Special Symposium Issue - see page 10 Department of Botany & the U.S. National Herbarium The Plant Press
New Series - Vol. 11 - No. 3 July-September 2008 Botany Profile It Takes Two: Understanding Coevolution By Gary A. Krupnick he Seventh Annual Smithsonian Mireya D. Correa A. from the University have often assumed that mutualisms are Botanical Symposium, held on 26 of Panama and the Smithsonian Tropical evolutionarily fragile, but new evidence TApril at the National Museum of Research Institute (STRI). An expert in (both models and phylogenetic stud- Natural History in Washington, DC, gave the systematics of vascular plants with ies) points to the remarkable robustness 175 participants the opportunity to dis- special emphasis on the Flora of Panama, of mutualism in the face of ecological cover how natural selection has shaped Correa expressed gratitude and was highly cheating. animals and plants together through their honored. She recalled having wonderful Bronstein also discussed how anthro ancient and persistent dependencies with conversations in the past with Cuatrecasas pogenic change threatens biological one another. The theme, “Partners in during her first diversity Evolution: Interactions, Adaptations, and visit to the U.S. worldwide. Speciation,” was explored by a distin- National Her- Conserva- guished group of specialist speakers, and barium. Very tion strategies was highlighted with a reception in a humble, Correa typically focus pavilion of live plants and butterflies. stated that she on individual The meeting, held in collaboration had “done what charismatic with the United States Botanic Garden I have to do in a country very rich in spe- species, but management approaches and the National Tropical Botanical Gar- cies of plants.” Correa thanked her large should include mutualists as well. Cur- den, was the first Smithsonian Botanical group of students, many who have worked rent threats that disrupt mutualisms Symposium to be co-hosted by three with her in the field and in the herbarium. include (1) invasive species that outcom- departments from the museum—the Of her students, Correa said, “[they] do pete mutualists, (2) habitat fragmentation Departments of Botany, Entomology and what I cannot do – they climb, and I can that preclude mutualists from moving Paleobiology. The symposium addressed think and teach.” She also thanked STRI between patches, and (3) other distur- the various ecological interactions, evo- for presenting her with opportunities and bances, such as fire and hurricanes. The lutionary adaptations, and co-radiations support to do research that she would ultimate threat is coextinction, when one of plants and animals in habitats across not have been able to accomplish at the partner is lost due to the loss of the other the planet and explored the processes of university. partner; but Bronstein explained that coevolution. there is very little evidence of coextinc- Giving the introductory greeting, he first lecture of the day, moder- tion, most likely because they are very Warren Wagner, symposium convener, ated by the morning session chair difficult to detect. welcomed the audience to Baird Audi- TTerry Erwin (Chair of Entomology, Conrad Labandeira, Research Scien- torium. Hans-Dieter Sues, Associate Smithsonian Institution), was presented by tist, Curator and Chair of the Department Director for Research and Collections, Judith Bronstein, Professor at the Univer- of Paleobiology, Smithsonian Institution, then had the opportunity to say a few sity of Arizona and current Program Direc- asked the symposium participants “What words about the museum’s role in host- tor at the National Science Foundation, Can We Learn from the Fossil Record ing symposia, before he trotted off to a who spoke about “Mutualism, Diversity, of Plant-Insect Associations?” The concurrent symposium elsewhere in the and Diversification.” Bronstein, who fossil record of plants, insects, and their museum. chose to “paint issues with a broad brush,” associations is evident in fossilized plant Laurence Dorr took the stage to award spoke about the many benefits of mutual- damage, coprolites (fecal remains that the Seventh José Cuatrecasas Medal ism: protection, nutrition, and transporta- include plant parts), gut contents, and for Excellence in Tropical Botany to tion (e.g., pollination). She explained how mutualisms are maintained. Biologists Continued on page 13 Travel Pedro Acevedo traveled to Paramar Vicki Funk traveled to Paramaribo, Oregon (6/10 – 6/13) to identify 1,700 ibo, Surinam (6/8 – 6/22) to present a talk Surinam (6/8 – 6/14) to deliver the plenary Oregon State University Poa collections about Sapindaceae in the Guianas at the address about the biodiversity of the for the Oregon Flora Project; and then to annual meeting of the Association of Trop- Guiana Shield at the annual meeting of Logan, Utah (6/16 – 6/17) to give a talk ical Biology and Conservation and to visit the Association of Tropical Biology and and verify grass specimens cultivated by the Kabalebo Nature Reserve to explore Conservation; to Minneapolis, Minnesota USDA-ARS from recent seed collections the possibilities of conducting botanical (6/21 – 6/25) to attend and to represent the in China, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia. explorations in that area of the country. Society for Systematic Biologists at the Alain Touwaide and Emanuela Walter Adey traveled to Lexington, Evolution 2008 meeting; and to Vienna, Appetiti traveled to Chicago, Illinois Virginia (4/1 – 4/3) to present a talk on Austria (6/27 – 7/2) to work with Tod (4/3 – 4/6) to attend the annual meeting Algal Turf Scrubber (ATS) wastewater Stuessy and Franz Stadler on the soon to of the Renaissance Society of America; treatment and biofuel production capabili- be completed book on the Compositae to Rochester, New York (4/10 – 4/13) to ties at the Biofuels Conference sponsored titled Systematics, Evolution, and Bioge- attend the annual meeting of the American the Chesapeake Bay Commission; to ography of the Compositae. Association for the History of Medicine; Harrisburg, Pennsylvania (4/16 – 4/17) W. John Kress traveled to Bronx, New to Ankara, Turkey (5/12 – 6/8) where to make a presentation to the State of York (5/1 – 5/3) to attend a workshop at Touwaide delivered lectures at Bilkent Pennsylvania Deputy Secretary and staff the New York Botanical Garden called University and the American Research concerning the ATS project; to Norfolk, TREEBol about DNA barcoding the trees Institute in Turkey and a plenary lecture at Virginia (5/8 – 5/9) to give a talk at Old of the world; to Paramaribo, Surinam (6/8 the first international meeting of the Turk- Dominion University; to Kennett Square, – 6/14) as Executive Director to attend ish Society for the History of Medicine; Pennsylvania (5/29 – 5/30) to give a the annual meeting of the Association of and to Charlottesville, Virginia (6/20) presentation to the environmental staff Tropical Biology and Conservation. where Appetiti delivered a lecture at the of Exelon Corporation; to Holtwood, Mark and Diane Littler traveled to Kluge-Ruhe Center for Aboriginal Art, Pennsylvania (6/4 – 6/5; 6/10 – 6/11) to Fort Pierce, Florida (6/3 – 7/31) to conduct University of Virginia. meet with ATS