releasing rare sp. localities

[Curtis Clark]

At 10:42 AM 12/10/96 -0800, Charlie and Marg Baker wrote:
>We never received a single reply from any institution or professional
>taxonomist, not one.

I imagine I'm one of those who didn't reply. If not, there are plenty of
similar requests I haven't replied to.

>help now, but it disturbs me that we weren't 'worth' helping before. We
>haven't changed and neither has the reason why we need information. So,
>requiring requests seem reasonable, but our experience with requests has
>tainted what would otherwise be enthusiastic agreement.

Sample selection. The people that replied after the book came out were
genuinely interested.

>     What will happen if herbarium staff is busy?

That's why I didn't answer your request (if you sent one): *I* am the
staff, curator, and often gladiator for a small collection that has been
mercilessly unsupported and shoved around. I *wanted* to answer you, but I
didn't even get in all my FNA proofs when I should.

>     Will an Email request for additional information be ignored if the
>staff doesn't recognize the name or if a message doesn't originate from
>an .edu site?

I answer e-mail from anyone (although I'm several weeks behind now at the
end of an especially gruelling academic quarter [five different classes to
teach]).

>     What criteria might the herbaria staff use to determine whether any
>particular request deserves to receive additional information?

Request by e-mail - (usually) answer.
Request by snail-mail - probably ignore.

It may have to do with "amateur/professional" with others, but I've failed
to act on plenty of requests from my academic colleagues as well. :-)

>botanical rather than horticultural, but not always. When we develop
>cultural information for a genera, we include all currently recognized
>species, even those with tiny green flowers.

I *love* orchids with tiny green flowers (but I imagine I'd kill them like
I do the showy ones :-).



------------------------------------------------------------------------
Curtis Clark                       http://www.is.csupomona.edu/~jcclark/
Biological Sciences Department                     Voice: (909) 869-4062
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona    FAX:   (909) 869-4396
Pomona CA 91768-4032  USA                          jcclark at csupomona.edu