Mike, I'd like to see that link if you find it. In case some readers are unfamiliar with the idea, a "white list" for our purposes means a "vetted" or sanitized list of plants that we have permission to grow. At least that is how I understand this scheme essentially works in Britain. This is based on the idea that plant varieties already in the U.S. need not be screened for introduction purposes. "We" is anyone who cultivates plants here, whether in the nursery trade or as hobbyists, breeders, etc. It is all of us. This approach ostensibly streamlines bureaucracy and makes everyone's life easier, even the growers'. When a nurseryman checks the list and sees that the plants he wants to offer-- right down to the cultivar level-- are on the white list then he has no in-country worries (excluding exports) as far as legitimacy of introduction or establishment in the trade. Correspondingly, there is in fact or implied a *black list* of plants that must go through some type of evaluation process (not yet established in the U.S.) as to its suitability for release in the United States. Other countries, mostly EU and UK/Commonwealth have worked out these mechanisms already. The black list consists, by definition, of all the known (and unknown) species and cultivars not appearing on the white list. To make up such a list is impossible and so it is a sort of functional "non-list". I've probably risked Mary Sue's wrath or ire already, but would like to add one last note on this subject. Assuming one subscribes to this idea as a potential way to deal with plant imports, there is one critical question (of several) that is not easily resolved: how to know what plants should be placed on the white list? How to know what is in cultivation in the U.S.? There is a group based at Missouri Botanical Garden that is currently working in this direction and apparently they mean to be as inclusive as possible. As I understand it, the project's main purpose is to produce a cultivated flora of the U.S., much in the same manner as they produce extremely useful floras and checklists for places like China (!), Peru, Ecuador, etc. Such work would not normally concern us as far as government regulation. In other words, if you have a world class collection of species tulips or Oxalis in your back yard, these should be included somehow to make the white list as beneficial as possible. How they plan to outreach and discover this outstanding wealth of plant life-- by some accounts more diverse than what is grown in all our botanical gardens combined-- is anyone's guess. Dylan Hannon On 09/02/2009, Michael Mace <mikemace@att.net> wrote: > Dylan wrote: > > >>The one exception was the Nature Conservancy, which took a contrasting > view > regarding imported plants. My recollection was that while they did not > take up an entirely negative position, they would favor > Australian-style hyper-regulation regarding imports of new plants. > > I can't find the link now, but there is (was?) a website on which the Obama > campaign solicited public input for the new administration. The Nature > Conservancy's submission strongly supported the creation of a whitelist. > > Mike > San Jose, CA (min temp 20F) > > _______________________________________________ > pbs mailing list > pbs@lists.ibiblio.org > http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php > http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/ >