releasing rare sp. localities

[Charlie and Marg Baker]

Aside from contributing daylength by latitude information awhile back, I
usually just lurk, but I would like to comment on the current discussion
about restricting information in herbaria databases.

I can appreciate the rational behind many of the reasons given for
keeping some habitat information restricted. However, I would like to
point out that there are legitimate users of information other than
taxonomists. If the curator of a collection chooses to limit the
information available on any particular database, I would hope that a
very simple means could be devised for someone with a legitimate need for
the data to obtain it. It can then be withheld from redistribution if
that is the desire of the curator, but at least it would be available for
legitimate use. It is impossible for us to visit herbaria where specimens
are stored, but sometimes habitat elevation and location have not been
published and yet that information is critical to our work.


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Charles and Margaret Baker, Portland, Oregon USA (cmbaker at teleport.com)
"Orchid Species Culture" Timber Press.
Vol-1 Pescatorea, Phaius, Phalaenopsis, Pholidota, Phragmipedium, Pleione
  Hardcover ISBN 0-88192-189-0   Paperback ISBN 0-88192-208-0
Vol-2 Dendrobium (all 1250 +/- species) in press
  Hardcover ISBN 0-88192-360-5   Paperback ISBN 0-88192-366-4  (progress
:)
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