous North American species Sarracenia purpurea 
has been the subject of concern after being introduced to one or more bogs 
in Britain. I don't know if it's really "weedy" or if this is just an 
extremist view. It can form pretty dense colonies in its native habitat, 
though.

Anybody who likes to grow non-native plants and is also contributing to the 
Natural Resources Defense Fund should become familiar with that 
organization's stance on exotic plants, which I regard as extreme.

Regarding databases, I keep one on my bulbs, but this tells me I need to go 
around and make an updated list of the trees, shrubs, and perennials here. 
I'd need it anyway once I put the place up for sale, since I'm hoping to 
attract gardeners instead of somebody who'll clearcut and bulldoze the 
whole place to plant Christmas trees.

Jane McGary
Northwestern Oregon, USA


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