The Plant List
Nathan Lange (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