I can't disagree with your statements about the contents of the Kew monograph (which I have yet to see), but that's not what's at issue here. Shouldn't we be asking why the authors of the Kew monograph are calling a pentaploid plant which reproduces as far as is known only by vegetative reproduction a species? Species reproduce sexually: their shared gene pool (acquired through sexual reproduction) is what makes them a species. This "pentaploid species" is a clone, and in that respect no more deserving of a distinct botanical name than any of the familiar garden tulips. Jim McKenney _______________________________________________ pbs mailing list pbs@lists.ibiblio.org http://pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/