experimental unit staff at field research. Jun Wen traveled to Sulawesi and the Muddy Run Hydroelectric Plant; and Rusty Russell traveled to Durham, Java, Indonesia (4/26 – 6/2) to conduct to Kalamazoo, Michigan (6/18 – 6/19) to North Carolina (6/2 – 6/4) to attend the field work on Sulawesi plant diversity and meet with ATS project staff chemists at 49th Annual Meeting of the Society for Prunus taxonomy; and to Moscow, Russia Western Michigan University. Economic Botany; and to Riverside, (6/23 – 7/8) to give a presentation at the Maria Faust traveled to Carrie Bow California (6/12 – 6/29) to investigate Apiales VI Symposium at Moscow State Cay, Belize (4/23 – 5/8) to conduct field historic collecting localities in the San University and to go on a field trip to the research on harmful dinoflagellates. Jacinto Mountains and to attempt to locate Russian Caucasus region. plant species that had not been collected Liz Zimmer traveled to Minneapolis, The Plant Press in more than 50 years, with an Earthwatch Minnesota (6/20 – 6/23) to attend the team composed of high school students Evolution 2008 meeting and an editor’s New Series - Vol. 11 - No. 3 recruited from around the country. meeting for the journal Molecular Phylo- Robert Soreng traveled to Corvallis, genetics and Evolution. Chair of Botany Warren L. Wagner ([email protected]) Visitors Lei Xie, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Blanca Leon, Universidad Nacional EDITORIAL STAFF Clematis (Ranunculaceae), and Circaea Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, Peru; Peru- Editor and Fuchsia (Onagraceae) (1/1/07- vian Tillandsia (Bromeliaceae) and flora Gary Krupnick 12/31/08). (10/18/07-10/18/09). ([email protected]) Mauricio Bonifacino, Univiversidad de la Marina Cortes, Columbia University; News Contacts Republica, Montevideo, Uruguay; Com- Heliconia (2/1-5/30). MaryAnn Apicelli, Robert Faden, Ellen positae (2/1/07-6/1/08). Farr, Shirley Maina, Rusty Russell, Alice Lu Jin-Mei, Kunming Institute of Tangerini, and Elizabeth Zimmer Yunjuan Zuo, Beijing Institute of Botany, Botany, China; Adiantum (Adiantaceae) China; Panax (Araliaceae) (5/7/07- (2/1/08-1/31/09). The Plant Press is a quarterly publication provided free of charge. If you would like to be 9/6/08). added to the mailing list, please contact Dr. Gary Rong Li, Kunming Institute of Botany, Krupnick at: Department of Botany, Smithsonian Melissa Luckow, Cornell University; China; Schefflera (Araliaceae) (2/15/08- Institution, PO Box 37012, NMNH MRC-166, Washington, DC 20013-7012, or by E-mail: Leguminosae (7/16/07-6/30/08). 2/14/09). [email protected]. Diane Pavek, U.S. Department of John Cotton, George Washington Uni- Web site: http://botany.si.edu/ Agriculture; Mid-Atlantic flora (7/16/07- versity; Historia Plantarum collection 6/16/08). (2/19-5/16). Page 2 Welcome Home, Director Chair n July 2008 Cristián Samper rejoined the National sonian from March 2007 through June 2008. As Museum of Natural History after serving for the Acting Secretary, he guided the Institution through Ipast 15 months as Acting Secretary of the Smith- a transition period, working with the Board of sonian Institution. In 2007 he was asked to step in Regents on comprehensive governance review With when the previous Secretary, Lawrence Small, sud- and reform, as well as enhanced communications denly resigned after the exposure of a host of problems with key stakeholders. He worked with Congress concerning spending and leadership at the Institution. to address the funding need for facilities; initi- Samper’s appointment as Acting Secretary was greeted ated the planning for the Institution’s first national A with great relief by most Smithsonian staff members fundraising campaign; restructured and refocused although many from NMNH were afraid that initiatives Smithsonian Enterprises (formerly Smithsonian at NMNH would stagnate in his absence. Business Ventures); and oversaw the work of View Samper served as the Acting Secretary of the Smith- a new leadership team. He also communicated extensively with Smithsonian staff at town hall meetings. The extended interactions and trans- parency in his leadership has led to the highest Warren morale within the institution in the 20 years I have been part of the staff. We all express our thanks L. to Cristián, who served with great distinction as Wagner Acting Secretary. He willingly stepped in during a challenging time for the Smithsonian, brought transparency where there had been obfuscation, and helped restore staff morale and the public’s trust. Cristián’s leadership came at a crucial point and we are all grateful to him. Now he has returned to his position as Direc- tor of the NMNH filled with enthusiasm and new skills to address the opportunities and challenges we face here. We are delighted to welcome him back!
Cristián Samper showing his botanical roots in Guyana. (Photo by Vicki Funk)
Silvia Nicolè, University of Padova- Gerald (Stinger) Guala, U.S. Department Academy of Science of Ukraine, Kiev; Agripolis, Italy; Plant DNA barcoding of Agriculture, Louisiana; Collaboration Poaceae, Stipeae (4/25-6/30). (3/3-8/31). (4/11-4/12). Sian Frith, Judith Fryer, Margaret Kathryn Mauz, University of Arizona; Diego Giraldo Canas, Universidad Schepp, Michelle Villeneuve, and Bar- Arizona historical and C.G. Pringle collec- Nacional de Colombia, Bogota; Poaceae, bara Young, Earthwatch Institute; Plants tions (3/31-4/4). Chloridoideae (4/20-5/26). and People through the Ages (4/28-5/2). Alexandra Avila and Tracey Slotta, Lynn Bohs, University of Utah; Solanum Ted Hoff, Earthwatch Institute; Useful Hood College; Malvaceae (4/4). (Solanaceae) (4/24-4/27). Plants of the Pacific Islands (4/28-5/2). Melissa Islam, University of Colorado; Maria Stapf, Smithsonian Tropical John Skvarla, Robert Bebb Herbarium, Erythroxylaceae (4/8). Research Institute; Cordia (Boraginaceae), University of Oklahoma; Compositae (4/24-4/25). (4/28-4/29). Robert Urtecho, College of the Sequoias; Tragia (Euphorbiaceae) (4/10-4/11). Konstantyn Romaschenko, National Continued on page 5
Page 3 chairs so all of the artists could choose for his paper “Revised Classification of the Staff their favorite spot to sketch the herbaceous Onagraceae” (Systematic Botany Mono- plants and trees in the planted areas of the graphs 83: 1-240; 2007). Research & museum’s Kogod Courtyard. Tangerini Activities gave a 15-minute demonstration at the Dan Nicolson was recognized as the beginning and ended the sessions with annual Distinguished Speaker by the New a show and tell critique. The sketching England Botanical Club. In honor of the On 24 May, John Kress presented an sessions were well attended and several recognition, Nicolson gave a lecture “My on-screen tour of ethnobotanist Rich- attendees returned every month. Beautiful Life” at Harvard University on ard Evans Schultes’ photographs of the On Saturday, 14 June, Tangerini, along 4 April. Amazon region of Colombia during the with four other members of the Botani- Nicolson also received the “Award for 1940s and 1950s, during a lecture at the cal Art Society of the National Capitol Distinguished Career in Science” by the National Museum of Natural History. The Region (BASNCR) presented drawing and Washington Academy of Sciences during