Geophyte - an uncomfortable definition ?

J.E. Shields jshields104@insightbb.com
Sun, 25 Jan 2004 16:10:18 PST
Ken has some interesting points.  All words are man-made things, invented 
to give us conceptual handles on things in our experience.  They allow us 
to extract ideas from the world around us and to handle them in the abstract.

So, I would say that the term "geophyte" is like the terms "bulb" and 
"tree" -- it describes a physical trait of a plant.  In contrast, the terms 
"genus" and "species" are fundamentally different:  They denote relationships.

Not all crinums are bulbs, but some are; and not all crinums are geophytes, 
but some are.  However, all crinums are related to all other crinums.

So we could use a good, solid, clear definition of "geophyte" that's for 
sure.  Of course, we are under no obligation to limit our interests or even 
our discussions exclusively to whatever constitute true geophytes.  Right?

Now, about those animals, plants, fungi, and bacteria.....

Jim Shields
in cold and snowy but -- thank goodness! -- not icy, central Indiana


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Jim Shields             USDA Zone 5             Shields Gardens, Ltd.
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