This thread is closed here and now. Let no one write any mail here.
-- Dr. Gurcharan Singh Retired Associate Professor SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007 Res: 932 Anand Kunj, Vikas Puri, New Delhi-110018. Phone: 011-25518297 Mob: 9810359089 http://people.du.ac.in/~singhg45/ On Mon, Mar 7, 2011 at 8:00 PM, Pankaj Kumar <sahanipan...@gmail.com> wrote: > Respected Shrikant sir and members, > > This is in reply to Shrikant sir's mail in other thread. I thought my > reply may hamper the ongoing Euphorbiaceae Juss. week so I am writing > separately. > > When you say "non-botanist like me", I imagine where botanist like me > and many others in the group stand. You already have a great > experience and knowledge of wide range of plants from different parts > of India. > > If you talk about a diverse family like, Euphorbiaceae, do you think > it is possible to prepare a key based on external characters? Though > it may be possible for smaller families. > > If you and other members really wish then I am attaching one key, > which is based on a simple college botany practical book and I find it > very useful. Its totally based on Bentham and Hooker's classification. > Its up to the level of orders. For more details and current status of > families obviously we will have to look into APG III classifications. > > I remember when I was writing my thesis, I provided two dichotomous > keys of which one was totally based on vegetative characters (dont > even need flowers, but may have to take out plant to see the > underground tubers or corms or roots, whatever is present) and second > was a mixture of vegetative as well as reproductive characters. > > Secondly, our group has a biggest limitation of just sharing the pics. > A true taxonomists, always prefer a specimen over the picture of > specimen and then following appropriate protologues and types to > identify following correct nomenclature. Again and again I have > requested people (ateast those who have a degree in botany) to follow > ICBN codes and recommendations, but who really listens!! Few months > back, while checking the new website being designed by Garg sir and > Dinesh sir, I suggested a consistency in citing author names, but I > never got a reply from any. Just for example, I am Pankaj Kumar, and > if you wish to cite my name in as abbreviation in botany then it > should be 'Kumar' and not 'P.Kumar' because the latter name doesnt > stand for me but for someone else. > > At times when I am free, I do try to provide original informations on > protologues and types, but I alone cant do it all the time as I have a > job, or they will kick me out of here if I neglect that. Wherever > needed I am ready to help, but people should let me know. Sitting here > in my room on my wheelchair with my Thinkpad, I have access to lot of > resources online and then I am in contact with lot of people who are > the top experts in the world, which more than 90% of the members in > the group lack. So if you need .................PLZ ASK. Yes, I dont > have all the resources, but atleast ask to know. At the same time, > there are other members who have lot of resources but they dont come > out to help! > > Members keep posting without providing proper details, we keep > asking....who listens....!! > > I have been providing references for free to members on my own, to > facilitate them to think more scientifically and I hope my effort > doesnt go in vain. There is limitation in the group for the size of te > file to be uploaded otherwise, I would have uploaded all references > here only, and of course it would have saved me a ot of money too > :)).... > > Few months back we (we at WII) prepared a report and recommended the > eflora of India in accordance with the available eflora of China etc., > though our group share similar names, but we are in reality too far > from the sources and expertise which was used to write the eflora of > China or others. During recent times, I have observed people from BSI > joining in, and hence I assume, in future we may turn out to be more > scientific and contribute more scientifically and we may be able to > prepare such keys and exhaustive information on flora of India, but > currently we are FAR FAR behind.....but, I STILL AM HOPEFUL. > > Just while writing this mail, I saw another mail of Dr. Gurcharan, > with keys of Euphorbia for E. antiquorum and its allied members and > the best thing is it is totally based on vegetative characters. Such > kind of efforts are needed not from one or two but from all, atleast > those who are botanically qualified. > > Hope this will be taken in good spirits by the members of our valuable > group. > Regards > Pankaj > > -- > *********************************************** > "TAXONOMISTS GETTING EXTINCT AND SPECIES DATA DEFICIENT !!" > > > Pankaj Kumar Ph.D. (Orchidaceae) > Research Associate > Greater Kailash Sacred Landscape Project > Department of Habitat Ecology > Wildlife Institute of India > Post Box # 18 > Dehradun - 248001, India >