photographs are currently on view in the painting sessions as part of the Pollinators the Academy’s annual banquet, held on 6 related exhibition “The Lost Amazon: Family Day at the U.S. Botanical Garden. May at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens The Photographic Journey of Legendary Tangerini provided sketches of heliconias in Vienna, Virginia. The award certificate Botanist Richard Evans Schultes,” which and hummingbirds for children to color that Nicolson received reads “In recogni- runs through 2 November. Kress was a and other members provided various other tion of his towering accomplishment as student of Schultes, and in the lecture he pollinator-plant images for sketching and a taxonomic botanist and particularly his provided a behind-the-scenes look at how craft making. expertise in the arcane subject of botanical the exhibit was created and how Schultes nomenclature.” As an awardee, Nicolson was an influence on his own career as On 19 April, Alain Touwaide delivered automatically became a fellow of the a botanist and explorer. The lecture is the talk “Leafing through History: An Academy. The presenter and nominator available online at http://www.mnh.si.edu/ Imaginary Walk through and Ancient was Emeritus Curator Stanwyn Shetler, lectures/lost_amazon/. Library” in Washington, DC, at the His- endorsed by Alain Touwaide, immediate tory and Pedagogy of Mathematics Sym- Past-President of the Academy. Shetler Gary Krupnick presented the talk posium organized by the Mathematical and Touwaide themselves were awarded “Plant Conservation: A Natural History Association of America (MAA). for their scientific contribution by the Approach” at the 1 April meeting of the Academy in 2002 and 2003, respectively. Botanical Society of Washington. Emanuela Appetiti served as banquet committee chair, in charge of organizing Diane and Mark Littler along with the event, which also featured keynote co-author M. Dennis Hanisak presented speaker William Fitzhugh, Curator in the an overview of their recently published Department of Anthropology. Nicolson’s book Submersed Plants of the Indian wife Allie, son David, and daughter-in-law River Lagoon: A Floristic Inventory and Tamar joined in the celebration. Field Guide as part of the summer Ocean Science Lecture Series at Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute at Florida Atlantic University, 8 June. The public presentation featured rich photography and illustrations depicting the taxonomy and distributional patterns of more than 250 species of sub- mersed plants in the 156 mile-long Indian River Lagoon. The book was based on six years of field and laboratory work along Awards & the central coast of Florida, where biodi- versity is augmented by currents from four Grants major biogeographical provinces resulting In 2003, the National Museum of Natural in the most diverse estuary system in the History began awarding Science Achieve- continental US. ment Awards, recognizing exceptional Alice Tangerini continued her afternoon scientific publications in natural history. A botanical sketching workshops at the maximum of five awards are made in any National Museum of American Art as one calendar year. In close consultation part of the “Draw and Discover” series with the Senate of Scientists, an interdis- organized by the Luce Foundation for ciplinary review committee honored five American Art. The sessions were held scientists for their outstanding work this every third Tuesday, March through May. year. Among the 2008 Science Achieve- ment Award winners is Warren Wagner NMAA provided drawing media and Dan Nicolson Page 4 New Faces Visitors Continued from page 3
In June Andrew P. Clark joined the per- Tim Whitfeld, University of Minnesota; manent staff of the Core Collections Man- DNA barcoding (4/28-4/30). agement Team. Andrew graduated from Towson University in May 2007, with a Frances Hess, Ellen Isan, Marvin Isan, B.S. in Biology with a concentration in and John Kuiper, Earthwatch Institute; Botany. Following graduation he interned Plants and People through the Ages (5/5- at the Adkins Arboretum on the Eastern 5/9). Shore, followed by a long term appoint- Walter Holmes, Baylor University; Cen- ment with Chesapeake Natives, Inc., based tral and South American Mikania (Com- in College Park and funded by Americorps positae) (5/12-5/16). and Volunteer Maryland. At Towson Clark worked in the university herbarium and Natalia Valderrama, Instituto Botanico, developed the skills that made him an Bogota, Colombia; Digitization activities excellent candidate for this position. He is Robin Everly (5/19). also quite knowledgeable of the plants of the Chesapeake region and has worked at demically, Everly has a Masters in Library Janelle Burke, Cornell University; educating residents of the importance of Sciences (M.L.S.) and a B.S. in Zoology Polygonaceae (5/21-5/23). from the University of Maryland. preserving local diversity by incorporating Mauricio Diazgranados, University of native plants into home landscaping. Clark Mark and Diane Littler are advising a Missouri and Missouri Botanical Garden; is currently working toward a Master’s in Link Foundation Fellow, Kyle Glenn, Compositae (5/21-6/7). Ecology and Environmental Physiology at a master’s student from Moss Landing the University of Maryland. His responsi- Alexandra Schellenger, Smith College; Marine Laboratories on Monterey Bay, bilities in CCM will include oversight of Collections management techniques (5/27- California. Glenn is conducting research shipping and receiving activities, acquisi- 8/15). at the Smithsonian Marine Station at Fort tions and the exchange program. Pierce, Florida, this summer on nutrient Neil Brummitt, Royal Botanic Gardens, translocation in rhizophytic Bryopsidales. Kew; Herbarium work (5/28-5/30). Ana Claudia Araujo, Universidade Fed- Staff Departure eral do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil; Scleria (Cyperaceae) (5/29-5/30). In May, Marjorie Knowles, museum Jim Locklear, University of Nebraska specialist, left the Department to be closer State Museum; Phlox (Polemoniaceae) to her family in New England and pursue (6/4-6/5). her own personal endeavors. A staff mem- ber since 1987, Knowles had provided Cecily Marroquin, New Mexico State support for Paul Peterson, the collections University; Medicinal Plants of Antiquity management unit under Rusty Russell, (6/16-8/15). and most recently as research assistant to Kyle Palmquist, Chicago Botanic Gar- Harold Robinson. Several of her accom- den; Mid-Atlantic flora (6/16). plishments include the original digitization of the José Cuatrecasas monograph of the Jaynie Louise Anderson, University of Espeletiinae during the time she lived in Melbourne, Australia; Historia Plantarum Andrew P. Clark his home, and a large part of the editing collection (6/18). and correcting of that manuscript that took place in the years that followed. She also Robin Everly has joined Smithsonian served as herbarium technician for the Institution Libraries as the new Botany- Verbenaceae, Labiatae, Solanaceae and Horticulture Librarian. Everly comes Asteraceae during the time she assisted to the museum from the U.S. National Robinson. She updated the Asteraceae Arboretum Library, where she had been at