jim pyrzynski

Message: 6
Date: Fri, 12 May 2006 20:41:43 -0400
From: viateur.boutot (AT) videotron (DOT) ca
Subject: [OGD] Platanthera tescamnis
To: Orchids (AT) orchidguide (DOT) com
Message-ID: <6.0.3.0.2.20060512194905.02c659d0 (AT) pop (DOT) videotron.ca>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1; format=flowed

"For more than 80 years... Platanthera tescamnis, one of 50 [excluding
which states ? / smile] different identified orchids that grow wild in the
United States, was misidentified as Platanthera sparsiflora.
.....
Charles Sheviak, curator of botany at the New York State Museum...

was the one who gave the orchid its own identity, William Jennings, a
Colorado geologist was the first to raise questions on whether the plant
was a sparsiflora in 1993.

The plant usually grows 1 to 2 feet tall and has green and yellowish
flowers. It is found in relatively hot and arid areas in the western region
of the United States, in states such as Colorado, Utah and Nevada. Sheviak
said the flowers bloom in early July, but it varies with elevation.

The study was published in ?Rhodora,? the journal of the New England
Botanical Club, which is devoted to the botany of North America and accepts
manuscripts of scientific papers and notes relating to systematics,
floristics, ecology, paleobotany and floristically related areas.

Sheviak said the plants inhabit ?moist sites in the desert.? The plant was
given the specie[s] name tescamnis, which means ?desert streams? in Latin,
because that is where the orchids are found.

The difference between Platanthera sparsifora and Platanthera tescamnis is
that tescamnis self-pollinates and is the only species of orchid that grows
in desert-like areas.

?The defining difference is the way it pollinates,? said Sheviak.
?Different species that may look very much alike have different gene pools
and different pollinating mechanisms.?

According to the study, ?It differs in appearance from other orchids in the
genus and is the only species that lives in relatively dry habitats in the
Great Basin and Colorado Plateau??

Sheviak said he believes the tescamnis evolved from sparsiflora.

?Sparsiflora gave rise to some of these other orchids,? said Sheviak. ?They
evolved over time as climate changed.?
....
Every season, the tescamnis rejuvenates its roots. The plant absorbs the
old roots and sprouts new ones.

Now that the orchid is properly identified, Sheviak is drawing DNA samples
from the plant to further his knowledge of tescamnis. "

source : http://www.legislativegazette.com/re...php?story=1359

**********
see also : http://www.nysm.nysed.gov/press/releases/orchiddoc.cfm

**********
regards,

VB

charles sheviak

This is embarrassing, on several levels. Some readers, hopefully, will
recognize the evil efforts of a PR department and appreciate the
helpless feeling that comes with being merely grist for its milling.
The glop that comes out at the end goes by various names, but none
denote "truth" nor "accuracy." Please disregard everything, as much of
it is erroneous.

Chuck


Message: 6
Date: Fri, 12 May 2006 20:41:43 -0400
From: viateur.boutot (AT) videotron (DOT) ca
Subject: [OGD] Platanthera tescamnis
To: Orchids (AT) orchidguide (DOT) com
Message-ID: <6.0.3.0.2.20060512194905.02c659d0 (AT) pop (DOT) videotron.ca>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1; format=flowed

"For more than 80 years... Platanthera tescamnis, one of 50
[excluding
which states ? / smile] different identified orchids that grow wild in
the
United States, was misidentified as Platanthera sparsiflora.
....
Charles Sheviak, curator of botany at the New York State Museum...

was the one who gave the orchid its own identity, William Jennings, a
Colorado geologist was the first to raise questions on whether the
plant
was a sparsiflora in 1993.

The plant usually grows 1 to 2 feet tall and has green and yellowish
flowers. It is found in relatively hot and arid areas in the western
region
of the United States, in states such as Colorado, Utah and Nevada.
Sheviak
said the flowers bloom in early July, but it varies with elevation.

The study was published in ?Rhodora,? the journal of the New England
Botanical Club, which is devoted to the botany of North America and
accepts
manuscripts of scientific papers and notes relating to systematics,
floristics, ecology, paleobotany and floristically related areas.

Sheviak said the plants inhabit ?moist sites in the desert.? The plant
was
given the specie[s] name tescamnis, which means ?desert streams? in
Latin,
because that is where the orchids are found.

The difference between Platanthera sparsifora and Platanthera tescamnis
is
that tescamnis self-pollinates and is the only species of orchid that
grows
in desert-like areas.

?The defining difference is the way it pollinates,? said Sheviak.
?Different species that may look very much alike have different gene
pools
and different pollinating mechanisms.?

According to the study, ?It differs in appearance from other orchids in
the
genus and is the only species that lives in relatively dry habitats in
the
Great Basin and Colorado Plateau??

Sheviak said he believes the tescamnis evolved from sparsiflora.

?Sparsiflora gave rise to some of these other orchids,? said Sheviak.
?They
evolved over time as climate changed.?
...
Every season, the tescamnis rejuvenates its roots. The plant absorbs
the
old roots and sprouts new ones.

Now that the orchid is properly identified, Sheviak is drawing DNA
samples
from the plant to further his knowledge of tescamnis. "

source : http://www.legislativegazette.com/re...php?story=1359

**********
see also : http://www.nysm.nysed.gov/press/releases/orchiddoc.cfm

**********
regards,

VB