Department of Botany & the U.S. National Herbarium TheThe PlantPlant PressPress
New Series - Vol. 8 - No. 4 October-December 2005 Botany Profile Asian Botanist Digs Ginseng By Gary A. Krupnick n August, Jun Wen, formerly at the Arnold Arboretum at Harvard University, years at various levels, through indepen- Field Museum of Natural History, she moved to the Smithsonian Institution dent as well as collaborative work in her Ijoined the Department as an Associ- in 1994 as a postdoctoral fellow in the lab and Greg Plunkett’s lab at the ate Curator, the first new curator the Department of Botany and the Laboratory Virginia Commonwealth University, in Department has hired in 13 years. Since of Molecular Systematics. In 1995, she collaboration with Pete Lowry (Mis- 1985, Wen has been conducting mono- joined the staff of the Department of souri Botanical Garden) and Anthony graphic, phylogenetic, biogeographic, Biology at Colorado State University as Mitchell (Massey University, New and ethnobotanical studies on Asian and Assistant Professor and Curator of the Zealand). She recently published two New World disjunct plants. Her research Herbarium. In 2000, she moved to family-wide molecular phylogenies of employs herbarium, field, and laboratory Chicago where she began her work as Araliaceae. She is now expanding the approaches as well as various modern Associate Curator at the Field Museum. effort for a three-marker phylogeny, analytical methods to understand the Wen also serves as an Adjunct Profes- with a focus on the biogeography of the taxonomy, patterns, and processes of sor at the Institute of Botany, the Chinese family. diversification of disjunct plant groups. Academy of Sciences in Beijing, China, Wen plans to continue her studies in Wen is a broadly trained botanist and and an adjunct faculty member at the Araliaceae. She is going to treat Den- evolutionary biologist, working on University of Chicago and the University dropanax, Oreopanax, and Aralia for various genera in a large number of plant of Illinois, Chicago. In 2002 she was the Flora Neotropica project. Dendro- families. She has made extensive botan- awarded Honorary Member of the Indian panax consists of approximately 75 ical collections (over 8,000 collection Association of Angiosperm Taxonomy, species with about 25 in tropical Asia numbers) and also helped build (through India. Wen has over 82 publications to her and 50 species in the Neotropics. This gifts and exchanges) new collections of name, in addition to translating from genus thus shows a very unusual bio- over 8,000 specimens for the Field English into Chinese a Rapid Biological geographic disjunction. Oreopanax is Museum Herbarium in the past three Inventory of the southern Gaoligongshan endemic to the Neotropical region. The years, primarily from China, Vietnam, in Yunnan, China with Chinese colleagues. Taiwanese Sinopanax, however, was and India. She is also interested in recently shown to be sister to Oreopa- developing more projects on biodiver- en’s research interests can be nax. In addition, fossils of Oreopanax sity inventory and conservation studies. placed into six broad catego- were reported from North America. The Wen has traveled extensively throughout Wries. The first is the mono- genera are two of the least known the world, conducting field studies and graphic, phylogenetic, biogeographic, and genera in Araliaceae, and modern collections in the Canada, Chile, China, ethnobotanic study of flowering plants. studies of these groups are very much Costa Rica, India, Japan, Korea, Malay- Her focus has been on the ginseng family needed. Through basic taxonomic work, sia, Mexico, the Philippines, Thailand, (Araliaceae) and the grape family the two groups can be employed to United States, and Vietnam. (Vitaceae). Her work on Araliaceae was examine the biogeographic diversifica- Born in the Chinese province of initiated in 1985 during her dissertation tion patterns in the Neotropics, the Hubei, Wen received a B.S. in Forestry research at Ohio State University, Caribbean region, and tropical and sub- from Central China Agricultural Univer- emphasizing the systematics and biogeog- tropical Asia. sity at Wuhan in 1984, and a Ph.D. in raphy of Aralia L. After completing her In the past five years, Wen has been Plant Biology from the Ohio State doctoral studies, she expanded her work collecting specimens of the Vitaceae University in 1991. After completing a on Araliaceae. She has made excellent during her field expeditions on other two-year postdoctoral position at the progress toward understanding the phylogeny of the family in the last few Continued on page 9 Travel Pedro Acevedo traveled to Madagas- third Marine Taxonomic Workshop. note address at the 17th International car (9/17 – 10/8) to collect Sapindaceae Vicki Funk traveled to Vienna, Austria Botanical Congress and to attend the material; and to Paris, France (10/8 – 10/ (7/12 – 7/24) to present a keynote Nomenclature Section of the Congress. 