genus board, prepared the list of Cua- the library for the past six years. She was trecasas publications used in his obituary, also a Technical Information Specialist/ did extensive SEM work, and proofread Database Indexer at the National Agricul- and prepared illustrations. She deferred tural Library for 10 years. She has been a on co-authorship of papers on which she very active participant in the Council on worked, until the last paper, which was Botanical and Horticultural Libraries. Aca- entomological. Page 5 The Magnificence of Botany On the evening of 9 May, photographer Jonathan Singer presented a gift of the first set of his work entitled Botanica Mag- nifica to the Department of Botany and the Smithsonian Institution Libraries. Botan- ica Magnificaconsists of five volumes in a double elephant folio format, the same size and scope as the work produced by John James Audubon in his elegant Birds of America two hundred years ago. Each volume of Botanica Magnifica includes fifty photographs of scientifically identi- fied species centered on the five themes of orchids, gingers, horticulture, plant form, and rare species. Together these five volumes encompass two hundred and fifty images, which comprise a distinc- tive representation of the world of plants. The inclusion of Botanica Magnifica in the Smithsonian Institution Libraries is a Hedychium longicornutum Griff. ex Baker, from Botanica Magnifica, a five-volume fitting addition to the collection of excep- folio of photographic art by photographer Jonathan M. Singer. tional natural history volumes. As stated in the temporary exhibit nifica can be found in an article in Vanity known whether CFP events are due to spe- about Botanica Magnifica in the Con- Fair written by Howard Kaplan. cific environmental triggers that increase stitution Avenue lobby to the Museum The photographs in Botanica Mag- toxin production, an increase in the abun- “Botanica Magnifica integrates art and nifica were printed by Cathy and Jon Cone dance of more toxic species, or the combi- science by dissolving the boundaries of Cone Editions Press in Vermont and nation of the two. Field studies in Belize between our appreciation of Nature and bound by the well-known book binder Tini focused on comparing habitat preferences our understanding of how Nature works. Miura of California, who was responsible and abundance of Coolia, Gambierdiscus, In his images photographer Jonathan for rebinding the set of Audubon books and Ostreopsis CFP-associated dinoflagel- Singer captures the essence of plant form, at the Smithsonian. Botanica Magnifica lates in coral reef-mangrove cays in deep color, and texture thereby enhancing the is now in place in the Culman Rare Book versus shallow water habitats and low viewer’s appreciation of the complexity Library at the Smithsonian and can be versus high energy habitats. of the botanical world.” In Singer’s own seen by appointment. The highlight of the trip was the dis- words “To see these photographic images covery of Gambierdiscus species associ- is to transcend the medium and see the Harmful Dinofla- ated on macroalgal species at high energy subject itself.” gellates Found on habitats, at depths of 40-45 feet in Curlew Botanica Magnifica is the result of Bank fore reef waters. During numerous a close collaboration between photog- the Mesoamerican drives during the week, the team addition- rapher Singer and John Kress. Singer ally identifiedGambierdiscus species on first approached Kress in the fall of 2006 Barrier Reef Belize coral rubble and plastic screens in this unusual habitat. Quantitative analysis about his desire and intention of producing Maria Faust and her research team, produces a clear picture of distribution of Botanica Magnifica. Singer had already consisting of Patricia Tester, Michael Gambierdiscus, which in turn translates been working with horticulturist Marc Dowgiallo, David Johnson, Mark Vander- into species identification, taxonomic and Hachadourian of the New York Botanical sea, Steve Kibler and Chris Holland from molecular analyses. The second important Garden, but wanted a tropical botanist as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric discovery which has not been observed a collaborator as well. Many artists want Administration (NOAA) and Janelle Flem- since 1981 was that only Ostreopsis and their work to be housed at the Smithsonian ing from Seashore Coastal Consulting, Gambierdiscus CFP species were present so Kress was cautious when he first met discovered harmful dinoflagellates present in samples collected in coral reef-man- Singer at an off-site local gallery. How- in fore reef water during their April 2008 groves along 15 miles long gradient in the ever, when he saw the first images, which field sampling in Belize. Information on central lagoon of Belize. For example, six were the very beginnings of the work, the taxonomy, biodiversity, and distribu- Ostreopsis species were identified attached Kress knew that this was a project that tion of dinoflagellates, known producers of to a nylon rope hanging from the dock at would be worth the effort. The rest of the toxins and causing ciguatera fish poison- Carrie Bow Cay. On the other hand, other story of the production of Botanica Mag- ing (CFP), is limited. Currently, it is not
Page 6 dinoflagellate species were very low in also thanks to the use of several morpho- meeting on Compositae systematics in numbers or absent in shallow waters, pro- logical traits, new hypothesis of relation- 2006, deals with short biographical infor- tected mangrove cays and seagrass beds. ships among the taxa comprising the mation on the most significant scientists These data provide crucial information on Chiliotrichum group emerged and allowed and comments on their most important the distribution and habitat preference of Bonifacino to significantly improve the contributions to the field. Also as part of CFP dinoflagellates. understanding of this conspicuous group the Compositae book Bonifacino helped of southern South American Compositae. prepare quite a few of the photographic These results have been and are in the pro- plates for the book and used a number of cess of being communicated in the form his own photographs. of three papers, two of which are in press Bonifacino had his work space in the (Brittonia; Smithsonian Contributions to office of the research assistant ofWarren Botany) and a third one is in preparation. Wagner, and being in the realm of Pacific Bonifacino also collaborated with other botany inevitably (and happily, Bonifacino A 14-Month Study colleagues of Argentina and Uruguay says) resulted in a collaboration with a of Chiliotrichum to produce a paper on Asteropsis (Com- group of Pacific botanists on the biogeog- positae: Astereae), a contribution that raphy of Bidens from the Pacific. Bonifa- Mauricio Bonifacino came to the US addresses nomenclatural and systematic cino contributed to this project by extract- National Herbarium from Montevideo, issues, and presents for the first time an ing DNA from several species, as well as Uruguay, to conduct research on the sys- illustration for this highly attractive Com- obtaining sequences for several markers tematics of Chiliotrichum group (Com- positae from southern Brazil and northern