"Generic" entries for genus/species entries

I've seen a recent comment about how seedlings of a particular species all look alike, one which indirectly suggested "why bother?" to submit such pics of any particular cultivar to the PlantFiles. As a second-year gardener, I continue to find it useful to see pics of all the life stages of a plant for any entry in the PlantFiles. They make an entry just that much more complete, kind of a 'one stop shopping' for info. :)

This does beg the question, though...

Should we work on having a generic entry in the PlantFiles for any given genus/species? Set it up for general growing information and pics of seeds/seedlings that are virtually indistinguishable from one another? Focus more detailed pics of the mature habits and flowering of those cultivars to their own specific entries, and then point to the generic one for further info?

Note: I learned early on to visit the "generic" entry for info on a given genus/species first, if one existed, as it always seemed to have the most complete checkboxes, detailed comments, and pics. :)

Donna

This message was edited Apr 28, 2005 11:55 PM

I think this is a good idea.

And just a sidebar on the seedling info, I'd respectfully differ with whomever would say that they all look alike. I'm a newbie at growing from seed, but many of my seedlings are readily distinguishable from each other, even just at the cotyledon stage. I find seedling photos quite useful, and seed photos too, and I wish more people would post them. Hmmm... I guess I should do that very thing myself! (where's that embarrassed icon when you need it....)

It seems to me that most plants in the PF already happen to have one entry that is not "cultivar-specific" (for lack of the correct term), but not all, that's for sure. And for those that do - perhaps a link to it should be included on the cultivar entries, so that seedling/seed info can be posted on the species one instead - ?

Shannon

Shannon, thank you for your comments. I was hoping someone else might chime in, but it seems this Forum is still in its infancy and likely isn't being watched yet as much as others. :)

I have yet another question along this line.

I'm on my second year of growing buttercup squash from a packet of seeds distributed by Bentley. http://www.bentleyseeds.com The problem is, they're merely labelled "Buttercup" - no named cultivar!

Is there a place for things like my stray buttercup squash? Should there be?

Tutti, most likely your squash is the Buttercup, Burgess strain which is an antique quite often just listed as Butter Cup. It was the first popular buttercup. Someone entered it in Plantfiles as Burgess Buttercup, but the more approprate neme is Buttercup, Burgess Strain.