Genus ( / ˈ dʒ iː n ə s / ; pl. : genera / ˈ dʒ ɛ n ər ə / ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family as used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses . In binomial nomenclature , the genus name forms the first part of the binomial species name for each species within the genus.
62-615: 7, see text Paphiopedilum , often called the Venus slipper, is a genus of the lady slipper orchid subfamily Cypripedioideae of the flowering plant family Orchidaceae . The genus comprises some 80 accepted taxa including several natural hybrids . The genus is native to Southeast Asia , the Indian Subcontinent , southern China , New Guinea and the Solomon and Bismarck Islands . The type species of this genus
124-557: A species : see Botanical name and Specific name (zoology) . The rules for the scientific names of organisms are laid down in the nomenclature codes , which allow each species a single unique name that, for animals (including protists ), plants (also including algae and fungi ) and prokaryotes ( bacteria and archaea ), is Latin and binomial in form; this contrasts with common or vernacular names , which are non-standardized, can be non-unique, and typically also vary by country and language of usage. Except for viruses ,
186-541: A basis for continued learning or training. As for Level 2, there are theoretical- and practical-based qualifications at Level 3 and a Diploma that combines both. The Master of Horticulture (RHS) Award is the society's most prestigious professional horticultural qualification. It is of degree level and it is intended for horticultural professionals. The course allows for flexible study over a period of three years or more. The RHS Campaign for School Gardening provides online inspiration, resources and advice to its members. With
248-432: A foundation for further RHS practical qualifications at Levels 2 and 3. It is aimed at anyone who has an interest in plants and gardening. Level 2 qualifications provide a basis for entry into professional horticulture, support career development for existing horticultural workers or can provide a foundation for further learning or training. There are separate theoretical- and practical-based qualifications at this Level and
310-651: A later homonym of a validly published name is a nomen illegitimum or nom. illeg. ; for a full list refer to the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants and the work cited above by Hawksworth, 2010. In place of the "valid taxon" in zoology, the nearest equivalent in botany is " correct name " or "current name" which can, again, differ or change with alternative taxonomic treatments or new information that results in previously accepted genera being combined or split. Prokaryote and virus codes of nomenclature also exist which serve as
372-628: A long time and redescribed as new by a range of subsequent workers, or if a range of genera previously considered separate taxa have subsequently been consolidated into one. For example, the World Register of Marine Species presently lists 8 genus-level synonyms for the sperm whale genus Physeter Linnaeus, 1758, and 13 for the bivalve genus Pecten O.F. Müller, 1776. Within the same kingdom, one generic name can apply to one genus only. However, many names have been assigned (usually unintentionally) to two or more different genera. For example,
434-669: A monthly publication. The RHS also publishes both The Plant Review and The Orchid Review four times a year, and Hanburyana , an annual publication dedicated to horticultural taxonomy since 2006. Since the establishment of International Registration Authorities for plants in 1955 the RHS has acted as Registrar for certain groups of cultivated plants. It is now Registrar for nine categories – conifers , clematis , daffodils , dahlias , delphiniums , dianthus , lilies , orchids and rhododendrons . It publishes The International Orchid Register, an extensive listing of orchid hybrids, and
496-511: A mottled pattern. When older shoots die, newer ones take over. Each new shoot only blooms once when it is fully grown, producing a raceme between the fleshy, succulent leaves. The roots are thick and fleshy. Potted plants form a tight lump of roots that, when untangled, can be up to 1 m long. Members of this genus are considered highly collectible by orchid fanciers due to the curious and unusual form of their flowers. Along with Cypripedium , Mexipedium , Phragmipedium and Selenipedium ,
558-546: A rapidly increasing number of digital images. Although most of the images have been supplied by photographers commissioned by the RHS, the archive includes a substantial number of slides from the Harry Smith Collection and Plant Heritage National Plant Collection holders. The libraries in each of the gardens are open to all visitors. RHS members can borrow books from the Lindley London, as well as