for some of them, and he will actively positae: Astereae) through a postdoctoral Uruguay. follow up on it from his home institution fellowship granted by the Smithsonian During the months of June and July in Uruguay. Institution under the guidance of Vicki 2007 Bonifacino participated as co-coor- Valerie Bonifacino also became part Funk. Before his arrival and during his dinator for the Tropical Plant Systematics of the Botany Department working for time here, he was also involved in other Course organized by the Organization for Warren Wagner as a part-time research projects. Tropical Studies in Costa Rica. This was assistant, specifically involved with the Before he arrived, Bonifacino had con- his sixth trip to work with OTS. On-line Flora of the Marquesas project, to ducted field work in Venezuela (October While in residence at Smithsonian, which she contributed significantly mak- 2006) and along the southern Andes in Bonifacino also started working on a paper ing available on-line descriptions for over Argentina and Chile (December 2006) to in co-authorship with Harold Robinson, 500 taxa. collect material for his research, though he Vicki Funk, H. Walter Lack, and Gerhard The Bonifacino family returned to also contributed to other research projects Wagenitz on the influential figures in the Montevideo in late May 2008 and recent with no less than 400 specimens that have history of Compositae systematics. This emails indicate that they are busy getting been incorporated to the US National Her- paper, to be published in the Compositae settled back into their home. Bonifacino barium. He then spent a month at the New book that emerged from the Barcelona begins teaching at the University in July. York Botanical Garden learning molecular techniques with Fabian Michelangeli, who served as his host and advisor. He, as well as his wife Valerie and two sons (Joaquín and Juan Manuel), arrived in Washington, DC, at the end of January 2007, and he immediately set to work on molecular systematics of the Chiliotri- chum group. The Chiliotrichum group is an interest- ing assemblage of some 11 genera and 31 species of shrubby daisies that occur along the Andes from the sub-paramo in Colombia to Patagonia in Tierra del Fuego. This group of rather attractive plants can be easily recognized from other South American Compositae by its smooth (not ornamented) and paleate receptacles. In certain areas they can constitute the dominant element of the native vegetation. Molecular work yielded sequences of two nuclear markers (ITS and ETS) and three chloroplast markers (trnl_F, rpl32F, and rpl16). Based on this information, but Mauricio Bonifacino Page 7 Samper Honored ward to northern Peru with the majority of Looe Key National species in Ecuador. with Plant Names John Kress and his colleague Julio Marine Sanctuary Betancur of the Herbario Nacional Colom- As a tribute to the accomplishments of biano in Bogotá named a new species of Mark and Diane Littler along with Cristián Samper during his term as Acting the tropical genus Heliconia in honor of their summer intern Kyle Glenn con- Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, Samper. Kress was asked by a committee ducted a 25-year follow-up survey of a genus and a new species were named planning a tribute for Samper if it would Looe Key National Marine Sanctuary off in honor of him. Vicki Funk and Harold be appropriate to dedicate a species to Big Pine Key, in the Florida Keys. Along Robinson named a genus of Compositae him. “Of course,” Kress replied, “and with a collaborating team, lead by Brian after Samper in recognition of his service. I have just the right plant!” Heliconia E. Lapointe from Harbor Branch Oceano- The genus Sampera V.A. Funk & H. Rob. samperiana W.J. Kress & J. Betancur graphic Institute at Florida Atlantic Uni- (Compositae: Liabeae) was previously is a robust plant resembling a banana in versity, the group conducted water-quality the subgenus Andromachiopsis H. Rob. appearance with a large bright red inflo- surveys, fish counts, transects of distribu- & Brettell (1974) in Oligactis. Molecular rescence. The species is known only from tion and abundance of algae and inverte- data have shown that this subgenus is not a very small area in the Chocó region of brates and a detailed species inventory. the sister group of the remaining species western Colombia. Kress and Betancur These data will be used to compare with a of the genus Oligactis. The new genus will be publishing the new species in a similar study the Littlers and Lapointe did contains eight species of shrubs that have Colombian botanical journal to recognize 25 years ago for the National Oceanic and small heads without rays, and yellow flow- Samper’s contributions to the conservation Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). ers. It is distributed from Colombia south- of biodiversity in that country. The Looe Key National Marine Sanc- tuary is the most heavily visited coral-reef site in the continental United States with thousands of snorkelers and scuba divers every year impacting the resource. How- ever, following the “no-take” ruling some 10 years ago the first impression is that the reef system is in relative good shape with abundant sea fans, brain coral, healthy diversity of algae and increases in herbivo- rous fish. The Littlers collected more than 300 specimens and are presently working up the species inventory at the Smithso- nian Marine Station at Fort Pierce, Florida. Georeferencing the Plants of the Guiana Shield The project “Georeferencing Plants of the Guiana Shield: US Types,” available at
Page 8 D.-Y. Hong and P.H. Raven, eds. Flora of China , Vol. 11. Science Press, Missouri Botanical Garden; Beijing, St. Louis. Li, D.-Z., J. Cai and J. Wen. 2008. Tapi- sciaceae, p. 496. In C.-Y. Wu, D.-Y. Hong and P.H. Raven, eds. Flora of China , Vol. 11. Science Press, Missouri Botanical Garden; Beijing, St. Louis. Luebert, F. and J. Wen. 2008. Phyloge- netic analysis and evolutionary diversifi- cation of Heliotropium sect. Cochranea (Heliotropiaceae) in the Atacama Desert. Syst. Bot. 33: 390 - 402. Maunder, M., A. Leiva, E. Santiago- Valentin, D.W. Stevenson, P. Acevedo- Rodriguez, A.W. Meerow, M. Mejia, C. Clubbe and J. Francisco-Ortega. 2008. Plant conservation in the Caribbean Island biodiversity hotspot. Bot. Rev. 74(1): 197-207. Panero, J. L. and V.A. Funk. 2008. The The type collections of plants from the Guiana Shield held at the Smithsonian Insti- value of sampling anomalous taxa in tution as displayed in Google Earth. phylogenetic studies: major clades of the Asteraceae revealed. Mol. Phylogenet. species name. Usually each species name Gonzalez Elizondo, M.S., I.L. Lopez Evol. 47(2): 757-782. is tied to a specimen that is housed in a Enriquez, P.M. Peterson, C. Ulloa Ulloa collection that is stored in a herbarium in and P.M. Jorgensen. 2008. Three new Percy, D.M., A.M. Garver, W.L. Wag- a museum, garden or university. These species of Eleocharis (Cyperaceae) from ner, H.F. James, C.W. Cunningham, S.E. specimens are called types. Naming of the Andean paramos of Colombia and Miller and R.C. Fleischer. 