Date: Thu, 23 Oct 1997 21:10:04 From: SCHLAUER@chemie.uni-wuerzburg.de To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg4101$foo@default> Subject: Re: NEPENTHES are dangerous to endemic flora + fauna
Dear Nigel,
> When the Europeans stomped all over the Caribbean they took some pretty unlikely
> plants with them, including members of the dock family which are supposedly
> distantly related to Nepenthes. I would guess that the chances of say a Rumex
> obtusifolius X Nepenthes alata hybrid being physically possible and self-fertile are
> about as remote as some Triphyophyllums arriving as unexpected guests in a pot
> of Drosera capensis, but can anyone say categorically that the chances are zero?
For the assessment of dangers to endemic fauna and flora, these
chances can without hesitation be assumed to be practically zero.
Introgression of _Nepenthes_ has not been observed into any other
genus (incl. _Rumex_) so far, so there is no reason to assume that
such should be possible in the Dominican Republic. In fact, no cp
genus has so far been crossed successfully with any other, not even
within the same family. So the scenario above cannot seriously be
proposed for consideration by authorities who have to decide if
_Nepenthes_ can be introduced into controlled cultivation in the
Dominican Republic. By all measures of sensible reasoning, there is
*no* point to any of the fears mentioned here so far. It is one thing
(viz. a crime!) to introduce _Drosera capensis_ (which is known to
be a weed in cultivation) into a so far undisturbed habitat on the N
hemisphere, and it is an entirely different thing to cultivate
_Nepenthes_ under nursery conditions (which is quite normal in
tropical countries, even if they are not home to this genus, BTW).
Because many _Nepenthes_ species are endangered themselves (cf. the
literally ardent recent interest in the habitats of this genus by
certain governments), cultivation is not even slightly bad (and yes, I
do see slight differences between this and murder!).
Kind regards
Jan
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