15) to study the collections at the Mu- address at the 17th International Botanical Alice Tangerini traveled to Bar seum of Natural History in Paris. Congress and to attend the Nomenclature Harbor, Maine (8/7 – 8/13) to present a John L. Clark traveled to Vienna, Section of the Congress; to Austin, Texas workshop at the annual meeting of the Austria (7/17 – 7/24) to present a key- (8/13 – 8/17) to attend the Botany 2005 Guild of Natural Science Illustrators; and note address at the 17th International meeting where she began her term as to Kauai, Hawaii (9/12 – 9/24) to prepare Botanical Congress. President-Elect of ASPT; and to Chiapas illustrations for the Flora of the Mar- Laurence Dorr traveled to Vienna, and Jalisco, Mexico (9/19 – 10/4) to quesas Islands. Austria (7/10 – 7/26) to attend the 17th collect species from the Compositae Alain Touwaide and Emanuela International Botanical Congress and the tribe Liabeae. Appetiti, traveled to Istanbul, Turkey (8/ Nomenclature Section of the Congress, W. John Kress traveled to Cornwall, 20 – 8/27) to attend the 4th International and to visit the herbarium in Geneva, UK (9/8 – 9/18) to present a keynote talk Congress of Ethnobotany at Istanbul Switzerland; to Venezuela (8/7 – 8/21) to at Eden Project’s “The Rainforest Yeditepe University; to Patras, Greece (9/ collect specimens in the Andes Moun- Gathering” conference and to the Royal 10 – 9/15) to attend the 3rd Congress of tains and to visit herbaria in Caracas, Botanic Garden Edinburgh in Scotland, to the International Society for the History Maracay, and Guanare; and to St. Louis, participate in a ginger taxonomy work- of Medicine (ISHM); and to Rome, Italy Missouri (9/20 – 9/23) to study Venezu- shop. (9/17 – 10/14) to conduct research at the elan plants at the Missouri Botanical Gary Krupnick and Vinita Gowda National Library. Garden herbarium and library. traveled to Uberlândia, Brazil (7/23 – 7/ Warren Wagner traveled to Vienna, Robert Faden traveled to Dublin, 30) to attend the annual meeting of the Austria (7/12 – 7/24) to present a Ireland (7/11 – 7/15) to present a talk at Association for Tropical Biology and keynote address at the 17th International the 13th Flora of Thailand Meeting at Conservation. Botanical Congress and to attend the Trinity College Dublin and to conduct Gregory McKee traveled to Addis Nomenclature Section of the Congress; Commelinaceae research in the her- Ababa, Ethiopia (8/20 – 9/22) to collect and to Kauai, Hawaii (9/12 – 10/2) to barium. ferns for the final volume of the flora of conduct research at the National Tropical Ellen Farr traveled to Hilo, Hawaii Ethiopia and Eritrea. Botanical Garden. (7/26 – 8/7) to attend the combined Dan H. Nicolson traveled to Vienna, Anna Weitzman traveled to London, meeting of the Mycological Societies of Austria (7/10 – 7/29) to attend the 17th England (7/9 – 7/21; 9/19 – 9/26) to dis- America and Japan. International Botanical Congress, chair cuss the digitization of works of taxo- Maria Faust traveled to Bocas del the Nomenclature Section of the Con- nomic literature at the Natural History Toro, Panama (7/31 – 8/13) to attend the gress, work on TL-2 at the library of the Museum (NHM); to Vienna, Austria (7/21 Botanical Institute, and go on a botanical – 7/24) to present a talk at the 17th Inter- The Plant Press field trip in the Czech Republic. national Botanical Congress; and to St. Paul Peterson traveled to Vienna, Petersburg, Russia (9/10 – 9/18) to New Series - Vol. 8 - No. 4 Austria (7/12 – 7/22) to present a talk at present an invited lecture to the Taxonom- th Chair of Botany the 17 International Botanical Congress ic Databases Working Group (TDWG). W. John Kress and to attend the Nomenclature Section Jun Wen traveled to Vienna, Austria ([email protected]) of the Congress; and to northern México (7/17 – 7/24) to present a talk at the 17th (8/29 – 9/30) to collect grasses and International Botanical Congress; to Aus- EDITORIAL STAFF present an invited lecture at the 2nd Botan- tin, Texas (8/13 – 8/17) to present a talk Editor ical Symposium of Northern México in at the Botany 2005 meeting; to Chicago, Gary Krupnick Durango. Illinois (8/24 – 9/1) to finish collections ([email protected]) Harold R. Robinson traveled to database at the Field Museum; to New Vienna, Austria (7/17 – 7/24) to present a Haven, Connecticut (9/5 – 9/6) to serve News Contacts talk at the 17th International Botanical on the graduate committee for Stephen MaryAnn Apicelli, Robert Faden, Ellen Congress. Smith at Yale University; and to St. Louis, Farr, George Russell, Alice Tangerini, and Laurence Skog traveled to Vienna, Missouri (9/8 – 9/14) to examine collec- Elizabeth Zimmer Austria (7/10 – 7/20) to attend the 17th tions of African Vitaceae and plan her The Plant Press is a quarterly publication provided International Botanical Congress and the field work in Tanzania with colleague Roy free of charge. If you would like to be added to the Nomenclature Section of the Congress Gereau at the Missouri Botanical Garden. mailing list, please contact Gary Krupnick at: Department of Botany, Smithsonian Institution, PO and to visit the herbaria at the Natural Kenneth J. Wurdack traveled to Box 37012, NMNH MRC-166, Washington, DC History Museum, Vienna and the Univer- Vienna, Austria (7/12 – 7/29) to present a 20013-7012, or by E-mail: [email protected]. sity of Vienna. keynote address at the 17th International Robert Soreng traveled to Vienna, Botanical Congress and to visit herbaria at Web site: http://www.nmnh.si.edu/botany Austria (7/12 – 7/24) to present a key- Kew and Leiden.