2008. Progres- plants is governed by the International Ecuador. Novon 18(2): 168-174. sive island colonization and ancient origin Code of Botanical Nomenclature. of Hawaiian Metrosideros (Myrtaceae). This Web site currently includes the Gonzalez Elizondo, M.S., D.J. Rosen, R. Proc. Royal Soc. B. 275: 1479-1490. type collections of plants collected on Carter and P.M. Peterson. 2007. Eleo- Robinson, H., S.C. Keeley, J.J. Skvarla the Guiana Shield (in Guyana, Suriname, charis reznicekii (Cyperaceae), a new spe- and R. Chan. 2008. Studies on the Gym- or French Guiana) and housed at the US cies from the Mexican High Plateau. Acta. nantheminae (Vernonieae: Asteraceae) III: National Herbarium (ca. 1400 specimens). Bot. Mex. 81: 35-43. restoration of the genus Strobocalyx and Placemarks for the Venezuelan part of the Gurgel, C.F.D., S. Fredericq, J.N. Norris the new genus Tarlmounia. Proc. Biol. Guiana Shield (ca. 1900 specimens) have and Y. Yoneshigue-Valentin. 2008. Two Soc. Wash. 121(1): 19-33. just been uploaded; the state of Bolivar is new flat species of Gracilaria (Gracilari- expected to be available in July. ales, Rhodophyta) from Brazil: G. abys- Soejima, A., J. Wen, M. Zapata and M. Users can view detailed information salis sp. nov. and G. brasiliensis sp. nov. O. Dillon. 2008. Phylogeny and putative and images for the plant type specimens, Phycologia 47(3): 249-264. hybridization in the subtribe Paranephelii- display the specimens with coordinates nae (Liabeae, Asteraceae), implications for on Google Maps, and download their Haro-Carrion, X. and H. Robinson. 2008. classification, biogeography, and Andean Google Earth files. Google Earth must to A review of the genus Critoniopsis in orogeny. J. Syst. Evol. 46: 375-390. be installed on the user’s computer to open Ecuador (Vernonieae: Asteraceae). Proc. the kml files. Some tips on using Google Biol. Soc. Wash. 121(1): 1-18. Tian, H.-L., J.-H. Xue, J. Wen, G. Mitch- Earth are also available on the Web site. ell and S.-L. Zhou. 2008. Genetic diversity Inda, L.A., J.G. Segarra-Moragues, J. and relationships of lotus (Nelumbo) culti- Muller, P.M. Peterson and P. Catalan. vars based on allozyme and ISSR markers. 2008. Dated historical biogeography of the Sci. Hortic. 116: 421-429. temperate Loliinae (Poaceae, Pooideae) grasses in the northern and southern Wen, J., S. T. Berggren, C.-H. Lee, S. Publications hemispheres. Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 46: Ickert-Bond, T.-S. Yi , K.-O. Yoo, L. Xie, 932-957. J. Shaw and D. Potter. 2008. Phylogenetic Acevedo-Rodriguez, P. and M.T. Strong. inferences in Prunus (Rosaceae) using 2008. Floristic richness and affinities in Li, D.-Z., J. Cai and J. Wen. 2008. chloroplast ndhF and nuclear ribosomal the West Indies. Bot. Rev. 74(1): 5-36. Staphyleaceae, pp. 498-504. In C.-Y. Wu, ITS sequences. J. Syst. Evol. 46: 322-332. Page 9 Correa Receives Seventh Cuatrecasas Medal The Department of Botany and the contributed to the botanical community lichens, in addition to a small collection United States National Herbarium present nationally, regionally and internationally of macrofungi. Currently, the herbarium is this annual award to a botanist and scholar through service to numerous botanical and playing an important role in coordinating of international stature who has contrib- environmental organizations including the the LAPI (Latin American Plant Initiative) uted significantly to advancing the field Organization for the Flora Neotropica. project funded by the Andrew W. Mellon of tropical botany. The José Cuatrecasas The committee also took note of Foundation which seeks to image Latin Medal for Excellence in Tropical Botany Correa’s many contributions to scientific American type specimens. Not content to is named in honor of Dr. José Cuatrecasas journals as well as several books published curate one herbarium, Mireya also curates (1903-1996), a pioneering botanist and over the course of her career. Notable the smaller herbarium of STRI that has taxonomist who spent nearly a half-cen- amongst these books are The Botany some 12,000 specimens. tury working in the Smithsonian Institu- and Natural History of Panama (1985), Correa’s main research interest is to tion’s Department of Botany. Cuatrecasas Catálago de las Plantas Vasculares de concentrate collection efforts in areas of devoted his career to plant exploration Panamá (2004) and a monograph of Dros- Panama that have been ignored and might in tropical South America, especially in era (Droseraceae) for Flora Neotropica be rich in species diversity. She would Colombia, and this award serves to keep (2005). like to survey these areas in order to have vibrant the accomplishments and memory Correa received her B.A. from the Uni- a better understanding of species distri- of this outstanding scientist. versity of Panama in 1963, and her M.A. bution within Panama, including char- The winner of this prestigious award is from Duke University in 1967. In 1968, acterization of the species (i.e. endemic, selected by a committee made up of three she founded the Herbarium of the Univer- endangered, rare, vulnerable). One impor- botanists on the staff of the Department sity of Panama (PMA). Starting with no tant goal of hers is to document the plant in consultation with other plant scientists specimens, the collection now has almost species represented in several Panamanian outside of the Smithsonian Institution. 70,000 specimens of which some 12,000 national parks since such inventory is an Nominations for the Medal are accepted were collected by Mireya. The herbarium important tool for the management plans from all scientists in the Botany Depart- is Panama’s largest, holding approximately of these parks. ment. The award consists of a bronze 1,500 types and 10,000 bryophytes and medal bearing an image of José Cuatreca- sas on the front with the recipient’s name and date of presentation on the back. Highlights from past presentations to the recipients are available at http://botany. si.edu/cuatrecasas/cuatrecasasMedal.cfm. Mireya D. Correa A., of the University of Panama and the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI), is the seventh recipient of the José Cuatrecasas Medal for Excellence in Tropical Botany. Cor- rea’s area of expertise is the systematics of vascular plants with special empha- sis on the Flora of Panama. The award committee was impressed with her many accomplishments as educator, adminis- trator and taxonomist. For close to four decades she has influenced students in her role as Professor of Botany at the Mireya Correa (center) receives the 2008 José Cuatrecasas Medal for Excellence University of Panama. She founded and in Tropical Botany from Laurence J. Dorr, Chair of the Award Committee (left), has been director since its inception of and Warren Wagner, Chair of the Department of Botany (right). (Photo by Thomas the largest herbarium in Panama. She has Matson) Page 10 Abstracts from the Speakers at the Smithsonian Botanical Symposium The seventh annual Smithsonian Botanical Symposium was held 26 April 2008. The symposium, “Partners in Evolution: Interactions, Adaptations, and Speciation,” explored the various ecologi- cal interactions, evolutionary adaptations, and co-radiations of plants and animals in habitats across the planet and addressed the processes of coevolution. Below are the speakers’ abstracts from the papers that were presented.
