[Adastra] Axiophytes

[Patrick Roper]

I have heard several people recently talking about the new (I think) concept
of 'axiophytes'.

 

The most concise definition I have seen is that axiophytes are "Plants
indicative of habitats that need to be conserved."

 

There is a web page put up by the Botanical Society of the British Isles
devoted to the topic here:

 

http://www.bsbi.org.uk/html/axiophytes.html

 

And another useful one here:

 

http://www.bsbi.org.uk/News103p57.pdf

 

I wonder if our Sussex botanists are drawing up, or thinking of drawing up,
a list for our area as it seems like a good system of establishing more
finely tuned conservation priorities.

 

I wonder too if a similar system exists for animals.  The last syllable of
'axiophytes' means 'plants' so, if a word does not exist already one would
have to be coined - I rather like 'axiofauns', but I think this would give
serious taxonomists a heart attack.

 

Whatever, I do think this axiowhatnot could become a very useful
conservation tool.

 

Patrick Roper