Peter Wilkie, intrepid Sapotaceae botanist, has been blowing the trumpet for plant taxonomy in an article entitled What’s in a name? A mass of analysis in The Scotsman news paper. The article compares the Tjipetir Mystery, in which rubber blocks stamped with the word “Tjipetir” have been washing ashore on the Atlantic coast with the issue of stamping names on unknown plants. It is worth a read.

The photo of Peter standing in front of a wall of cabinets is an evocative classic that has been used before and will be again. In reality opening so many cabinet doors in the herbarium is like to lead to chastisement and possible mild corporal punishment from the herbarium staff – especially following a recent insect outbreak.