Judith L. Bronstein University of Arizona, and Hans-Dieter Sues, Associate Director for Research and Collections, and Warren the National Science Foundation L. Wagner, Chair of Botany, with the speakers of the 2008 Smithsonian Botanical “Mutualism, Diversity, and Diversifica- Sympsoum. Left to right: Hans-Dieter Sues, Ted Schulz, Warren L. Wagner, W. tion” John Kress, John N. Thompson, Scott Hodges, Judith L. Bronstein, and Conrad Labandeira. Missing Olle Pellmyr. (Photo by Donald Hurlbert) Mutualisms (reciprocally beneficial interactions between pairs of species) The end-Cretaceous event, at 65.5 Ma, from this event, attributable to coleopteran appear to have played a central role in reset the clock for then-existing host-spe- and probably lepidopteran lineages. evolutionary processes of diversifica- cialized associations that fully recovered The oldest, major herbivore diversifi- tion on earth. In particular, the evolution during the early Eocene, approximately cation event occurs in coal-swamp floras of several critical symbiotic interactions 10 million years later. This rebound began during the late Paleozoic, at 303 Ma. appear to have spurred adaptive radiations during the global rise in global tempera- Spectacularly preserved, three-dimen- in many taxa, plants prominent among tures and atmospheric CO2 levels during sional, anatomical preservation of plant them. At an ecological time scale, mutual- a 106 year-long interval, the Paleocene- organs occur on marattialean tree ferns isms generate and help maintain species Eocene Thermal Maximum, at 56 Ma. and medullosan seed ferns and on sub- diversity within communities and ecosys- There are two, major, Mesozoic insect- dominant taxa such as herbaceous ferns, tems. At the same time, however, species herbivore radiations. The more recent sigillarian lycopods and cordaite conifers. diversity is threatened by anthropogenic event, 105 to 90 Ma, coincides with the Insect culprits responsible for this plant disruptions and dissolution of mutualisms, angiosperm radiation and consisted of damage include large paleodictyopteroids as well as by the extinction of criti- external feeders, piercer-and-suckers, leaf bearing stylate mouthparts, mandibulate cal mutualists. In this talk I will review miners, gallers and ovipositing insects orthopteroid groups, and endophytic, holo- ecological and evolutionary processes on basal dicots, including Magnoliales, metabolous larvae. inherent to mutualism that both generate Chloranthaceae, Laurales, Illiciales, and deplete diversity. Conservation of Platanaceae and Cercidiphyllaceae. Olle Pellmyr mutualisms, I will argue, is a critical goal These associations frequently are attribut- University of Idaho in a changing world. able to extant insect clades, particularly coleopteran “Phytophaga,” monotrysian “Coevolution and Obligate Mutualism: Lepidoptera and symphytan Hymenoptera. What We Are Learning from Yuccas and Conrad C. Labandeira An earlier and more extensive Late Trias- Yucca Moths” Smithsonian Institution sic event occurred from 228 to 222 Ma by Obligate mutualisms between seed- “What Can We Learn from the Fossil a diverse array of plant-insect associations parasitic pollinators and their hosts are Record of Plant-Insect Associations?” that colonized a regional Gondwanan flora excellent models for understanding The fossil record of insect-mediated in South Africa’s Karoo Basin. This event coevolutionary processes. Among the damage on plant organs provides insight is represented by 78 distinctive types of best understood at this time is arguably into the diversity, intricacy and timing insect mediated damage on the foliage and the interaction between yuccas and yucca of insect associations on past floras. The fructifications of peltasperm, corystosperm moths. In recent years, a combination earliest instances of modern plant-insect and ginkgoopsid seed ferns, cycads, voltz- of ecological and evolutionary studies ialean conifers, ferns, bennettitaleans, and associations occur during the Paleogene Continued on page 12 Period, 23 to 65.5 million years ago (Ma). horsetails. The earliest leaf mines originate
Page 11 Abstracts varies in space and time. As stressed Continued from page 11 by John Thompson in his “Geographic Mosaic Theory of Coevolution” species addressing all partners of the association interactions are neither ecologically nor have unveiled much higher species and evolutionarily static, but can change from life history diversity among the pollina- place to place throughout the distribution tors than previously known and a broader of the interaction and from generation to range of outcomes of plant-pollinator generation of the evolving mutualists. The interactions. Phylogenetic analyses now relationship between the tropical plant provide robust species-level phylogenetic genus Heliconia and its hummingbird frameworks for both plants and moths, pollinators in the eastern arc of Carib- permitting analyses to determine the role bean islands is a striking example of this of codiversification, life history evolution, mosaic. Our investigations of this system and coevolution in this interaction. By the using a geographic approach reveal the time you read this, they will have been transition in a plant species from pollinator completed so that you can receive them generalization to extreme specialization hot off the press. I can’t wait. as well as the floral traits and pollinator characteristics that are associated with this W. John Kress shift from generalization to specialization Smithsonian Institution across an island archipelago. Ethan J. Temeles Amherst College Scott Hodges Vinita Gowda University of California at Santa The George Washington University, Barbara and Smithsonian Institution Symposium speaker Olle Pellmyr. “Understanding Speciation and Adapta- (Photo by Elaine Haug) “From Generalization to Specialization… tion to Pollinators: From Field to Genomic and Back Again in the Coevolutionary Studies of Aquilegia” Mosaic of a Heliconia-Hummingbird Pol- lination System in the Eastern Caribbean” The flowering plant genusAquilegia Ted Schultz has undergone a very recent adaptive Smithsonian Institution The degree of specialization and inter- radiation, producing species adapted to dependence between mutualistic species “The Evolution of Agriculture in Ants: 50 specific pollinators and habitats. For an Million Years of Symbiosis between Ants, understanding of the process of adaptation Fungi, and Bacteria” to different pollinators, and whether this Acknowledgements Agriculture is a specialized form of process promotes speciation, we have con- symbiosis that is known to have evolved The success of the Symposium was ducted an array of studies including field in only four animal groups: humans, bark due to the significant time and efforts observations and experiments, analysis of beetles, termites, and ants. Fungus-grow- of the following people: mating patterns in hybrid zones, phyloge- ing ants (tribe Attini, subfamily Myrmici- netic reconstruction and genetic analysis Organizers nae) are perhaps the most well-studied of of floral traits. Manipulative studies have • Laurence Dorr the non-human agriculturalists, achieving shown that single floral traits can have • Ellen Farr their evolutionary apex in the leaf-cutting very strong impacts on pollinator visita- • Vicki Funk ants of the genera Acromyrmex and Atta, tion or pollen transfer. In hybrid zones, • W. John Kress which are the dominant herbivores of the these same traits contribute to reproductive • Gary Krupnick New World tropics. Attine ant agriculture isolation by causing assortative mating. • Conrad Labandeira is the product of a 50-million-year-old, Genetic studies indicate that some of these • Sue Lutz quadripartite, symbiotic relationship traits are likely controlled by one or only • Ted Schultz between three mutualists and one parasite. a few genes. Taken together, these studies • Warren L. Wagner The mutualists include the attine ants, suggest that simple genetic changes can their fungal cultivars (Leucocoprineae result in major changes in pollinators and Support and Pterulaceae), and filamentous bacteria promote speciation. Ultimately, our goal is • Mary Ann Apicelli in the genus Pseudonocardia (Actino- to identify the genes and mutations under- • Patricia Davis mycetes) that grow on the integuments lying these traits. Currently we are devel- • Jamie Whitacre of the ants. The parasite, a fungus in the oping genomic resources for Aquilegia genus Escovopsis (Ascomycetes) known Photographer such as an EST database, physical maps, only from attine fungus gardens, infects • Elaine Haug and whole-genome sequencing. These those gardens as a “crop disease” and is resources will allow detailed genetic stud- And many others who had helped in a controlled, at least in part, by an antibiotic ies of the approximately 70 species of the myriad number of ways. produced by the Pseudonocardia bacte- genus and likely many close relatives. Page 12 rial symbiont. Intensive study of the attine Symposium the close