OOPS! - we lost count...

[Jim Croft]

How many taxa are we dealing with here?

How many vascular plants?

How many non-vascular plants?

How many fungi?

How many described? How many yet to be described?

( a similar set of questions for animal groups )

Does any one have any authoritative figures? meone said 4 million.
Do I hear 5?  Or are we having ourselves on?

Send your best shot to taxacom at harvarda.harvard.edu and we will see if
we can get a community consensus out of this...

In the meantime: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, ............

jim

ps. people with money and influence keep asking this question and it
    is embarrasing not to have a good answer...
______________________________________________________________________________
Jim Croft                  [Herbarium CBG]           internet: jrc at anbg.gov.au
Australian National Botanic Gardens                     voice:  +61-6-2509 490
GPO Box 1777, Canberra, ACT 2601, AUSTRALIA               fax:  +61-6-2509 599
____Biodiversity Directorate, Australian National Parks & Wildlife Service____