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Post by Sockhom on Jul 27, 2011 5:41:35 GMT
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Post by coldcoffee on Jul 29, 2011 19:07:24 GMT
This is a very interesting issue indeed. I think we all face many moral dilemmas when it comes to rare plants and seeds of questionable acquisition. I have been very tempted a few times to buy some of those overseas low priced "Ultra Rare" seeds, sometimes justifying it to myself that if we grow the seeds here the plants wont be so rare and endangered anymore. I don't this this reasoning works though. I have no way of knowing how those seeds were collected, whether they were collected sustainably, whether the plants themselves were taken from the wild, etc.... The simple truth is: If I cannot know with confidence how they were collected, then I cannot know with confidence whether I am doing the right thing in buying them and financially supporting the activities of the person who acquired them.
As much as I hate to say no to rare seeds, I cannot morally afford to say yes.
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Post by coldcoffee on Jul 29, 2011 19:14:30 GMT
By the way, I don't remember whether it was on Barry Rice's website or in his book. But he tells a story about why (at least at the time of the writing) he does not use Sphagnum moss if he can avoid it. He was preparing some Sphagnum moss which he had bought commercially and found a dead Sarracenia Purpurea in the middle. (I apologize if I misrepresented the story in anyway- I am typing from memory)
This story has stuck with me and probably more so than anything else influenced my decision to never buy live Sphagnum on eBay(or anywhere for that matter) unless it was from a vendor I trust with a good reputation and awareness of conservation. I have also found that story creeping into my thoughts when looking at those listings for "1 pod of Nepenthes (insert uber cool rare species here) seeds collected from a secret location in Sumatra". How do I know these people are not poaching? I don't- in fact I have good reason to suspect they are!
My $0.02
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Post by coldcoffee on Jul 29, 2011 19:32:13 GMT
By the way, I do not mean to point fingers at any one particular ebay seller and understand that my comments are primarily based on speculation and suspicion. The people collecting these seeds may very well be doing so very sustainably. My point is that it is hard to tell, and that ignorance of the nature of said collections is NOT justification for entering into a questionable transaction- not with threatened species at least. That's one way that species become threatened in the first place.
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Post by nepenthes99 on Jul 29, 2011 19:46:58 GMT
Almost all of the rare Nepenthes seeds on ebay are from 'default, default, indonesia' and the seller actually admits that they are wild collected. I don't think that it would be worth buying the seeds anyway because they are usually collected about 3 months before they are sold.
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Post by nepenthes77 on Jul 29, 2011 20:16:10 GMT
I do not recommend buying nepenthes seeds from foreign places beacause it is very much stress on seeds especially, even if the seeds are 'fresh collected' which also may be a false advertisement.
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Post by nepenthes99 on Jul 29, 2011 20:22:49 GMT
I agree. Most sellers store their seeds in the refrigerator after they harvest them. this method makes the seeds even less likely to germinate and may even kill the seed.
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Post by coldcoffee on Jul 31, 2011 6:53:58 GMT
Well, define fresh. I think that is an issue. I inquired with one seller and asked what they meant "fresh collected" they responded by telling me that had been collected 9 months earlier. With these particular CPs, I don't think of 9 months as "fresh collected"
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Post by nepenthes77 on Jul 31, 2011 13:33:55 GMT
As I said, fresh collected is usually a false advertisment. I think of fresh seeds as a few weeks, maybe a a month and a few days. But most definately not 9 months!
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Post by brotherlymonkey on Jul 31, 2011 23:56:01 GMT
Well, define fresh. I think that is an issue. I inquired with one seller and asked what they meant "fresh collected" they responded by telling me that had been collected 9 months earlier. With these particular CPs, I don't think of 9 months as "fresh collected" lol |
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