ecological relationship between symbiosis during the past two decades, Continued from page 1 the shape and size of flowers and bird including phylogenetic analyses of all bills, and the co-radiation of Heliconia insect mouthparts. four symbionts, has revealed that attine and hummingbirds. The study focused Labandeira explained that there were agriculture can be divided into five distinct on hummingbird pollination of Heliconia four main spatiotemporal phases in the agricultural subsystems, each involving a bihai and H. caribaea on the islands of evolution of herbivory during the past phylogenetically distinct subset of associ- St. Lucia and Dominica, where male and 420 million years. The first phase (Late ated symbionts. female birds of the same hummingbird Silurian to Late Devonian) shows three species, the Purple-throated Carib, pol- distinct feeding groups: piercing, suck- linate different species at different rates John N. Thompson ing, and boring damage. Phase 2 (Late depending upon a variety of factors (e.g., University of California at Santa Cruz Mississippian to end-Permian) is repre- island, elevation, and season). sented by six feeding groups, including “Coevolving Networks of Species” According to Kress, the data support the addition of galling, seed predation, John Thompson’s Geographic Mosaic Life has diversified not only into mil- and non-feeding oviposition. Leaf mining Theory of Coevolution. In the north- lions of species but also into hundreds of is the seventh feeding group added dur- ern range, H. caribaea is the dominate millions of interactions among species. ing Phase 3 (Middle Triassic to Recent). species; in the southern range, H. bihai In fact, no complex organism is able to The most recent and intensively studied dominates; and in the middle, both co- survive and reproduce without interact- phase of arthropod herbivory on vascular dominate with variation. Further, in H. ing with other species. Each species is plants is Phase 4 (mid Early Cretaceous to bihai, specialist pollinators are found in the center of a web of at least several, Recent), represented by a greater diversity the north, while generalist pollinators are and sometimes dozens, of other species of functional feeding groups. found in the south. on which it depends. As a result, much of Olle Pellmyr, Associate Professor at Next, Scott Hodges, Professor at the evolution is driven directly by the coevo- the University of Idaho, finished the morn- University of California at Santa Barbara, lution of interacting species. This exuber- ing session with the lecture “Coevolution presented the talk “Understanding Specia- ance of interconnected life is what Darwin and Obligate Mutualism: What We are tion and Adaptation to Pollinators: From called the entangled bank. Interactions Learning from Yuccas and Yucca Moths.” Field to Genomic Studies of Aquilegia.” among species are continually evolving Pellmyr covered (1) the biology of the Nectar spur length varies greatly among in different ways in different ecosystems, interaction, (2) phylogeny and codiversi- the 23 taxa of Aquilegia in North America, creating a geographic mosaic of coevo- fication, and (3) the role of coevolution in making this genus a model system for lution that fuels the diversification of yucca-yucca moth interactions. He then examining the natural selection of floral life. This talk will discuss what we have presented a case study of a two-morph traits. The length of nectar spurs, Hodges learned in recent years about coevolution population of Joshua trees (Yucca brevifo- argues, has developed in response to as one of the major processes driving the lia) pollinated by two different moth spe- pollinators. Fertile hybrids of Aquilegia adaptation and diversification of species. It cies (Tegeticula spp.). His data show that can also be made in any North American will also discuss how human alteration of (1) moth ovipositors and ovary shape are cross, which allows Hodges the ability to environments is affecting the coevolution- closely correlated, which can lead to strict conduct genetic studies. ary process. sense coevolution; (2) there was no abiotic Hodges presented a case study exam- niche divergence; and (3) there were ining how Aquilegia species are repro- different phylogenetic histories between ductively isolated. Flower orientation, Sponsors of the the plants and the two moth species (e.g., spur length, and flower color each have th moth morphology differences appeared 7 Smithsonian different effects on visitation rates and when they first became associated with pollen removal by pollinating bumble- Joshua trees). Finally, Pellmyr noted how Botanical Symposium bees, hummingbirds, and hawkmoths. global climate change may cause a range Field studies show that the pollinators • Cuatrecasas Family Foundation shift of moth species (future populations are distinguishing among flowers for the • National Museum of Natural will move north and to higher elevations), most part: bumblebees visit flowers with History which may directly affect pollination of shorter spurs; hawkmoths with longer • Department of Botany the Joshua tree populations. spurs; and hummingbirds in the middle. • Department of Entomology After lunch, the talks, moderated by Paternity analysis shows that the distance • Department of Paleobiology afternoon session chair Conrad Laban- between plants and differences in floral • Office of the Associate Director deira, began with John Kress, Research morphology reduces the probability of for Research and Collections Scientist and Curator in the Department mating. Thus reproductive isolation is of Botany, Smithsonian Institution, who • The National Tropical Botanical due to strong assortative mating by flower spoke about “From Generalization to Garden morphology. Specialization…and Back Again in the • United States Botanic Garden The final invited talk of the afternoon Coevolutionary Mosaic of a Heliconia- was presented by Ted Schultz, Research Hummingbird Pollination System in the Eastern Caribbean.” Kress’ talk examined Continued on page 14
Page 13 Symposium Continued from page 13
Entomologist in the Department of Ento- mology, Smithsonian Institution, who spoke about “The Evolution of Agriculture in Ants: 50 Million Years of Symbiosis between Ants, Fungi, and Bacteria.” With over 230 species of fungus-growing ants in the New World tropics, leaf-cutting ants are the dominant herbivores. Schultz described a complex system in which the mutualism goes beyond just two species: attine ants, fungal cultivars, filamentous bacteria that the ants culture, a fungal crop disease, and an antibiotic produced by a bacterial symbiont. The mutualism is so tight that higher attine cultivars are incapa- ble of a free-living existence. This system presents a clear adaptation for “many-to- one” coevolution. Invited guest speaker John N. Thomp- son, Professor at the University of California at Santa Cruz, concluded the symposium with a summary and perspec- tive: “Coevolving Networks of Species.” Guest speaker John Thompson presents a summary and perspective to the Sympo- Thompson began his summary with a sium participants. (Photo by Elaine Haug) quote from Charles Darwin, who wrote the first statement on coevolution in a descrip- a private tour of the museum’s newest tional items related to the Symposium can tion of bee pollination. Thompson contin- exhibit: “Partners in Evolution: Butterflies be added to the list of links and documents ued with the observation that if honey bees + Plants.” The exhibit gave the visitors the by sending an e-mail to [email protected]. were “taken out of the equation,” local opportunity to walk among living tropical The Symposium archive pages
Clockwise (from top left): Participants of the symposium enjoy dinner in the Rotunda of the Museum; Cristián Samper, Acting Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, congratulates Mireya Correa on receiving the José Cuatrecasas Medal for Excellence in Tropical Botany; a butterfly lands on a visitor’s finger in the Butterfly Pavilion; the evening reception fills the Partners in Evolution Hall; botanizing in the Butterfly Pavilion. (All photos by Elaine Haig, except top right taken by Thomas Matson).
Page 15 Art by Alice Tangerini
Sampera coriacea (Hieron.) V.A. Funk & H. Rob.
Cristián Samper, Director of the National Museum of Natural History and former Acting Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, was recently honored by having a genus and a species named after him (see article on page 8). Sampera coriacea , a widespread species from Colombia to Peru, was chosen as the type because it is the most widespread species in the genus. It is interesting to note that a different species from Peru now has the name Sampera cuatrecasasii (M.O. Dillon & Sagast.) V.A. Funk & H. Rob. José Cuatrecasas, a well known botanist, studied the plants of the northern Andes, Colombia in particular, and was associated with the Department of Botany at the Smithsonian Institution for many years.
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