Locality data
Hannon (Fri, 02 Nov 2012 10:07:58 PDT)

Thanks, Tim. I don't think we are in disagreement here. I do find it
puzzling that so often there is contempt for those who study dried plant
specimens, even as they remain an essential resource. This article
discusses approaches to understanding phylogeny:

http://freecourseware.uwc.ac.za/freecourseware/…

The article shows two important ideas. First, that classification and
phylogeny are two different but closely related pursuits; and that the
modern seeks to displace the traditional ("rankless taxonomy" in place of
the Linnaean system). The author does not see the former replacing the
latter anytime soon-- think of "*Tulipa saxatilis"* being replaced by a
"uninominal" or a string of numbers as Jim Shields indicates.

The itch to trade out an herbarium-based species concept for an exclusively
or primarily DNA-based concept only moves us from one set of difficulties
to another and moves science further away from beneficiaries who are not
academics themselves.

Dylan