I heard that report about the palms... it would never have happened years ago before the "best news programme" on the air dumbed down...

Have you tried to read any scientific article in popular paper? The take a phrase and make it into a sensation with no relationship whatsoever to the original science. Learning about science from the popular media (or google) is not science. It's media.

The Today Programme has never been the same since Brian Redhead died. Mind you he probably was Dumb-er Down-er in Chief if I'm honest.

LC was always referred to as 'Pinus Silvestris' when in the womb (long story), so maybe Mr Metz named his daughter just in case he ever found a tree on his travels in Madagascar, Forward planning

Stories about the deplorable state of science reporting in the meeja are always good to hear but does anyone care? Scientific ignorance is worn as a badge of honour even by Today presenters.

On the present story a couple of minutes investigation reveals the origin of the mistake regarding the name - the sentence is lifted from the Blackwell Publishing press release. Reading the original paper reveals the palm was found over a year ago so in some circles it is hardly news.

However, I'd like to make 2 positive points. As a conservation biologist, I wanted to find out more after hearing the story, so it was worth airing, and at least the Beeb and the Telegraph avoided the crass headline in the Times online article: 'Picnicking family stumbles on a suicidal monster palm tree'!!!

[edited to add link]

The blog owner changed this comment on 17/01/08 12:31

It isn't just science. On several occasions I have wanted to find historical information, but googling will give scores of different answers from people strong on hearsay but low on research, evidence and basic English. While people seem quite happy to flaunt their ignorance of science, every semi-literate high school student believes himself an historian.

Hi Lois,
I'm all with you.

I suspect Tahina to be a Jewish name...

spectabilis is evidently "spectacular". Many other organisms have been so named.

Mr. Metz runs a plantation in Madagascar near where the first tree was found so I would assume that the entire family actually lives there. Looking at the associated press release may make a little more sense.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iOiux9Qm9lR4T4-mkCiQXGv3nS7gD8U79MVG0

As far as this being interesting and/or unique, most palms have lateral (sticking out to the side) inflorescences although ones that rise above the crown (terminal inflorescences) are known. Palms with terminal inflorescences are almost all monocarpic and have rather impressive floral displays. Sago palms are a great example of this. Just google the palm genera Corypha or Metroxylon for examples and images of plants similar to this new species. However, neither of these genera currently have many extant species.

My first thought was "That's not unusual - bamboos do it" then I read the link. My second thought was that sounds like a sesame paste - then I read your comment about hummus! My third thought is that I thought Madagascar was one of the most biologically diverse places for plants and wildlife, so I can't say that I am really surprised by the discovery. So maybe the Frenchman is the wow! factor ...

scary stuff - the standard of reporting, that is, not the exploding palm tree!

The media's need to sensationalise, trivialise and generally render everything down to the lowest possible denominator is a sad sign of the times. It's getting very difficult to find a newspaper worth reading or a programme worth watching.