620-409: A reference for designating currently accepted genus names as opposed to others which may be either reduced to synonymy, or, in the case of prokaryotes, relegated to a status of "names without standing in prokaryotic nomenclature". An available (zoological) or validly published (botanical) name that has been historically applied to a genus but is not regarded as the accepted (current/valid) name for
682-895: A suggested £5,000 per annum" (as of 2022). Members and Fellows of the Royal Horticultural Society are entitled to use the post-nominal letters MRHS and FRHS , respectively. The Royal Horticultural Society's five major gardens in England are: Wisley Garden , near Wisley in Surrey ; Rosemoor Garden in Devon ; Hyde Hall in Essex ; Harlow Carr in Harrogate , North Yorkshire and RHS Garden, Bridgewater in Worsley , Greater Manchester . The society's first garden
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#1732780952772744-427: A taxon; however, the names published in suppressed works are made unavailable via the relevant Opinion dealing with the work in question. In botany, similar concepts exist but with different labels. The botanical equivalent of zoology's "available name" is a validly published name . An invalidly published name is a nomen invalidum or nom. inval. ; a rejected name is a nomen rejiciendum or nom. rej. ;
806-455: A total of c. 520,000 published names (including synonyms) as at end 2019, increasing at some 2,500 published generic names per year. "Official" registers of taxon names at all ranks, including genera, exist for a few groups only such as viruses and prokaryotes, while for others there are compendia with no "official" standing such as Index Fungorum for fungi, Index Nominum Algarum and AlgaeBase for algae, Index Nominum Genericorum and
868-477: Is Paphiopedilum insigne . The species and their hybrids are extensively cultivated, and are known as either paphiopedilums , or by the abbreviation paphs in horticulture . Due to their popularity, Paphiopedilums have been ruthlessly gathered and poached from the wild, making them very rare or extinct there. As soon as a new species or population is discovered, poachers will take the plants for orchid collectors who pay large sums of money. Habitat destruction
930-671: Is almost exclusively seed-based. This means every plant is unique. Members of this genus have unusual stomata . Whereas most land plants' stomata have guard cells with chloroplasts in their cytoplasm (including those of closely related Phragmipedium slipper orchids), Paphiopedilum stomata do not. This difference results in simpler, but weaker control of stomatal function. For example, most plants close their stomata in response to either blue or red light, but Paphiopedilum guard cells only respond to blue light. The fact that they lack chloroplasts has made them valuable to researchers investigating stomatal function. For example, it enabled
992-427: Is an additional factor contributing to their rarity. Paphiopedilum species naturally occur among humus layers as terrestrials on the forest floor, while a few are true epiphytes and some are lithophytes . These sympodial orchids lack pseudobulbs . Instead, they grow robust shoots , each with several leaves ; some are hemicryptophytes . The leaves can be short and rounded or long and narrow and typically have
1054-612: Is discouraged by both the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature and the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants , there are some five thousand such names in use in more than one kingdom. For instance, A list of generic homonyms (with their authorities), including both available (validly published) and selected unavailable names, has been compiled by the Interim Register of Marine and Nonmarine Genera (IRMNG). The type genus forms
1116-460: Is somewhat arbitrary. Although all species within a genus are supposed to be "similar", there are no objective criteria for grouping species into genera. There is much debate among zoologists about whether enormous, species-rich genera should be maintained, as it is extremely difficult to come up with identification keys or even character sets that distinguish all species. Hence, many taxonomists argue in favor of breaking down large genera. For instance,
1178-474: Is the type species , and the generic name is permanently associated with the type specimen of its type species. Should the specimen turn out to be assignable to another genus, the generic name linked to it becomes a junior synonym and the remaining taxa in the former genus need to be reassessed. In zoological usage, taxonomic names, including those of genera, are classified as "available" or "unavailable". Available names are those published in accordance with
1240-412: Is the principal award made to garden plants by the society after a period of assessment by the appropriate committees of the society. Awards are made annually after plant trials. Older books may contain references to the following awards, which were based mainly on flower or fruit quality (but which are not referred to in current (2014) RHS websites and reports): The society published its proceedings as
