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Jul. 23rd, 2008 06:28 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ruFnnnnnnrf.
I thought I was done with traveling. I really did. However, while I don't think I'll be doing any more collection trips, a new snag has cropped up.
Quick taxonomy lesson: When somebody describes a new species, one of the things they need to do in order for their findings to be accepted by the scientific community is designate types. Types are herbarium specimens that act as models for what the scientist says is that particular species. They're incredibly valuable, as they're kind of the reference for that species. There are holotypes, which are considered THE model, and then there are isotypes (plants collected from the same population/same tree), and lectotypes (picked from the pool of subordinate types when the holotype is destroyed/lost, and usually designated by a researcher later on), and so on and so forth.
When you're doing a taxonomic study, types are really important. They're a little like going to the source for answers about a specimen. If an ID key says that species A is supposed to have spreading hairs, you can look at the type to see what exactly the researcher means by that. So obviously, you'd want to see the types, especially when you're trying to ID specimens for a study, and species designations are important.
So that means I'm now on a quest to either get ahold of or get pictures of types for all the Dichanthelium species/varieties. I can't just get ones for the species I'm looking at in particular, seeing as important as it is that I know the attributes each species has, I also need to know what attributes it doesn't have. Another way of looking at is that I'm not collecting just my particular species when I go collecting--I need to get some of everything out there.
In many cases, I can just ask for the types from the herbaria they're stored at--most don't have a problem with loaning them out. However, this isn't an absolute. That's where the Charleston Museum comes in. They have several types I need to see, all of which are pre-Civil War. Seeing as they've apparently gone through a lot already (supposedly, efforts were made to save them when the Civil War rolled around, including burying them and putting them in a barn that was later burned), and are irreplaceable, they won't loan them out. That means if I want to see them, I need to go to Charleston.
The way things are looking, I'm going to need to find a way down there without a car. Right now, the train's looking the most promising. It looks like I can take a train from here down to Charleston, and can get a hotel within walking distance of the museum. I'm hoping this'll work. I really wasn't expecting to do any more traveling this year. At least it won't involve standing out in the hot sun this time. XD
I thought I was done with traveling. I really did. However, while I don't think I'll be doing any more collection trips, a new snag has cropped up.
Quick taxonomy lesson: When somebody describes a new species, one of the things they need to do in order for their findings to be accepted by the scientific community is designate types. Types are herbarium specimens that act as models for what the scientist says is that particular species. They're incredibly valuable, as they're kind of the reference for that species. There are holotypes, which are considered THE model, and then there are isotypes (plants collected from the same population/same tree), and lectotypes (picked from the pool of subordinate types when the holotype is destroyed/lost, and usually designated by a researcher later on), and so on and so forth.
When you're doing a taxonomic study, types are really important. They're a little like going to the source for answers about a specimen. If an ID key says that species A is supposed to have spreading hairs, you can look at the type to see what exactly the researcher means by that. So obviously, you'd want to see the types, especially when you're trying to ID specimens for a study, and species designations are important.
So that means I'm now on a quest to either get ahold of or get pictures of types for all the Dichanthelium species/varieties. I can't just get ones for the species I'm looking at in particular, seeing as important as it is that I know the attributes each species has, I also need to know what attributes it doesn't have. Another way of looking at is that I'm not collecting just my particular species when I go collecting--I need to get some of everything out there.
In many cases, I can just ask for the types from the herbaria they're stored at--most don't have a problem with loaning them out. However, this isn't an absolute. That's where the Charleston Museum comes in. They have several types I need to see, all of which are pre-Civil War. Seeing as they've apparently gone through a lot already (supposedly, efforts were made to save them when the Civil War rolled around, including burying them and putting them in a barn that was later burned), and are irreplaceable, they won't loan them out. That means if I want to see them, I need to go to Charleston.
The way things are looking, I'm going to need to find a way down there without a car. Right now, the train's looking the most promising. It looks like I can take a train from here down to Charleston, and can get a hotel within walking distance of the museum. I'm hoping this'll work. I really wasn't expecting to do any more traveling this year. At least it won't involve standing out in the hot sun this time. XD