2 ms·

This is like saying that an apple and its leaf belong to different castes. They have very different roles and are clearly distinguishable in structure. And one

This is like saying that an apple and its leaf belong to different castes. They have very different roles and are clearly distinguishable in structure. And one of them has as main purpose to protect and nurture the brood. ALL ferns have complex life cycles with 2 different lifes, (not only the Platycerium). A plant called gametophyte normally short lived and tiny, and another plant called sporophyte that we call fern. Botanists know that since thousands of years ago. There is nothing in Platycerium different or strange. They just aren't understanding what is an individual. A leaf is not an individual and your hair is not a society of hair that grow in the same direction following the orders of a hairbee queen. Equaling animals and plants and finding a "soul" in everything (for fame and money none less) is getting more and more annoying each day. I wish we could focus in the real problems of the biology, instead to try to rebuild mythology.

PaulDavisThe1st 5y ago
Absolutely. Because a member of the School of Biological Sciences at Victoria University, Wellington, would have no idea about any of those things, and would thus easily walk into the simple misunderstanding that you've thankfully rescued us from. I think you should write a letter to the editors at Ecology, where the actual paper was published.
- pvaldes 5y ago
  I'm sure that the contributions from the Victoria University to the history of Pteridology are outsanding but I would not put them on the same level of impact as people like Takhtajan, Cronquist, Zimmerman, Klekowsky, Cunningham, Mutis or, of course Linnee, among other. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argument_from_authority https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argument_from_authority
  - OJFord 5y ago
    (totally off-topic just a 'DM') I wasn't looking to email you, but just to say your bio mentions your 'email below', but doesn't then specify one. The email field in HN profile edit form is actually private, to display an email address you need to put it separately (and probably want to obfuscate it) in the general bio text area.
    - pvaldes 5y ago
      Useful info, thanks.

PaulDavisThe1st 5y ago

Absolutely. Because a member of the School of Biological Sciences at Victoria University, Wellington, would have no idea about any of those things, and would thus easily walk into the simple misunderstanding that you've thankfully rescued us from. I think you should write a letter to the editors at Ecology, where the actual paper was published.

pvaldes 5y ago
I'm sure that the contributions from the Victoria University to the history of Pteridology are outsanding but I would not put them on the same level of impact as people like Takhtajan, Cronquist, Zimmerman, Klekowsky, Cunningham, Mutis or, of course Linnee, among other. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argument_from_authority https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argument_from_authority
- OJFord 5y ago
  (totally off-topic just a 'DM') I wasn't looking to email you, but just to say your bio mentions your 'email below', but doesn't then specify one. The email field in HN profile edit form is actually private, to display an email address you need to put it separately (and probably want to obfuscate it) in the general bio text area.
  - pvaldes 5y ago
    Useful info, thanks.