1302-525: The Chelsea Flower Show , Hampton Court Palace Flower Show , Tatton Park Flower Show and Cardiff Flower Show; community gardening schemes; Britain in Bloom and a vast educational programme. It also supports training for professional and amateur gardeners. As of 2023 the president was Keith Weed and the director general was Clare Matterson CBE. The creation of a British horticultural society
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#17327809527721364-603: The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), meaning that commercial international trade in wild-sourced specimens is prohibited, while non-commercial trade is regulated. Genus The composition of a genus is determined by taxonomists . The standards for genus classification are not strictly codified, so different authorities often produce different classifications for genera. There are some general practices used, however, including
1426-621: The International Code of Zoological Nomenclature ; the earliest such name for any taxon (for example, a genus) should then be selected as the " valid " (i.e., current or accepted) name for the taxon in question. Consequently, there will be more available names than valid names at any point in time; which names are currently in use depending on the judgement of taxonomists in either combining taxa described under multiple names, or splitting taxa which may bring available names previously treated as synonyms back into use. "Unavailable" names in zoology comprise names that either were not published according to
1488-824: The International Plant Names Index for plants in general, and ferns through angiosperms, respectively, and Nomenclator Zoologicus and the Index to Organism Names for zoological names. Totals for both "all names" and estimates for "accepted names" as held in the Interim Register of Marine and Nonmarine Genera (IRMNG) are broken down further in the publication by Rees et al., 2020 cited above. The accepted names estimates are as follows, broken down by kingdom: The cited ranges of uncertainty arise because IRMNG lists "uncertain" names (not researched therein) in addition to known "accepted" names;
1550-591: The Mediterranean region. Paphiopedilum was made a valid taxon in 1959, but its use has become restricted to eastern Asian species in our time. The genus Paphiopedilum has been divided into several subgenera, and then further into sections and subsections: There are more than 550 taxa in this genus, including some 80 valid species . Some notable species and their natural hybrids are listed here, together with some assorted varieties and forms : All Paphiopedilum species are listed under Appendix I of
1612-786: The Royal Horticultural Society in London over the years. Paphiopedilums are terrestrial and evergreen in growth habit, and by careful selection of species and hybrids, it is possible to have a flowering period extending over nine months of the year. They can be grown indoors, as long as conditions that mimic their natural habitats are created. Most species thrive in moderate to high humidity (50–70%), moderate temperatures ranging from 13 to 35 degrees Celsius and low light of 12,000 to 20,000 lux . Modern hybrids are typically easier to grow in artificial conditions than their parent species. The genus name Paphiopedilum
1674-671: The Transactions of the Horticultural Society of London from 1807 to 1848. The society has also published a journal since 1846. Initially known as the Journal of the Horticultural Society of London (1846–1855), then Proceedings of the Horticultural Society of London (1859–1860) and Proceedings of the Royal Horticultural Society (1861–1869). This was continued as Journal of the Royal Horticultural Society (1866–1975). Since 1975 it has been entitled The Garden as
1736-404: The platypus belongs to the genus Ornithorhynchus although George Shaw named it Platypus in 1799 (these two names are thus synonyms ) . However, the name Platypus had already been given to a group of ambrosia beetles by Johann Friedrich Wilhelm Herbst in 1793. A name that means two different things is a homonym . Since beetles and platypuses are both members of the kingdom Animalia,
1798-473: The French botanist Joseph Pitton de Tournefort (1656–1708) is considered "the founder of the modern concept of genera". The scientific name (or the scientific epithet) of a genus is also called the generic name ; in modern style guides and science, it is always capitalised. It plays a fundamental role in binomial nomenclature , the system of naming organisms , where it is combined with the scientific name of
1860-544: The Northern Horticultural Society's trial ground and display garden since they bought it in 1949. In 2013, more than 1.63 million people visited the four gardens. In 2015 the RHS announced plans for a fifth garden at Worsley New Hall , Greater Manchester, under the name RHS Garden Bridgewater . The garden opened in May 2021. The RHS is well known for its annual flower shows which take place across
