Department of Botany & the U.S. National Herbarium TheThe PlantPlant PressPress
New Series - Vol. 9 - No. 1 January-March 2006 Botany Profile Botanist Taps Rubber Relationships By Gary A. Krupnick n September 2005, Kenneth J. Wurdack has a long history associated Ricinus communis) and has notoriety Wurdack joined the Department as with the Department. In addition to for the toxin ricin (Ricinus). Wurdack’s IResearch Scientist and Assistant roaming the halls when he was a child, he original interest in Euphorbiaceae was Curator of Botany. As the second new was a formal volunteer from 1985 to inspired by the late Grady Webster curator hired in 13 years, he joins the 1990. During his final years as a graduate (1927-2005), the preeminent and most Department just a month after Jun Wen student (2000-2002), he worked as the influential euphorb specialist of the past (see Plant Press, vol. 8, no. 4; 2005). Laboratory Manager in the Cullman Prog- century. His research interest is mainly the ram for Molecular Systematic Studies at DNA studies are rewriting Euphor- systematics and evolution of the rubber the New York Botanical Garden. He then biaceae systematics. Molecular data family, Euphorbiaceae, in the broad returned to the Smithsonian Institution have shown that the family is polyphyl- sense (sensu lato), but also the order where he held a postdoctoral fellow etic and contains seven lineages (Cen- Malpighiales (to which euphorbs position in the Department of Botany and troplacus, Euphorbiaceae s.s., Panda- belong), Thymelaeaceae, horizontal gene the Laboratories of Analytical Biology ceae, Paradrypetes, Phyllanthaceae, transfer, and ant-plant interactions. In for a year, and after that, with support Picrodendraceae, Putranjivaceae). These what is perhaps the first occurrence in from the National Science Foundation, lineages are still more or less closely the Department, a curator’s offspring has continued his research at the Smithsonian related within the order Malpighiales been hired as a curator. Wurdack is the as a Visiting Scientist and a Research and Wurdack has broadened his research son of John J. Wurdack (1921-1998), Associate. to span the entire order to more fully Melastomataceae specialist in the understand relationships and evolution- Department for 38 years. he scope of Wurdack’s work spans ary trends of all the euphorbs and their Born locally in Washington, D.C. to a wide range of taxonomic levels sister groups. Presently, in collabora- two botanists (his mother was a plant Tto address questions on the biol- tion with Charles C. Davis (Harvard physiologist by training), Wurdack was ogy, evolution, systematics, and classifi- University), this work includes 165 taxa, immersed in botany from the beginning cation of Euphorbiaceae and to integrate 8 genes and 14,000 bases of aligned but turned to it rather late as a career. He them within a phylogenetic framework. As DNA sequence data. These broad-scale received his B.S. in Biochemistry from broadly and traditionally circumscribed, phylogenies have revealed the relation- the University of Maryland, College the Euphorbiaceae include ca. 336 genera ships of two enigmatic genera, Parad- Park in 1990. He started graduate work and 8,000-9,000 species. They have been rypetes (now a member of the mangrove at the University of North Carolina at subject to a dizzying array of complex family Rhizophoraceae and not a Chapel Hill in the lab of Mark W. Chase classifications and 20 proposed family- primitive Picrodendraceae as previously and received his M.S. in Biology in level segregates. The family has devel- thought) and African Centroplacus 1994. After a two-year hiatus and the oped the reputation of being taxonomi- recently placed in its own family relocation of Chase to the Jodrell Labo- cally “difficult” and consequently until Centroplacaceae. Wurdack presented ratory at the Royal Botanic Gardens, recently has attracted few specialists. The this work in July 2005 as a keynote Kew, Wurdack returned to UNC to con- group is best known as a source of speaker at the International Botanical tinue graduate studies under Clifford R. important economic products including Congress in Vienna, Austria. His work Parks and William Dickison, receiving natural rubber (Hevea brasiliensis), on the systematics of Euphorbiaceae at his Ph.D. in 2002. His doctoral disserta- cassava (Manihot esculenta), poinsettias lower ranks includes the first generic- tion focused on the molecular systemat- (Euphorbia pulcherrima), wax (Euphor- level phylogenies for each of the bia spp.), and oils (i.e., Vernicia spp., ics and evolution of Euphorbiaceae. Continued on page 12 Travel
