Here's a word that may spawn some discussion: Cultivar, a cultivated variety. Sounds simple enough, but what is it exactly? The definition doesn't seem to be fixed. A variety is "a subdivision of a species having a distinct though often inconspicuous difference, and breeding true to that difference. More generally refers to clones." There was a question about a serviceberry on the Shrubs Forum recently, and someone who posted on this thread said that a named variety may not be a clone but rather a selection from a whole similiar collection of plants, which could fit the definition of a cultivated variety, if those plants breed true. However, I thought this was rather confusing. For example, if I bought the sweetshrub "Athens", I would expect it to be a clone of the same plant that Mrs. Symmes introduced to Michael Dirr, or at least have all of the same attributes that the plant is valued for. I would not be happy with a green-flowered plant with no fragrance for example (which is what I got when I bought an "Athens").

Apomixis Citrus trees and many other species of angiosperms use their seeds as a method of asexual reproduction; a process called apomixis. * In one form, the egg is formed with 2n chromosomes and develops without ever being fertilized. * In another version, the cells of the ovule (2n) develop into an embryo instead of  or in addition to  the fertilized egg. Recently, an example of apomixis in gymnosperms was discovered (see Pichot, C., et al, in the 5 July 2001 issue of Nature). In a rare cypress, the pollen grains are diploid, not haploid, and can develop into an embryo when they land on either * the female cones of their own species (rare) or * those of a much more common species of cypress. Is this paternal apomixis in a surrogate mother a desperate attempt to avoid extinction? (this was all cut and pasted) I am attempting to stay ontopic but my husband says I am argumentative. Still, I HAVE to ask what babies came before Seth, Cain, and Abel? (biblically speaking) I guess my education is lacking. -Ais. Here is a link that might be useful: more on asexual reproduction

Back to interior design and verbs used as nouns... "draperies drape" and "that fabric drapes the wrong way". Drapes is a verb. Drapes is both a noun and a verb. Maybe it started out as a verb only but through usage became a noun as well? It used to bother me when people used the word "loan" as a verb. The verb is lend, the noun is loan. Till I found out that loan IS a verb as well.... I hate it when my illusions are shattered! :) Here is a link that might be useful: drapes

I have that fabric, and it isn't large enough for a shower curtain. It would have to be seamed to something else that coordinates. In my most recent classrooms, that piece of fabric was my only world map. (All the rest of them were in regular classrooms, but my MUSIC classroom is never thought of for teaching geography.) DonnaR/CA