EDIT

    $merged_tree = merged_taxon_feature_tree($taxon);

  /**

   * TODO move into description.inc or in cdm_api.module?

   *

   * @param $taxon

   * @param $distribution_node

   * @return array

   */

  function merged_taxon_feature_tree($taxon) {

    // 1. fetch descriptions_by_featuretree but exclude the distribution feature

    $merged_tree = cdm_ws_descriptions_by_featuretree(get_profile_featureTree(), $taxon->uuid, array(UUID_DISTRIBUTION));

    // 2. find the distribution feature node

    $distribution_node =& cdm_feature_tree_find_node($merged_tree->root->childNodes, UUID_DISTRIBUTION);

    if ($distribution_node) {

      // 3. get the distributionInfoDTO

      $query_parameters = cdm_distribution_filter_query();

      $query_parameters['part'] = array('mapUriParams');

      if (variable_get('distribution_sort', 'NO_SORT') != 'NO_SORT') {

        $query_parameters['part'][] = 'tree';

      }

      else {

        $query_parameters['part'][] = 'elements';

      }

      $query_parameters['omitLevels'] = array(UUID_NAMEDAREALEVEL_TDWGLEVEL_2);

      $customStatusColorsJson = variable_get(DISTRIBUTION_STATUS_COLORS, NULL);

      if ($customStatusColorsJson) {

        $query_parameters['statusColors'] = $customStatusColorsJson;

      }

      $distribution_info_dto = cdm_ws_get(CDM_WS_PORTAL_DESCRIPTION_DISTRIBUTION_INFO_FOR, $taxon->uuid, queryString($query_parameters));

      // 4. get distribution TextData is there are any

      $distribution_text_data = cdm_ws_fetch_all(CDM_WS_DESCRIPTIONELEMENT_BY_TAXON,

        array(

          'taxon' => $taxon->uuid,

          'type' => 'TextData',

          'features' => UUID_DISTRIBUTION

        )

      );

      // 5. put all distribution data into the distribution feature node

      if ($distribution_text_data //if text data exists

        || ($distribution_info_dto && isset($distribution_info_dto->tree) && $distribution_info_dto->tree->rootElement->numberOfChildren > 0) // OR if tree element has distribution elements

        || ($distribution_info_dto && !empty($distribution_info_dto->elements))

      ) { // OR if DTO has distribution elements

        $distribution_node->descriptionElements = array('#type' => 'DTO');

        if ($distribution_text_data) {

          $distribution_node->descriptionElements['TextData'] = $distribution_text_data;

        }

        if ($distribution_info_dto) {

          $distribution_node->descriptionElements['DistributionInfoDTO'] = $distribution_info_dto;

        }

      }

    }

    return $merged_tree;

  }

  /**

 * TODO should this function really be a compose function?

 *     For a compose function must there always be a theme function with the same name? (ak 8.8.2013)