At 4:14 PM 5/17/96 +0000, Michael A. Keenan wrote:
> I hope this post isn't in the wrong place. Sorry if anyone gets
>offended :) .
I always tell my students that the only bad question
is the one you fail to ask.
>I am looking for a plant. It is called Amberette (sp.?) I have only seen
>the seed ( Dark brown, about the size and shape of morning glory seeds).
This is the real problem...to identify a plant you
need more than a common name and a seed description.
If you know where you saw the seeds, you might inquire
to have three or four to sprout to assist in the
identification. The important characters to use
in identifying most flowering plants are those found
inside the flower. Thus, to identify your plant you
would need to grow it up to a flowering stage.
>I would like to know if there are any other names for this plant. When I
>say 'Amberette' to someone all I get in return are blank expresions. This
>leads me to believe there may be a more well known name for it.
This is a problem with common names...not only does
each plant have many common names (depending on who
you ask), but many other plants may have the SAME
common name (depending on who you ask). For example,
"black-eyed Susan" is the name used for perhaps
200 different species of plants!!
>I do not know the scientific name for it.
This is the name you really want to find. It
is unique for your particular plant, and once
found, a botanist can look at you with more
than a "blank expression." Then you can
begin to ask lots of questions and have some
hope for answers.
>Thanks for any help you can give me.
Again, the best bet is to get some seeds,
grow them up, and then get some help. A local
garden club, a botany professor at at nearby
university, your county extension agent, etc.
might be sources for help. If you cannot grow
the plant yourself, maybe someone has it growing
so you can see it (with a botanist in tow?).
Good Luck.
ross
______________________________________________________________
|
Ross Koning | Koning at ecsu.ctstateu.edu
Biology Department | http://koning.ecsu.ctstateu.edu/
Eastern CT State University | Phone: 860-465-5327
Willimantic, CT 06226 USA | Fax: 860-465-5213
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Plant Physiology is Phun!
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| COOH \\ /\ / O
COOH H2C=CH2 N NH
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