Page 2 The Rain Forest Gathering: Has Tropical Forest Conservation Succeeded? Chair n early September, over 200 participants convened progress can be cited. For one thing, the more we at the Eden Project in Cornwall, United Kingdom, learn about the function of tropical forests, both Ifor a discussion on the present status and future pristine and degraded, the more complex the system With prospects of rain forest conservation. Cosponsored by appears to be. What we first thought could easily be the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation understood and conserved with enough passion by (headquartered at the Smithsonian’s National Museum simply “saving the rain forest” is proving to be an of Natural History), the conference, entitled The exceeding complex web of biology, social sciences, A Rainforest Gathering, brought together people with politics, and economics. More strikingly the early exceedingly diverse backgrounds and perspectives, emphasis on conserving species and ecosystems has including botanists, zoologist, foresters, ecologists, been expanded to highlight the local people who ethnobotanists, climatologists, meteorologists, inhabit these biomes. Moreover, since the earnest View chemists, horticulturists, anthropologists, economists, efforts to conserve tropical forests started in the investment bankers, representatives of the private 1970s the multiplicity of issues facing the global sector, industry and government, musicians, TV pro- community has greatly increased and diversified. ducers, administrators, students, and teachers. This list Major concerns now focus on the dominance of W. is not complete and many participants could be easily worldwide capitalism and globalization, the increase categorized into more than one group. The Rainforest of global terrorism and the war in the Middle East, the John Gathering constituted one of the most diverse bodies rise of human rights abuses in many countries, the Kress of thinkers about rain forest biology, utilization, and alarm over the introduction of genetically modified conservation that I have ever encountered. The Eden organisms into the agricultural landscape, the obvious Project was the perfect venue for this discussion and manifestations of global climate change, and the is to be highly commended, especially Don Murray, multiple recent natural disasters. At the same time for conceiving of and carrying out this conference. world population and material consumption, which The conference was divided into seven themes that exacerbate the environmental dilemma, continue to encompassed tropical forest ecosystem processes and expand at an increasing rate. All of these problems are services, forest regeneration, the utilization, valuation, now competing for the world’s attention and are and exploitation of tropical forests, climate change in diverting us from critical conservation problems, tropical environments, the rain forest pharmacy, and such as tropical forest degradation. tropical forest indigenous peoples and communities. Within the community of conservation activists The habitats described spanned the globe from Africa and organizations, we can also see major changes to Asia to the Americas, although a heavy emphasis since the early 1980s. Especially evident is the great was placed on the Amazon. Throughout the three days I increase in the number of activists devoted to heard many facts, opinions, old ideas, new ideas, and environmental issues, including individuals, NGOs, passionate pleas and expressions of concern for the governmental bureaus, and multilateral agencies. The future of tropical forests and the people who live in competition for resources to support all of these them. Some were hopeful of success; others where efforts has grown tremendously with a corresponding not. increase in bureaucracy and even corruption at many A recurring question that was raised again and again levels. during the presentations and discussion was: “Have we From the three days of discussion at The made any progress in the last several decades in saving Rainforest Gathering, it became clear to me that the rain forest species, in halting the degradation of trop- international community concerned with tropical ical ecosystems, in accumulating sufficient knowledge conservation may be entering a significant phase of of rain forest biology to sustainably manage forests, dissention, disarray, and disagreement about how we and in protecting the lands and rights of indigenous are to proceed with our conservation agenda. The people living in the tropics?” The surprising and some- anthropologists criticized the NGOs for ignoring the what sobering answer for the most part was “no.” With rights of indigenous people in advocating the protec- the significant expansion of non-government organiza- tion of tropical habitats; the NGOs attacked the tions (NGOs) devoted to rain forest conservation, with bureaucracy of the multilateral agencies who control the near universal ratification of a major international most of the big funding for environmental treaty on biodiversity (the Convention on Biological projects; the multilaterals ignored the advice Diversity), and with a magnitude increase in interna- of the scientists and biologists as being naïve tional funding for conservation activities, why are so in their unrealistic recommendations on many people in the field pessimistic of success? How solving conservation problems; and the can their answer be “no”? Continued on page 9 A number of possible explanations for our lack of
Page 3 Vicki Funk served on the American Several museum scientists are featured in Staff Association for the Advancement of a new illustrated children’s book. Written Science (AAAS) Science Journalism Amanda Lumry and Laura Hurwitz with Research & Awards committee on 31 August. The illustrations by Sarah McIntyre, the book Activities award honors individual journalists who “Adventures of Riley... Dolphins in have made important contributions in Danger” features in cartoon form Vic communicating science to the public. Springer, Dave Smith, W. John Kress, On 28 September, Michael Bordelon From 19 September until 4 October, Warren Wagner, and Carole Baldwin in presented a lecture and slide presentation Funk traveled to Mexico for the first time authoritative sidebars. on “Tropical Ginger Cultivation in the in about 25 years. She worked through the Washington, DC, Area” to the Beltsville herbarium at the Universidad Nacional Garden Club in Beltsville, Maryland. Autónoma de México (MEXU) in Mexico City. She was hosted by Alfonso Delgado th Robert Faden attended the 13 Flora of and Fernando Chang. Funk collected Thailand Meeting at Trinity College members of the Compositae tribe Liabeae th th Dublin, Dublin, Ireland, 11 – 15 July and focused on two areas of the country, 2005. He delivered the paper, “Progress Jalisco and Chiapas-Oaxaca. Jalisco and on the Commelinaceae for the Flora of the Oaxaca valley were dry; the rains Thailand,” which was co-authored by came late and were brief. Chiapas and Thaweesak Thitimetharoch and Pranom tropical Oaxaca had a more normal Chantaranothai. He was also co-author, season. In the late 1970s, Funk spent nine along with Thaweesak Thitimetharoch, months over four years traveling in Pranom Chantaranothai and Achra Tham- Mexico collecting material for her Awards & mathaworn, of the presentation, “Leaf dissertation treatment of Montanoa. anatomical studies of the family Comme- Grants linaceae in Thailand,” that was delivered On 26 July, W. John Kress was to present by Thaweesak, and of the poster, “A new the Plenary Address, “Evolution and The Stafleu Medal of the International type of silica cell in the genus Dictyo- Ecology of Plant-Pollinator Interactions Association for Plant Taxonomy was spermum Wight (Commelinaceae),” in the Tropics,” at the annual meeting of awarded to Dan H. Nicolson and the late along with Thaweesak Thitimetharoch and the Association for Tropical Biology and F. Raymond Fosberg for the publication Achra Thammathaworn, that was also Conservation in Uberlândia, Brazil. of “The Forsters and the Botany of the presented by Thaweesak. Unfortunately, Kress became ill; Gary Second Cook Expedition.” The Stafleu Faden spent half a day working on Krupnick presented Kress’ talk in his Medal recognizes excellence in publica- Commelinaceae in the herbarium of the place. Department of Botany, Trinity College Dublin (TCD). Founded in 1834, the her- barium is not very large, e.g. there were two pigeonholes of Commelinaceae, but it contains numerous important collec- tions. These include an almost complete set of the early collections of A.F.G. Kerr from Thailand that were cited in Craib’s “List of Siamese plants…” (Kew Bull. 1912: 397-435. 1912), among which were isotypes of the two new species described in Aneilema. The Kerr collec- tions were all duplicates from Kew. Pleasant surprises were collections of Drège and Ecklon & Zeyher from South Africa, including two types; six Thwaites or “C. P.” (= Ceylon Plants) collections from Sri Lanka, including at least one type; and at least five Schomburgk collec- tions from “British Guiana,” including two types. There were also numerous old specimens from India, especially from the herbaria of Hooker & Thompson and Dan H. Nicolson (right) receives the Stafleu Medal from Pieter Baas during the Wallich; due to a lack of literature and 17th International Botanical Congress in Vienna, Austria. Photo by Alice C. time, they were not explored for types. Nicolson.
