I put no at first, because when I quickly read the question I was also thinking of the definition of things.
After reading the entire thread I would have to answer the question no again
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I've seen enough TC plants that were not identical to the original plant, be it that they did not look the same or completely failed to grow. At first I thought these failures to grow were me, that I screwed it up somehow. Then I got to know my suppliers better so posed a question about a couple plants that didn't grow and their answer was "Oh, yes, we did have a couple bad batches of those" and I got a credit for them.
Then there are the basic variations between different supplies of, for example, June and Guacamole. Some companies use a stock plant of Guacamole that was selected for a slightly darker edge and greater distinction between the center and margin. This is basically an "improved" Guacamole, and their tissue cultures look slightly different and frankly, better, than the original Guacamole. There are similarities in June. Some companies produce a TC of June that is a little darker in the center and other produce a TC of June that is a little lighter in the center. They are distinctly different when grown side by side, but because June can vary so much in coloration depending on the garden situation it may be hard to notice otherwise.
Well, if we step back and clarify things a lot more on the subject, my answer is: if the tissue culturing is done correctly, from a stock plant that is the same as the original, culled appropriately, then grown on to insure viability and that the plant ultimately looks to the growers eye the "same" as the original, then the TC is, in the grand scheme of gardening, a cloned copy of the original and I can say "Yes, this new plant is the same as the original plant". It isn't "Originator's Stock", but yes, it is the same plant in my eye.
So my final answer, Regis, is YES, but with several qualifiers
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