1922-658: The RHS (as it had now become) developed a new garden at South Kensington on land leased from the Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851 (the Science Museum , Imperial College and the Royal College of Music now occupy the site), but it was closed in 1882. The Chiswick garden was maintained until 1903–1904, by which time Sir Thomas Hanbury had bought the garden at Wisley and presented it to
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1984-532: The RHS Level 2 Diploma in the Principles and Practices of Horticulture combines the theoretical- and practical-based qualifications. Level 3 qualifications allow specialisation in the candidate's area of interest. They can offer proficiency for those looking for employment in horticulture, they can support further career and professional development for those already working in the field, or they can provide
2046-416: The RHS. RHS Garden Wisley is thus the society's oldest garden. Rosemoor came next, presented by Lady Anne Berry in 1988. Hyde Hall was given to the RHS in 1993 by its owners Dick and Helen Robinson. Dick Robinson was also the owner of the Harry Smith Collection which was based at Hyde Hall. Then came Harlow Carr, acquired by the merger of the Northern Horticultural Society with the RHS in 2001. It had been
2108-742: The UK. The most famous of these shows is the RHS Chelsea Flower Show , visited by people from across the world. This was followed by the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show (which the RHS took over in 1993) and RHS Tatton Park Flower Show in Cheshire (since 1999). In 2024 the line up expanded to include the Malvern Spring Festival, Garden Hyde Hall Flower Show, Garden Rosemoor Flower Show and
2170-633: The Victoria Medal of Honour). As of 2022 there were also the Harlow Carr Medal (for significant contribution to horticulture in the north of England), Reginald Cory Memorial Cup (for introducing new hybrid plants developed from existing garden plants), Community Award (for long-term contribution to community gardening ) and the Roy Lancaster Award (for exceptional contribution by those under 35 years old). Medals issued by
2232-442: The base for higher taxonomic ranks, such as the family name Canidae ("Canids") based on Canis . However, this does not typically ascend more than one or two levels: the order to which dogs and wolves belong is Carnivora ("Carnivores"). The numbers of either accepted, or all published genus names is not known precisely; Rees et al., 2020 estimate that approximately 310,000 accepted names (valid taxa) may exist, out of
2294-495: The discovery of intracellular events that precede stomatal closure. The paphiopedilums are among the most widely cultivated and hybridized of orchid genera. Spectacular new species are being discovered every now and then; for example the golden slipper orchid ( P. armeniacum ), discovered in 1979 and described in 1982, amazed growers of orchids by the extraordinary beauty of its golden flowers. In addition, growers have bred thousands of interspecific hybrids and registered them with
2356-693: The first RHS Urban Show The society is also closely involved with BBC Gardeners' World Live held annually at the Birmingham National Exhibition Centre . The RHS is custodian of the Lindley Library , housed within its headquarters at 80 Vincent Square , London, and in branches at each of its four gardens. The library is based upon the book collection of John Lindley . The RHS Herbarium has its own image library (collection) consisting of more than 3,300 original watercolours, approximately 30,000 colour slides and
2418-446: The form "author, year" in zoology, and "standard abbreviated author name" in botany. Thus in the examples above, the genus Canis would be cited in full as " Canis Linnaeus, 1758" (zoological usage), while Hibiscus , also first established by Linnaeus but in 1753, is simply " Hibiscus L." (botanical usage). Each genus should have a designated type , although in practice there is a backlog of older names without one. In zoology, this
2480-522: The gardens of St. James's Palace and Kensington Palace ), Charles Francis Greville (a Lord of the Admiralty ) and Richard Anthony Salisbury , who became the Secretary of the new society. Banks proposed his friend Thomas Andrew Knight for membership. The proposal was accepted, despite Knight's ongoing feud with Forsyth over a plaster for healing tree wounds which Forsyth was developing. Knight
2542-737: The generic name (or its abbreviated form) still forms the leading portion of the scientific name, for example, Canis lupus lupus for the Eurasian wolf subspecies, or as a botanical example, Hibiscus arnottianus ssp. immaculatus . Also, as visible in the above examples, the Latinised portions of the scientific names of genera and their included species (and infraspecies, where applicable) are, by convention, written in italics . The scientific names of virus species are descriptive, not binomial in form, and may or may not incorporate an indication of their containing genus; for example,