Page 4 tions dealing with historical bibliographi- Visitors of Wisconsin; Solanum sect. Petota cal or nomenclatural aspects of plant (Solanaceae) (8/17-8/18). systematics. The Medal was presented to Chhimi Dolma, National Biodiversity Mercedes Ames, USDA-ARS, University Nicolson on 15 July, during the 17th Centre, Ministry of Agriculture, National of Wisconsin; Solanum sect. Petota International Botanical Congress in Herbarium, Thimphu, Bhutan; Biological (Solanaceae) (8/17-8/18). Vienna, Austria. Diversity of the Guiana Shield Project (5/ 29-7/29). W. John Kress, with colleagues from Patrick McMillan, Clemson University; Rhynchospora (Cyperaceae) (8/18-8/ Columbia University and the University Andrew Henderson, New York Botanical 19). of Maryland, entered the third year of a Garden; Indo-Chinese Arecaceae (6/27-7/ grant from the National Science Foun- 15). Keith Bradley, Institute for Regional dation’s Information Technology Re- Conservation; southern Floridian rare John Nicholas, Independent researcher; search (ITR) program for “An Electronic plants (8/22-8/23). Field Guide: Plant Exploration and volunteer interview (7/7). st Claudia Isabel Rodriguez-Flores, Her- Discovery in the 21 Century.” Doreen Bolnick, Independent re- bario Nacional Colombiano, Universidad searcher; herbarium studies (7/8-7/11). Rusty Russell received a Collections Nacional de Colombiano, Colombia; Care Grant from the Associate Director Fernanda Calio, Rutgers University; South American Gesneriaceae (8/22-9/ for Research and Collections (ADRC) at Gentianaceae and Loganiaceae (7/13-7/ 22). the National Museum of Natural History 14). to conduct an assessment of the physical Sheri Church, George Washington Uni- state of the U.S. National Herbarium Type Cynthia Frasier, Rutgers University; versity; Helianthus (8/24). Gentianaceae and Loganiaceae (7/13-7/ Collection. Work will include specimen Kelsey Glennon, George Washington 14). repairs, adding new covers and micro- University; Helianthus (8/24). chamber folders where necessary, Luis Hernandez, Universidad Autónoma isolating severe conservation problems, Kathryn Mauz, University of Arizona; de Querétaro, Mexico; Nolina (Nolina- and reconciling the specimens with both Arizonian historical collections (8/24-8/ ceae) (7/18). the Type Register data base and the online 26). images. Javier Francisco-Ortega, Florida Inter- Gerry Moore, Brooklyn Botanic Garden; national University; library research (7/ Jun Wen received a grant from the John Rhynchospora sect. Paniculatae (8/29- 20-7/21). D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Founda- 9/2). tion, “Building Capacity for Biodiversity Ning Xu, The Biodiversity Group (TBG), Susan Grose, University of Washington; Research, Conservation, and Education in China; Yunnanese specimens (7/22-9/13). Eastern Himalaya” (PI, Jun Wen with two Central and South American Tabebuia co-PIs: Greg Mueller and Rick Ree); and H. David Clarke, University of North (Bignoniaceae) (9/6-9/30). Carolina, Asheville; Guyanese plant a grant from the National Science Foun- Naohiro Naruhashi, Toyama University, collections (7/29-8/3; 9/1-9/6). dation, Systematic Biology section, Japan; Asian Rubus (Rosaceae) and Fri- “Revisionary Syntheses in Systematics Tracey Parker, Independent researcher; tillaria (Liliaceae) (9/6-9/9). (REVSYS): Phylogenetic, Biogeographic Central American specimens (8/1-8/5). and Revisionary Taxonomic Studies in Alejandro Quintanar-Sánchez, Real Prunus (Rosaceae)” (co-PI with Dan Carola Antezana, NatureServe and the Jardín Botánico-CSIC , Madrid, Spain; Potter and Joey Shaw). University of San Simon of Cochabamba, Koeleria (Poaceae) (9/6-11/24). Bolivia; Bolivian and Peruvian Acantha- Carolina Calvino, University of Illinois; ceae (8/9-8/26). Eryngium (Apiaceae) (9/13-9/15). James Cohen, Cornell University; Litho- James Miller, Missouri Botanical Gar- spermum (Boraginaceae) (8/9). Departures den; Flora Mesoamericana Boraginaceae Fernando Zuloaga, Instituto de Botáni- (9/19-9/22). Paula DePriest has moved from the ca, Argentina, Darwinion; Puerto Rican Akiko Soejima, Osaka Prefecture Uni- Department to take a position as Deputy Paniceae (8/10-8/24). Director of the Smithsonian Center for versity, Japan; Vitaceae (9/28-3/25). Materials Research and Education at the Ana Maria Molina, Jardín Botánico Museum Support Center (MSC) in “Arturo E. Ragonese,” Argentina; Agrostis Suitland, Maryland. DePriest had made (Poaceae) (8/16-8/30). many contributions to lichen research and Zulma Rugolo de Agrasar, Instituto de collections activities in the Department Botánica Darwinion, Argentina; Agrostis as well as during her term as Special (Poaceae) (8/16-8/30). Advisor to the Under Secretary for Science over the last two years. Natalia Alvarez, USDA-ARS, University
Page 5 items, as well as information on new Identifying Panamanian Dinoflagellates publications, fellowships and grants, job announcements, educational materials, During August, Maria A. Faust dinoflagellates in turn will benefit the and meetings. In addition, the newsletter’s examined the marine dinoflagellate flora laboratory in Bocas del Toro in several Web page
