[pbs] Taxonomic Changes
Kevin D. Preuss
hyline at tampabay.rr.com
Tue Jul 1 13:12:06 EDT 2003
Mary Sue and others,
In taxonomy, rank (e.g.. genus, subgenus, species, subspecies and variety)
is arbitrary. A group recognized at the subgeneric rank could be equivalent
to either genus
(in which the previous generic rank would be elevated to section or tribe)
or specific rank with a full breakdown of subspecies and varieties. The
elevating and reducing of rank is mostly done to compartmentalize each group
that has a separate evolutionary lineage and changes in names/groups is
fully intended to accurately reflect the evolution of a group.
The genus Moraea are still irids! The day that changes, I could see a
complaint coming. Manning and Goldblatt have such insight into these groups
we must accept their treatemnt until a better alternative comes along.
I believe that the Amaryllidaceae is being sunk back into the Alliaceae,
along w/ the Agapanthaceae, making them the Allioideae, Amarylloideae and
the Agapanthoideae subfamilies, crunching other ranks down into tribes,
sections, etc...I have not actually read these re-revisions but have heard
that they are coming.
Best
Kevin Preuss
http://web.tampabay.rr.com/griffinialand/
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