Thanks, Chadwell ji. ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: C CHADWELL <[email protected]> Date: 31 January 2017 at 23:42 Subject: One cannot always identify a plant beyond genus from photos alone To: "J.M. Garg" <[email protected]>
I have just posted about a Cotoneaster specimen thought to be C.microphyllus posted by Saroj from Nepal. I explained that he MUST wait until I have sent these images to J.Fryer for determination. I am still (AS ANTICIPATED) waiting to hear from her as to comments about the images of other Cotoneasters I sent by CD. *It is REALLY IMPORTANT for members to accept, however frustrating it is, that* *AT TIMES it is NOT possible to RELIABLY identify (i.e. DETERMINE) a plant from* *the photos sent. There can be a number of reasons for this.* *In such circumstances the ONLY correct course of action is to thus put Cotoneaster* *sp., or Elaeagnus sp. or Clematis sp.* *IF those attempting to identify said plants are CONFIDENT it is "Close to" or "Similar to",* *there MIGHT be justification in putting AFF. and naming the species.* *It is UNWISE and UNHELPFUL to SPECULATE (GUESS) TOO MUCH. MANY reading these* *speculations, especially if SUGGESTED by a 'senior' person will ASSUME this is the actual* *species. This CONTRIBUTES to confusion and muddles, as such guesses are OFTEN incorrect.* *Sorry but I still have LOTS of the eFI data-base to go through (or come back to), so further* *UNCERTAINTIES and CORRECTIONS are INEVITABLE....* *I repeat that IT IS NOT ALWAYS possible to NEATLY identify a plant to SPECIES level. This is* *NOT a sign of INCOMPETENCE on my part (or that of others) but realisation of the complexities* *of the variation involved.* *There is in the UK (and it seems in India) a MISTAKEN belief that PLANT IDENTIFICATION is quick* *and easy with each plant READILY "PIGEON-HOLED" into a species.* Oh, if ONLY things were that SIMPLE and QUICK! And on occasion, one cannot even tell for sure which GENUS, even FAMILY, it belongs to. PREMATURE/HASTY naming leads to FREQUENT MISIDENTIFICATIONS. Best Wishes, Chris Chadwell 81 Parlaunt Road SLOUGH SL3 8BE UK www.shpa.org.uk -- With regards, J.M.Garg 'Creating awareness of Indian Flora & Fauna' <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Jmgarg1> Winner of Wipro-NFS Sparrow Awards 2014 for efloraofindia <https://sites.google.com/site/efloraofindia/award-for-efloraofindia>. For identification, learning, discussion & documentation of Indian Flora, please visit/ join our Efloraofindia Google e-group <https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/indiantreepix> (largest in the world- around 2700 members & 2,40,000 messages on 31.3.16) or Efloraofindia website <https://sites.google.com/site/efloraofindia/> (with a species database of more than 11,000 species & 2,20,000 images). The whole world uses my Image Resource <http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:J.M.Garg> of more than a thousand species & eight thousand images of Birds, Butterflies, Plants etc. (arranged alphabetically & place-wise). You can also use them for free as per Creative Commons license attached with each image. Also author of 'A Photoguide to the Birds of Kolkata & Common Birds of India'. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "efloraofindia" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send an email to [email protected]. Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/indiantreepix. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