Page 6 The 2006 Smithsonian Botanical Symposium, 21-22 April, to Explore Island Archipelagos The Department of Botany will Added to this mix of biological rich- The award is named in honor of Dr. José convene the 2006 Smithsonian Botanical ness are two kinds of storms – physical Cuatrecasas, a pioneering botanist who Symposium, “Island Archipelagos: storms in the form of hurricanes that spent many years working in the Depart- Cauldrons of Evolution,” to be held at regularly pass through the island chains ment of Botany at the Smithsonian and the National Museum of Natural History and the “storm” of human population devoted his career to plant exploration in in Washington, D.C., on 21 – 22 April growth and development. The former tropical South America. 2006. storms, along with other types of natural Sponsors of the Symposium are the Island archipelagos have long been disturbance such as volcanic activity, have Department of Botany, the Office of the recognized as unique biological laborato- played an important role in the evolution Associate Director for Research and ries by evolutionary of the biota. The Collections, the United States Botanic biologists. The latter “storm” now Garden, the National Tropical Botanical classic observations threatens the Garden, and the Cuatrecasas Family by Charles Darwin on continued existence Foundation. adaptive radiation in and ecological Registration and additional informa- finches were made in integrity of both tion about the 2006 Smithsonian Botani- the Galápagos archipelago and more terrestrial and marine ecosystems of cal Symposium will appear soon at
Kenneth J. Wurdack recently joined the Department as an Assistant Curator. He received his Ph.D. in 2002 from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He was laboratory manager for the Cullman Program for Molecular System- atics Studies at the New York Botanical Garden before coming to the Smithsonian as a post-doctoral fellow and a Research Associate in molecular systematics. Wurdack’s research interests are on the systematics and evolution of Euphorbia- ceae, a large group of angiosperms noted for rubber (Hevea brasiliensis), cassava (Manihot esculenta), poinsettias (Eu- phorbia pulcherrima) and castor bean (Ricinus communis). He has also done research on the order Malpighiales to which euphorbs belong, Thymeleaeceae, horizontal gene transfer, and ant-plant interactions. Wurdack’s research and Kenneth Wurdack stands tall with Joannesia princeps (Euphorbiaceae) in the botanical career will be highlighted in the Department greenhouse. Photo by Leslie Brothers. next issue of the Plant Press.
Page 7 Botanists Swarm Vienna at the XVII International Botanical Congress Department staff members were Highlights of the Congress included including the International Compositae conspicuous participants at the XVII keynote addresses by scientists from the Alliance (V. Funk), Flora Neotropica (P. International Botanical Congress (IBC) in National Museum of Natural History: Acevedo) and the Legume working group Vienna, Austria, 17-23 July. This meeting (P. Herendeen), OSU systematics group was the second IBC to be held in Vienna, • John L. Clark, “Phylogenetic (V. Funk), New York Botanical Garden the first one convened there 100 years relationships and patterns of diversifi- group (P. Acevedo), International Associa- ago. cation in Gesneriaceae subfamily tion of Plant Taxonomy business meeting Immediately preceding the main Gesnerioideae,” with Eric H. Roalson, (W. Wagner), Species Plantarum Project program of the XVII IBC, the Nomencla- Laurence E. Skog, John K. Boggan (W. Wagner and V. Funk) and others. ture Section of the Congress took place at and Elizabeth A. Zimmer; The next congress will be held in the University of Vienna, from 12-16 • Vicki Funk, “Evolution of the Com- Melbourne, Australia, in July 2011. July. This Section was presented by the positae: the big picture,” with R.J. Contributed Presentations Congress’s Bureau of Nomenclature as Bayer, L. Watson, B. Gemeinholzer, C. prescribed by the International Code of Oberprieler, N. Garcia-Jacas and A. L. Bohs, S. Knapp, M. Nee, D. Spooner, J. Botanical Nomenclature. Dan H. Nicol- Susanna; Bennett, L. Walley and J. Clark: The son, president of Bureau of Nomencla- Solanum PBI project: taxonomy in the ture, chaired the session. Attending from • Conrad Labandeira (Department of electronic information age; the Department were Nicolson, Paul Paleobiology), “The Mesozoic context Peterson, Laurence Dorr, Vicki Funk, for the origin of angiosperm plant- P. Catalán, A. Quintanar, L. Gillespie, L.A. Laurence Skog, Robert Soreng, and insect associations and floral syn- Inda, J.G. Segarra-Moragues, A. Archam- Warren Wagner. Important topics that dromes;” bault, J. Müller, M. Olonova, R. Soreng were discussed include the elimination of and S. Castroviejo: Evolutionary analysis Cristián Samper, “Implementing the illustrations as types beginning in 2007, • of the Poaceae subfamily Pooideae tribal global strategy for plant conservation: the defeat of the proposals to conserve complex Aveneae-Poeae: systematic and challenges and opportunities;” names below the rank of genus and biogeographic implications; species, the defeat of the proposal to • Robert Soreng, “Phylogenetic D. Clarke: Biogeography of plants of the conserve names across ranks, and the structure of Poaceae (R. Br.) Barnhart Guiana Shield: Inferences from seven approval of the moving of the type of subfamily Pooideae Benth. based on florulas from Northern South America; Acacia from a paraphyletic grade in sequence data of four chloroplast- Africa to a smaller monophyletic group encoded genes (matK, ndhF, ndhH, S.O. Grose and R.G. Olmstead: Evolution centered in Australia. Recommendations and rbcL),” with J.I. Davis; of mammal dispersed fruits: morphology for electronic publication were also and anatomy of fruits in Crescentieae passed although the date of publication • Warren Wagner, “It is not just a flora (Bignoniaceae); will remain the date of hard copy publica- anymore;” P.S. Herendeen, G.P. Lewis and A. tion. Currently eight flowering plant • Kenneth Wurdack, “Progress in Mal- Bruneau: Reproductive structures of families have two names (e.g., Composi- pighiales phylogeny: new insights Leguminosae: phylogenetic and paleobo- tae and Asteraceae; Palmae and Areca- from eight genes,” with C.C. Davis. tanical utility; ceae); the proposal to eliminate that