Kissin' Cousins

Day 305: Observing Pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium, left) and Peppermint (Mentha x piperita, right), you would be correct in assuming that their similar characteristics meant they were related. However true that may be in this case, it is not always a safe assumption. As botanical research has entered a new phase with the advent of genetic testing and DNA sampling, we are finding that many species we thought were related based on shared morphology such as flower/leaf shape are actually not related at all, and in other cases, plants we thought were distinctly different species and sometimes even different genera are in fact close kin. This is all very exciting if you're a taxonomist, job security at the very least. For the rest of us, though, it's a major headache as we try to update our field guides with new nomenclature and attempt to readjust our aging brains to accept new names in replacement of the ones we've used for decades. Even the Peppermint shown above has not escaped revision. Once thought to be a distinct species (M. piperita), we now know that it is a hybrid of two or more "kissin' cousins," hence the "x" given as its middle name.

Porch Parrot Paradise

Day 198: The yard is once again full of Porch Parrots. A few over-wintered, as is their custom, and now they have been joined by the larger flock. They'll soon be followed by an influx of Black-headed Grosbeaks, one of which was scouting the feeders yesterday. The Evening Grosbeak is not a true Grosbeak, its genome more closely allied to the Finches. You will find it listed as Coccothraustes vespertinus in most current field guides. However, the International Ornithologists' Union now puts the bird in Hesperiphona alongside the Hooded Grosbeak (a Mexican/Central American species), in a taxonomic shift which is in line to achieve universal acceptance. On the other hand, Black-headed Grosbeaks belong to Pheucticus (true Grosbeaks), as do their cousins Rose-breasted and Yellow, neither of which occur in western Washington. Nor does Blue Grosbeak (another true Grosbeak, Passerina caerulea) visit our area. As much as it delights me that we are learning more about many species through genetic analysis, it sure does make it hard to keep up!

Placopsis Let's-Call-It Lambii

Day 155: There is a good bit of debate over whether this particular Placopsis lichen should be P. gelida or P. lambii. Some sources claim that P. gelida has not been found in Washington, and that herbarium records labelled as such are actually misidentifications of P. lambii. Others will tell you that P. gelida is the most common species of Bull's-eye Lichen from Alaska to California. Who do you believe? And why can't they nail it down? The simple answer (and trust me, the alternative is much more complex) is that sufficient genetic analysis of the samples has not been done. Gene sequencing is a fairly new tool for the lichenologist's toy box, and obviously, there's a substantial backlog of research to be done. As lichen DNA is examined, we are having to split genera, create new taxonomy, and to reevaluate what we thought we knew. Science is not a static field (no pun intended, but I'll leave it there for your enjoyment). It is always changing, always evolving as technology progresses and allows us to take a closer look.

Extended Experiment

Day 353: As I was preparing to pick the remaining Akebia pods from the vine, it occurred to me that I shouldn't waste the opportunity to see if my cross-pollination efforts might have produced viable seed. To that end, I encased the pods loosely in nylon netting just a few days before they split. As they dry out, the seeds will be caught in the net. The Akebia vine is relatively attractive and semi-evergreen, and despite rumours to the contrary, it isn't likely to propagate to invasive levels on its own, given my limited success at cross-pollinating. If I do get plants from these seeds, it will be interesting to see if they mature and bloom, and if so, which colour will prove dominant. And then? Maybe back-breeding with one of the parent plants or introducing new stock. Lots of possibilities here! Luther Burbank I'm not, but I do know how to graph a Punnett Square.

Needs TLC

Day 63: Backspace, readjust. Bruce McCune's marvelous books have sent me back a couple of steps, and now I need to unlearn what I thought was Placopsis gelida. This bull's-eye lichen is most likely Placopsis lambii instead. Gelida is a more northern species, although given the 2800' elevation location where this specimen occurs, it could be either. McCune recommends TLC to make the distinction, i.e., Thin-Layer Chromatography. In the absence of access to TLC, he further recommends classifying any morphologically identical examples as Placopsis lambii, the identification which is most likely to be correct.

Y'know, lichenology has gotten a whole lot more complicated with the advent of technology. The same issues are occuring with the classification of vascular plants. Arnie and I were just talking about this earlier in the week. He is of the mind that classification by morphological similarities makes field identification much easier, and he's correct. However, just because a plant looks like another plant, it doesn't follow that they are necessarily related (or conversely, two plants with very different appearances may in fact be connected genetically). I argued that the new taxonomy creates a better understanding of the plants in question even though it's confusing, but then Arnie pointed out that much of the genetic research is only being done on specific sections of the total DNA profile. A different lab looking at a different section might make a different determination for the relationship with other species. There are times when I just want to throw my hands in the air and go back to calling things what I learned them as originally, a left-brain/right-brain argument which in the end, the right brain usually wins. After all, I'm a scientist.