BBBBB EEEEEE NN N ISSN 1188-603X BB B EE NNN N BBBBB EEEEE NN N N BOTANICAL BB B EE NN NN ELECTRONIC BBBBB EEEEEE NN N NEWS No. 38 September 4, 1992 Address: aceska@cue.bc.ca Victoria, B.C. ------------------------------------------------- DR. BARBARA McCLINTOCK (1902-1992) Dr. Barbara McClintock, 1983 Nobel Prize Winner in genetics, died September 3, 1992. She received the Nobel Prize for her discovery that certain genes can change their position on the chromosomes of cells. She worked with maize and her discoveries of gene transpositions and jumping genes were accepted only after the progress in molecular biology had provided rational explanations for her findings. Ref.: Keller, E.F. 1983. A feeling for the organism : the life and work of Barbara McClintock. W.H. Freeman, San Francisco. xix + 235 p. Kittredge, M. 1991. Barbara McClintock. Chelsea House Publishers, New York. 103 p. BIODIVERSITY NETWORK NEWS - FIELD NOTES BRITISH COLUMBIA From: IGC Conservation Biology Desk One of British Columbia's rarest plants, Lupinus lepidus, has been located in only four places. The largest population (upwards of 200 plants in some years) leads a precarious existence on a 10 x 60 m strip between railroad tracks and the main highway just north of Duncan, British Columbia. The British Columbia Conservation Data Centre botanist, George Douglas, learned recently of plans to dig a trench for a fibre optics transmission line along the railroad right-of-way. It looked like the line might go right through the population of Lupinus lepidus so George contacted the BC Telephone Company, who own the fibre optics line. Within a few days, the company's environmental officers met with George on site and assured him that they would not disturb the tiny lupine population since the line would be located on the other side of the tracks. MYSTERY OF THE HERBARIUM POLYESTER TAPE SOLVED (BEN # 27) From: Adolf Ceska In my survey of herbarium mounting techniques (BEN # 27), Mike Crisp from Australia strongly suggested 3M polyester tape # 8440 for strapping herbarium specimens. Nobody in North America has ever heard about a 3M tape with this number. After the correspondence with Australian 3M companies, we found a North American equivalent. It is made by the 3M and it is called Scotch Brand Number 5 Electrical Tape. No, it is not that black smudgy stuff that sticks to your fingers when you do "home improvements" - it is clear and has excellent parameters. The Herbarium Supply Company read about 3M tape #8440 in BEN and did their own independent search for the identity of the tape. They came to the same result, requested all possible documentation and testing results from the 3M Company, and concluded that the tape would indeed be ideal for herbarium purposes. They will be supplying the tape in 66 m rolls. They will have rolls custom cut and I recommended the widths used in the Canberra Herbarium, i.e., 3 mm, 4.5 mm and 6 mm. The Definite Length Tape Dispenser (readily available from the 3M Co. for over $100) is highly recommended and will also be supplied by the Herbarium Supply Co. The address of the Herbarium Supply Company is: Herbarium Supply Company 3483 Edison Way Menlo Park, CA 94025 Phone/FAX (415) 366-8868 (800) 348-2338 The owner and manager is Mr. Casper (Cap) Offutt III. THE LYCOPSIDA: A SYMPOSIUM Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 79(3) (Summer 1992) This excellent issue of the Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden can be ordered from: Department Eleven Missouri Botanical Garden P.O. Box 299 St. Louis, MO 63166-0299, U.S.A. The issue costs US$ 30.00 (+ shipment $2.00 in the U.S., $3.00 non-U.S. destinations), make check or money order payable to Missouri Botanical Garden. The payment should accompany the order, for institutional orders add $1.00 invoicing fees, if payment is not enclosed. This publications covers many aspects of palaeobotany of Lycopsida, as well as the recent taxonomical problems. This is an indispensable publication for anybody who is interested in pteridophytes. If you are from Missouri, you can check it in the nearest library that carries the Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden. BIODIVERSITY DISCUSSION LIST BIODIV-L was established to help with the workshop "Needs and Specifications for a Biodiversity Network" that was held in Campinas, Sao Paulo, Brazil, in July 1992. The intention of this list is to discuss technical opportunities, administrative and economic issues, practical limitations and scientific goals, leading to recommendations for the establishment of a biodiversity network. In order to subscribe to the list, send a message to: listserv@bdt.ftpt.ansp.br and within the message type text: subscribe biodiv-l your_first_name your_last_name NEW PUBLICATION Gates, Phil. 1992. The aliens are coming. - Plant life and greenhouse effect. Puffin Books, London, New York, etc. 126 p. ISBN 0-14-034636-8 Cost: CDN$ 4.99 [paperback] This is a book for children (of any age). It deals with introduced plants and problems related with them. The author suggests many simple experiments that will teach children, how the plant lives and what makes introduced weeds so aggressive. The book was reviewed in the New Scientist some time ago. NEXT ISSUE OF BEN The next issue of BEN will bring a summary of the Biodiversity Conference in Sacramento July 13-17, 1992 "Biodiversity in the Managed Landscape: Theory and Practice."