option for seven of those families was Other departmental members and N. Hoffmann and P.T. DePriest: Unex- defeated in the mail ballot and was not research associates who presented talks pected genetic diversification in morpho- discussed on the floor. and posters during the scientific sessions logical uniform taxa and exceptional The Congress was opened with a were H. David Clarke, Susan Grose, Pat morphological diversification in Cladia reception at the Vienna Town Hall Herendeen, Vivian Negron-Ortiz, Paul and closely related lineages; attended by thousands of participants and Peterson, Karen Redden, Harold Robin- the program began on Monday, 18 July, son, Laurence Skog, Chelsea Specht, P. Hoffmann, K.J. Wurdack, H. Kathria- with an opening talk by Peter Raven. The Anna Weitzman, and Jun Wen. Co- rachchi, R. Samuel and M.W. Chase: Sys- congress focused on the newest develop- authors of talks and posters who could not tematics of Euphorbiaceae s.l. lineages; ments in the botanical sciences world- attend the meeting were John Boggan, P. Karis, V. Funk, R. Chan, R. McKenzie wide and included plenary talks, general Robert Faden, W. John Kress, and and N. Barker: Small tribes, but a large lectures, symposia, and poster sessions. Elizabeth Zimmer. challenge: clades and grades of Arctoti- All aspects of basic and applied botanical In addition to the talks and posters, deae and Liabeae; research were included. More than 4,000 there were also specialized workshops, participants of XVII IBC 2005 attended small group meetings, and ad-hoc dis- H. Kathriarachchi, R. Samuel, P. Hoff- from 97 countries making this Congress a cussions. Several were organized by mann, K.J. Wurdack and M.W. Chase: truly international event. members and affiliates of the Department Phylogenetic relationships in Phyllan-
Page 8 thus and relatives (Phyllanthaceae): into reticulate evolution in Poaceae; each other for resources to solve the evidence from nuclear ITS and plastid same problem? matK sequences; L.J. Gillespie, A. Archambault, R.J. Perhaps my reaction to the discussion Soreng, S.W.L. Jacobs and H. Ma: A and debate among the conservation troops S. Knapp, L. Bohs, M. Nee, D. Spooner, J. close phylogenetic relationship detected is too severe. Perhaps this disarray is a Bennett, J. Clark and L. Walley: Tax- between Poa subg. Andinae of Patagonia good thing for the field and we are in a onomy as a team sport: PBI Solanum or and Hookerochloa and Festucella of critical phase of reassessment and how to monograph a monster; Australia (Poaceae, Pooideae, Poeae): reconsideration. Perhaps we will emerge evidence from nuclear and chloroplast from this time with a new game plan for P.M. Peterson, S.J. Pennington and R.J. DNA sequences and morphology; Soreng: Biogeography and classification tropical forest conservation and restora- of New World Pooideae (Poaceae); L.A. Inda, J.G. Segarra-Moragues, P.M. tion. As suggested by Richard Sandbrook Peterson, J. Müller and P. Catalán: Phy- at the Cornwall conference, a call for H.R. Robinson, S. Keeley and R. Chan: logenetic studies and the radiation of the amnesty and time-out may be in order Progress in understanding Vernonieae New and Old World festucoids (Loliinae, among all the key players in the conserva- evolution; Pooideae, Poaceae); tion community in order to refocus and J.M. Saarela, P.M. Peterson and S.W. rethink our priorities to determine where D.H. Lorence and W.L. Wagner: Vascular we need to concentrate our activities. If Graham: Phylogeny and biogeography of flora of the Marquesas Islands; Bromeae; our progress has stalled, let’s stop a V. Negron-Ortiz and L.I. Strittmatter: moment and take stock of where we are in C.D. Specht and W.J. Kress: Pollination Characterizing polyploidy in the Carib- order to regain the momentum of the past syndromes and diversification rates in the bean Consolea Lem. (Cactaceae): chro- decade and once again move forward in tropical Gingers (Zingiberales); mosomes, cytomixis and pollen grain our efforts to conserve tropical forests. A.L. Weitzman and C.H.C. Lyal: The size; Biologia Centrali-Americana Centennial: K.M. Redden and P.S. Herendeen: Mor- a vision for digital access to taxonomic phology, diversity and phylogeny of information; Paloue, Elizabetha, Heterostemon and J. Wen: Patterns of morphological related Caesalpinoid legumes from differentiation among intercontinental northeastern South America; disjunct plants in the Northern Hemi- N.F. Refulio-Rodriguez, J.T. Columbus sphere. and P.M. Peterson: Systematics of Dis- Contributed Posters santhelium Trin. (Poaceae: Pooideae); L. Bohs, M. Nee, S. Knapp, D. Spooner, T.M. Rehse, W.J. Kress and P.S. Manos: J.R. Bennett, J. Clarke and L. Walley: Appendages matter, again: Phylogenetics The PBI Solanum project - an interna- and the classification of Curcuma L.; tional collaboration to monograph W.L. Wagner, P.C. Hoch and P.H. Raven: Solanum; A new classification for Onagraceae. Wen Continued from page 1 H. Dempewolf, T.J. Motley, D.H. Lorence and W.L. Wagner: Biogeographic projects. When selecting her dissertation patterns and affinities of the Pacific project, she became interested in two island genus Oparanthus (Coreopsideae: Asian – North American disjunct genera: Asteraceae); Parthenocissus and Ampelopsis of F. Eggens, M. Popp, M. Nepokroeff, W.L. Vitaceae. She intends to expand her work Wagner and B. Oxelman: The origin of on Vitaceae, a poorly understood family the Hawaiian endemic Silene species; with a similar distributional pattern to that of Araliaceae, with an excellent fossil T.M. Evans, C.R. Hardy, R.B. Faden and record. Two years ago, a visiting scientist, R.F. Bode: A combined molecular phylo- Chair Akiko Soejima from Osaka Prefecture genetic analysis of Commelinaceae; Continued from page 3 University of Japan, spent her sabbatical evidence from rbcL, ndhF, and 26S leave at the Field Museum, where she scientists ignored the insights of the nuclear ribosomal sequences; helped Wen assemble a large molecular anthropologists as unscientific in their phylogenetic dataset of Vitaceae. So far, L.J. Gillespie, A. Archambault and R.J. approach to understanding tropical forest they have obtained molecular sequences Soreng: Partial incongruence between degradation. Nobody seems to be seri- for 110 species of Vitaceae, representing nuclear ribosomal ITS and chloroplast ously listening to the others. Have we lost all genera except the monotypic genus trnT-trnF phylogenies of the bluegrass our focus on the real issues of tropical genus Poa and allied genera: new insights forest conservation while competing with Continued on page 10