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2604-464: The genus is a member of the subfamily Cypripedioideae , commonly referred to as the "lady's-slippers" or "slipper orchids" due to the unusual shape of the pouch-like labellum of the flower. The pouch traps insects seeking nectar , and to leave again they have to climb up past the staminode , behind which they collect or deposit pollinia . Orchids of this genus are notoriously difficult to propagate by tissue culture; as of 2016, commercial cultivation
2666-585: The help of teachers, volunteers and other school-gardening champions, they support millions of students in the UK, giving them the opportunity to grow plants, food and develop life skills. The society honours certain British persons who are deemed by its council to be deserving of special recognition in the field of horticulture with the Victoria Medal of Honour , established in 1897. There are only 63 holders of this medal at any time, one for every year of
2728-432: The idea that a newly defined genus should fulfill these three criteria to be descriptively useful: Moreover, genera should be composed of phylogenetic units of the same kind as other (analogous) genera. The term "genus" comes from Latin genus , a noun form cognate with gignere ('to bear; to give birth to'). The Swedish taxonomist Carl Linnaeus popularized its use in his 1753 Species Plantarum , but
2790-633: The largest component, with 23,236 ± 5,379 accepted genus names, of which 20,845 ± 4,494 are angiosperms (superclass Angiospermae). By comparison, the 2018 annual edition of the Catalogue of Life (estimated >90% complete, for extant species in the main) contains currently 175,363 "accepted" genus names for 1,744,204 living and 59,284 extinct species, also including genus names only (no species) for some groups. The number of species in genera varies considerably among taxonomic groups. For instance, among (non-avian) reptiles , which have about 1180 genera,
2852-978: The libraries at Wisley Garden and Harlow Carr Garden . In 2002, the RHS took over the administration of the Britain in Bloom competition from the Tidy Britain Group (formerly and subsequently Keep Britain Tidy ). In 2010, the society launched 'It's your neighbourhood', a campaign to encourage people to get involved in horticulture for the benefit of their community. In 2014, 'Britain in Bloom' celebrated its 50th anniversary. The RHS runs formal courses for professional and amateur gardeners and horticulturalists and also validates qualifications gained elsewhere (e.g. at Kew Botanic Gardens ). The RHS Level 1 Award in Practical Horticulture aims to develop essential horticultural skills and to provide
2914-568: The lizard genus Anolis has been suggested to be broken down into 8 or so different genera which would bring its ~400 species to smaller, more manageable subsets. Royal Horticultural Society The Royal Horticultural Society ( RHS ), founded in 1804 as the Horticultural Society of London, is the UK's leading gardening charity. The RHS promotes horticulture through its five gardens at Wisley (Surrey), Hyde Hall (Essex), Harlow Carr (North Yorkshire), Rosemoor (Devon) and Bridgewater (Greater Manchester); flower shows including
2976-403: The most (>300) have only 1 species, ~360 have between 2 and 4 species, 260 have 5–10 species, ~200 have 11–50 species, and only 27 genera have more than 50 species. However, some insect genera such as the bee genera Lasioglossum and Andrena have over 1000 species each. The largest flowering plant genus, Astragalus , contains over 3,000 species. Which species are assigned to a genus
3038-428: The name could not be used for both. Johann Friedrich Blumenbach published the replacement name Ornithorhynchus in 1800. However, a genus in one kingdom is allowed to bear a scientific name that is in use as a generic name (or the name of a taxon in another rank) in a kingdom that is governed by a different nomenclature code. Names with the same form but applying to different taxa are called "homonyms". Although this
3100-541: The provisions of the ICZN Code, e.g., incorrect original or subsequent spellings, names published only in a thesis, and generic names published after 1930 with no type species indicated. According to "Glossary" section of the zoological Code, suppressed names (per published "Opinions" of the International Commission of Zoological Nomenclature) remain available but cannot be used as the valid name for
3162-567: The reign of Queen Victoria . Since 2023, the society has handed out the Elizabeth Medal of Honour , for which there could be only 70 holders at any time, one for every year of the reign of Queen Elizabeth II . Thus, neither of the aforementioned medals are awarded every year Other awards bestowed by the society include the Associate of Honour (established in 1930) where the number does not exceed 100 at any time (unless they also hold
