eudicots

[B.J.Tindall]

At 15:55 8.3.2002 -0400, Peter Stevens wrote:
>>
>
I teach families one or twice a year,
>and have for some time now, and all I can say is that I see a
>continuous improvement in our understanding of relationships and also
>the match - and sometimes lack of - between morphology and molecules.
>Not to say that everything is clear, but compared to where we were
>when I was taught, we have made immense progress.

Not just morphology and molecules, but yes, looking at the match and
mis-match between different data sets, whether it be at the "classical"
moprhological level, biochemical pathways or individual protein/gene level.
In making progress we also have to be prepared to realise that some
extisting theories may have to modified or even thrown overboard, and some
new ones may also surface.

>
I think if we spent half the time we spend
>worrying about nomenclature - and I am not talking about the
>Phylocode alone - actually going out and making careful, documented
>observations, we might get somewhere.

The trouble is that what most people see is the debate about nomenclature
(because they are often affected by changes in nomenclature), whereas work
at other, levels which is more significant, goes without notice.
Brian

>
>P.



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