Page 9 Wen work on testing the morphological stasis and Africa. The vast area encompassing Continued from page 9 hypothesis of eastern Asian – eastern eastern and South Asia and the Himalayas North American disjuncts, and document- has been examined largely from a Acareosperma endemic to Laos. She ing the differentiation patterns of sub- floristic perspective. plans to gradually conduct more work on tropical and tropical disjunct lineages in In 1944, Araliaceae were used by H.-L. Vitaceae. comparison with temperate relatives. Li to develop biogeographic hypotheses Recently Wen began working with Specifically, she is using Aralia, Dendro- in China. Based on the distributions and Mike Dillon (Field Museum) on the panax and Oreopanax-Sinopanax presumed evolutionary relationships, Li systematics and biogeography of Nolana (Araliaceae), Altingiaceae (with postdoc recognized six biogeographic regions in (Solanaceae), the largest plant genus of Stefanie Ickert-Bond), Rhus, Pistacia and China and its neighboring regions. Wen is the Atacama and Peruvian deserts. They Toxicodendron (Anacardiaceae; with developing and testing hypotheses on the plan to use Nolana as a model to examine postdocs T. Yi and Z. Nie), and Prunus biogeography of East and South Asia the patterns of biogeographic diversifica- (Rosaceae; with Dan Potter and Joey including the Himalayas using the phylo- tion and speciation history in these Shaw) as models to examine in detail the genetic evidence of three clades of deserts. She will head for Peru in Novem- evolution of morphological characters Araliaceae: the Eleutherococcus – ber this year to hunt for Nolana. through time and space within a phyloge- Macropanax – Metapanax complex, the Wen’s second major area of interest is netic framework. Brassaiopsis – Trevesia group, and the the biogeography of the northern hemi- The third major area of research Aralia – Panax complex. sphere and the biogeographic relation- interest for Wen is the biogeography of The fourth category of Wen’s research ships between temperate and tropical Asia. Understanding the dynamic nature interests is the evolution of leaf morphol- elements. She has been actively studying of biogeographic relationships throughout ogy, using Araliaceae as a case study. the origin and evolution of eastern Asian the Northern Hemisphere has been Almost all types of leaf architecture can and eastern North American disjunct hindered by the lack of studies on intra- be found in Araliaceae. The leaves of biogeographic pattern in flowering plants continental relationships. To date, the Araliaceae vary from simple, to variously since her graduate days. She has made biogeography of most regions in Asia has lobed or divided, to palmately and or excellent progress toward understanding not been well understood, especially from pinnately compound. The variation in leaf the general patterns and the timing of the a modern phylogenetic perspective. morphology of Araliaceae varies with disjunctions through work in her lab, Previous biogeographic work on Asia developmental stages, ecological habitats, Michael Donoghue’s group at Yale Uni- has focused mostly on West and and phylogenetic lineages. Many her- versity, and Jenny Xiang’s lab in North Central Asia, or Southeast Asia and barium specimens have preserved the Carolina State University. Recently Wen India, in the context of the Wallace’s variations. Throughout her field studies and Donoghue organized a symposium on line and the relationship of Southeast since 1987, Wen has taken careful notes “Biogeographic Dynamics in the Northern Asia and India to other biogeographic in the field on the variation of leaf Hemisphere” at the 2005 International regions, often of Gondwanan origin such morphology in Araliaceae. Wen is Botanical Congress in Vienna. Wen is as Australia, New Guinea, Pacific islands, focusing on (1) carefully documenting especially interested in pursing further the patterns of leaf variation genus by genus, (2) providing hypotheses on the adaptive significance of leaf variation in Araliaceae, and (3) providing a model of evolution and homologies for leaf architecture of the family based on evidence from phylogenetics, fossils, and developmental observations. Wen’s fifth major area of research interest is the systematics and conserva- tion of Asian medicinal plants. Wen first became interested in botany through the early teachings of her grandfather and uncle, both who are traditional medicinal doctors in her home village in China. Her work with ginsengs and close relatives has made her aware that many traditionally used medicines are still taxonomically poorly understood and many have become rare and endangered due to over-harvest- ing. In collaboration with colleagues in Asia, she would like to contribute to the Jun Wen collecting Aralia bipinnata Blanco in Benguet Province, Luzon, the careful documentation of Asian medicinal Philippines, September 2004. Photo by Martin Sands.