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#17327809527723224-595: The society earlier in its history have included the Banksian, Knightian and Lindley medals, named after early officers of the society, as well as Honorary Fellowships. The Veitch Memorial Medal , named after James Veitch , is awarded annually to persons of any nationality who have made an outstanding contribution to the advancement and improvement of the science and practice of horticulture. The society awards Gold, Silver-gilt, Silver and Bronze medals to exhibitors at its Flower Shows. The Award of Garden Merit , or AGM,
3286-497: The specific name particular to the wolf. A botanical example would be Hibiscus arnottianus , a particular species of the genus Hibiscus native to Hawaii. The specific name is written in lower-case and may be followed by subspecies names in zoology or a variety of infraspecific names in botany . When the generic name is already known from context, it may be shortened to its initial letter, for example, C. lupus in place of Canis lupus . Where species are further subdivided,
3348-412: The standard format for a species name comprises the generic name, indicating the genus to which the species belongs, followed by the specific epithet, which (within that genus) is unique to the species. For example, the gray wolf 's scientific name is Canis lupus , with Canis ( Latin for 'dog') being the generic name shared by the wolf's close relatives and lupus (Latin for 'wolf') being
3410-403: The taxon is termed a synonym ; some authors also include unavailable names in lists of synonyms as well as available names, such as misspellings, names previously published without fulfilling all of the requirements of the relevant nomenclatural code, and rejected or suppressed names. A particular genus name may have zero to many synonyms, the latter case generally if the genus has been known for
3472-576: The values quoted are the mean of "accepted" names alone (all "uncertain" names treated as unaccepted) and "accepted + uncertain" names (all "uncertain" names treated as accepted), with the associated range of uncertainty indicating these two extremes. Within Animalia, the largest phylum is Arthropoda , with 151,697 ± 33,160 accepted genus names, of which 114,387 ± 27,654 are insects (class Insecta). Within Plantae, Tracheophyta (vascular plants) make up
3534-429: The virus species " Salmonid herpesvirus 1 ", " Salmonid herpesvirus 2 " and " Salmonid herpesvirus 3 " are all within the genus Salmonivirus ; however, the genus to which the species with the formal names " Everglades virus " and " Ross River virus " are assigned is Alphavirus . As with scientific names at other ranks, in all groups other than viruses, names of genera may be cited with their authorities, typically in
3596-479: Was established by Ernst Hugo Heinrich Pfitzer in 1886; it is derived from Paphos (a city in Cyprus , a place sacred to Aphrodite . It was said she landed at the site when rose from the sea as her birth.) and Ancient Greek pedilon " slipper ". No paphiopedilum occurs on Cyprus – at least not as the genus is understood today. But it was long mixed up with its Holarctic relative Cypripedium , which grows in
3658-521: Was four years before the first meeting, of seven men, took place, on 7 March 1804 at Hatchards bookshop in Piccadilly , London. Wedgwood was chairman; also present were William Townsend Aiton (successor to his father, William Aiton , as Superintendent of Kew Gardens ), Sir Joseph Banks (President of the Royal Society ), James Dickson (a nurseryman), William Forsyth (Superintendent of
3720-595: Was in Kensington , from 1818 to 1822. In 1820 the society leased some of Hugh Ronalds ' nursery ground at Little Ealing to set up an experimental garden, but the next year part of the Duke of Devonshire 's estate at Chiswick was obtained. In 1823 it employed Joseph Paxton there. From 1827 the society held fêtes at the Chiswick garden, and from 1833, shows with competitive classes for flowers and vegetables. In 1861
3782-460: Was president of the society from 1811 to 1838, and developed the society's aims and objectives to include a programme of practical research into fruit-breeding. In 2009 more than 363,000 people were members of the society, and the number increased to more than 414,000 in 2013 and to 525,105 by 2019. Membership and fellowship of the society were previously decided by election, but are now by financial contribution. Fellows are supporters "contributing
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#17327809527723844-429: Was suggested by John Wedgwood (son of Josiah Wedgwood ) in 1800. His aims were fairly modest: he wanted to hold regular meetings, allowing the society's members the opportunity to present papers on their horticultural activities and discoveries, to encourage discussion of them, and to publish the results. The society would also award prizes for gardening achievements. Wedgwood discussed the idea with his friends, but it
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