Re: Nepenthes madagascariensis

Kyle J Williams (kwilliam@trumpet.aix.calpoly.edu)
Mon, 21 Mar 1994 02:21:23 -0800 (PST)

On Mon, 21 Mar 1994, Michael Hasemann wrote:

> >
> > >... colonized in prehistoric times by Indonisian
> > > seafarers. It seems to me that this raises the possibility that
> > >Nepenthes
> > > were brought to the island some thousands of years ago. This is a
> > >very
> > > different model for the origin of the species on the island than the
> > > "continental drift" model discussed by Kurata for example. Does
> > >anyone
> > > know of the recent scientific thought on this matter?
> > >
> >
> > I feel that this is not a possible model as Homo sapiens is a quite
> > recent species. N. madagascariensis and N. masoalensis differ from
> > all other species so much that it is surely impossible that it is just a
> > form evolved within a few thousand years, comparable to a
> > domesticated animal.
> >
> > Andreas
> >
> Well, if I compare a Yorkshire Terrier with a wolf remarkable
> differences may come up in a very short time.
>
> -Michael

True, but Yorkshire Terriers didn't evolve naturally, but from thousands
of years of human controled breeding. In fact they didn't even come from
wolves (at least according to a documentary I saw recently). And I seriously
doubt that Madagascar natives spent any time at all crossing Nepenthes.

-Kyle