Page 10 phylogenetic significance. American Journal of Botany 92: 1234-1255. Ireland, R.R., G. Bellolio, H. Bednarek- Ochyra, and R. Ochyra. 2005. Fertile plants of Racomitrium patagonicum (Bryopsida, Grimmiaceae). Journal of the Hattori Botanical Laboratory 98: 205- 211. Nie, Z.-L., J. Wen, Z.-J. Gu, D.E. Bouf- ford, and H. Sun. 2005. Polyploidy in flora of the Hengduan Mountains Hot- spot, Southwestern China. Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 92: 275-306. Nie, Z.-L., J. Wen, H. Sun, and B. Bartho- lomew. 2005. Monophyly of Kelloggia Torrey ex Benth. (Rubiaceae) and evolu- tion of its intercontinental disjunction between western North America and eastern Asia. American Journal of Botany Jun Wen with colleagues H. Wan (left) and X. Chen (middle) on Mt. Wuyishan, 92: 642-653. Jiangxi Province, China, collecting wild populations of Panax sinensis J. Wen, ined. (a close congeneric relative of ginseng), in July 2001. Photo by Jun Wen. Rosen, D.J. and R.B. Faden. 2005. Gibasis pellucida (Commelinaceae), a plants, with a conservation perspective, new and potentially weedy genus and along with the development of a database Publications species for Texas. Sida 21: 1931-1934. with plant and drug images. Touwaide, A. 2005. Healers and physi- Finally, Wen has a strong interest in Appetiti, E. 2005. Remedies from the cians in the ancient and medieval Medi- the conservation and biodiversity inven- bush: traditional medicine among the terranean cultures. Pp. 155-173. In: Yaniv, tory of the flora of Asia, especially in Australian. Pp. 175-190. In: Yaniv, Z. and Z. and U. Bachrach (eds.). Handbook of poorly explored regions such as southeast U. Bachrach (eds.). Handbook of Medici- Medicinal Plants. Haworth Press, Bing- Tibet, Myanmar, and Indochina (especially nal Plants. Haworth Press, Binghamton. Cambodia and Laos). In 2002 she was a hamton. DeFilipps, R.A. and L.E. Skog. 2005. participant in the southern Gaoligongshan Touwaide, A., N. De Sante, and G. Aliotta. Gesneriaceae, the African-violet family. conservational rapid study jointly con- 2005. The origins of Western herbal Pp. 342-347. In: Staple, G.W. and D.R. ducted by the Field Museum and collabo- medicines for kidney diseases. Pp. 251- Herbst (eds.). A Tropical Garden Flora; rators in China. 260. In: Eknoyan, G. (ed.). Alternative Plants Cultivated in the Hawaiian Recently, Wen was awarded two major and Complementary Medicine and Islands and Other Tropical Places grants: a John D. and Catherine T. Mac- . Chronic Kidney Disease (= Advances in Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu. Arthur Foundation grant for biodiversity Chronic Kidney Disease 12.3). Elsevier, research and training in eastern Himalaya, Funakoshi, H., W.J. Kress, J. Škornièko- New York. with colleagues Greg Mueller and Rick vá, A. Liu, and K. Inoue. 2005. Return Zimmer, E.A. and Roalson, E.H. (eds.). Ree (both at the Field Museum); and a from the lost: rediscovery of the pre- 2005. Methods in Molecular Evolution: National Science Foundation systematic Leptosolena sumed extinct (Zingibera- Producing the Biochemical Data: biology grant for phylogenetic, biogeo- ceae) in the Philippines and its phyloge- Methods in Enzymology, v. 395. Elsevier, graphic and revisionary taxonomic studies netic placement in gingers. Acta Phyto- San Diego. 852 pp. in Prunus (Rosaceae), with colleagues taxonomica et Geobotanica 56: 41-53. Dan Potter (University of California, Davis) and Joey Shaw (University of Funk, V.A., K.S. Richardson, and S. Tennessee, Chattanooga). Ferrier. 2005. Survey-gap analysis in expeditionary research: where do we go from here? Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 85: 549–567. Ickert-Bond, S.M., K.B. Pigg, and J. Wen. 2005. Comparative infructescence mor- phology and anatomy in Liquidambar L. (Altingiaceae) and its taxonomic and
Page 11 Art by Alice Tangerini
Panax quinquefolius L.
Panax quinquefolius L. is the highly prized American ginseng, sometimes known as the “essence of man.” Its root often has a human shape and the medicinal value of the plant is still highly debated. Phylogeneti- cally it forms a clade with Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer (true ginseng) and Panax japonicus C.A. Meyer (Japanese ginseng). Ginseng and American ginseng are not really sister species, although they were the first species group recognized with a wide- ranging classical biogeo- graphic disjunction between eastern Asia and eastern North America, first noted in 1716.
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