Asphodelaceae Anonymous » Art http://www.asphodelaceae.com/blog Asphodelaceae: Haworthia, Gasteria, Astroloba, Aloe, Bulbine and others Fri, 07 Oct 2011 22:05:42 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Gerhard Marx http://www.asphodelaceae.com/blog/archives/8 http://www.asphodelaceae.com/blog/archives/8#comments Sat, 12 Jun 2004 14:28:06 +0000 Lawrence http://www.asphodelaceae.com/blog/?p=8 Artist Gerhard Marx

Cymbiformis by Gerhard Marx Viscosa by Gerhard MarxEmelyae by Gerhard Marx Retusa by Gerhard Marx

Watercolors painted by Gerhard Marx in 2003 of photos taken by Lawrence Loucka while on field trip in October 2002.

Springbokvlakensis by Gerhard Marx

From the collection of David Martin.

 

From Penrock Newsletter, September 2009

 

 

]]> http://www.asphodelaceae.com/blog/archives/8/feed 2 Grass Aloes in the South African Veld http://www.asphodelaceae.com/blog/archives/31 http://www.asphodelaceae.com/blog/archives/31#comments Sat, 18 Mar 2006 17:51:12 +0000 Lawrence http://www.asphodelaceae.com/blog/?p=31 Charles Craib and Umdaus Press have done it again! Grass Aloes in the South African Veld is a wonderful collection of field notes and species descriptions that makes for a wonderful read for those of us unable to get out into the veld. The watercolors by Gillian Condy and the pencil drawings by Murry Ralfe make this technical presentation a work of art as well. The book is large format, 23x32cm (9×12.5 inches) with 150+ pages, 59 paintings and drawings (although no photographs). In addition to a number of articles on habitat ecology 28 species are covered, each with a distribution map and a full page watercolor. The chapter Taxonomy and the sociology of botanical knowledge is a hoot. That is I had a lot of fun reading and thinking about what Craib has to say. He writes, "Families, genera and species are concepts defined by the purpose they serve in organizing and classifying knowledge. These concepts in botany need not be demonstrated empirically and their historical use in taxonomy is probably closest to an art form rather than a science." Oh?? So much debate, so much anxiety and ink spilt over classifications I had thought the battles were over scientific "truth". I guess I’m relieved that taxonomy is but a form of political science discourse. Well done Mr. Craib! Would you please give Haworthia a look?

]]> http://www.asphodelaceae.com/blog/archives/31/feed 0