pcplantdb

[Richard Morris <webmaster@pfaf.org>]

Sara Watson wrote:
> Hi, Richard.
>
> I'm new to the group and just read your email and agree that perhaps
> "treeness" is not the best basis for attributes; however, you have a
> wide array of users, from those who know the correct botanical
> terminology to some sloppy endusers, like myself, who still rely on
> some very basic and general characteristics as a means of
> researching--so I think for me, searching for "tree" in addition to
> other characteristics like deciduous or environ, is as valuable as say
> Fabaceae etc.  And if the database is to be looked at as a means of
> educating the public, it seems important to include the lowest common
> denominator in addition to very specific informatin for the
> well-informed.
>
> Is the database so limited that it wouldn't provide for mutiple
> attributes?  I'll have to check it out.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Sara W. Burgess

Hi Sara,
        Good to hear from you. Yes I quite agree that we should
keep "tree" in the the database, for all the reasons you discussed.

The point of the post was really a bunch of random thoughs about what 
the concept of tree means and some musings over quite how patchy the 
occurences of trees are in plant family tree, a fact that I find rather 
curious.

No need to worry!

        Rich
--
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