Robert Faden traveled to Tifton, Mark Littler and Diane Littler and to Rome, Italy (11/24 – 12/9) to Georgia (11/28 – 11/30) to present a talk traveled to Ft. Pierce, Florida (12/15 – 2/ conduct research at the National Library at the Tropical Spiderwort Symposium at 16) to conduct on-going research at the of Rome and at the Library of the Botanic the University of Georgia, Tifton. Smithsonian Marine Station and Saba Garden of Padua, and to deliver a talk at Maria Faust traveled to Pacific Island. the Institute for the History of Medicine Grove, California (10/2 – 10/8) to Dan Nicolson traveled to Kansas City, of Padua University. present a paper at the 3rd U.S. Harmful Missouri (12/5 – 12/7) to inspect a gift Warren Wagner traveled to St. Louis, Bloom Conference at the Asilomar of books about early botany donated by Missouri (10/7 – 10/14) to attend the conference grounds. Mrs. Stannard of Lawrence, Kansas. Missouri Botanical Garden Systematics Vicki Funk traveled to Panama City, Rusty Russell traveled to Cambridge, Symposium and to conduct Onagraceae Panama (10/20 – 10/23) to present a Massachusetts (10/11; 11/2 – 11/9) to research; and to Bronx, New York (10/27 paper at the plenary meeting of the Bio- attend a memorial for Mike Canoso, to – 10/28) to attend the Science Advisory diversity Science and Education Initiative; meet with the librarian of the Harvard Committee meeting of the New York and to St. Louis, Missouri (12/6 – 12/8) Botany Library about digitizing early Botanical Garden. to work on the Asteraceae in the her- reports of the U.S. Exploring Expedition, Jun Wen traveled to Lima, Peru (11/7 barium at the Missouri Botanical Garden. to present a poster at the 2005 Earthwatch – 12/10) to conduct Nolana field work W. John Kress traveled to Miami, Conference, and to conduct research on throughout the country. Florida (10/10 – 10/12) to attend a the U.S. Ex. Ex. plant collections. Kenneth Wurdack traveled to St. meeting of the IUCN Species Survival Alain Touwaide traveled to Worces- Louis, Missouri (10/3 – 10/6) to conduct Commission; to Dublin, Ireland, and ter, Massachusetts (10/21 – 10/23) to Euphorbiaceae research at the Missouri London, England (10/21 – 10/27) with present a talk at the New England Medi- Botanical Garden. Gary Krupnick to attend the Global eval Conference; to Barcelona, Spain (11/ Elizabeth Zimmer traveled to Cam- Partnership for Plant Conservation Con- 4 – 11/5) to deliver a talk at the Mediter- bridge, Massachusetts (10/17 – 11/5) to ference at the National Botanic Gardens ranean Editors and Translators meeting at conduct collaborative research at Harvard of Ireland, Glasnevin, and to attend a the Istituto Europeo de Estudios Mediter- University. business meeting of Plant Talk magazine raneos; to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (11/ at the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew; and to 17) to speak at the annual meeting of the Dominica (12/5 – 12/13) with Michael American Schools of Oriental Research; Bordelon, Vinita Gowda, and Ida Lopez to conduct research on Heliconia and Visitors hummingbirds. Alejandro Quintanar-Sanchez, Real Leigh Johnson, Brigham Young Univer- Jardín Botánico, Spain; subcosmopolitan sity; Navarretia and Collomia (10/20-10/ The Plant Press Koeleria (Poaceae) (9/6-11/24). 21). Akiko Soejima, Osaka Prefecture Uni- Walter Holmes, Baylor University; New Series - Vol. 9 - No. 1 versity, Japan; Vitaceae (9/28-3/25). Central and South American Mikania Chair of Botany (Asteraceae) (10/21-10/28). Francisco Cabezas Fuentes, Real Jardin W. John Kress Vernie Sagun ([email protected]) Botanico de Madrid; Palisota (Commeli- , Illinois Natural History naceae) (10/7-10/24). Survey; Flora Malesiana Acalypha EDITORIAL STAFF (Euphorbiaceae) (10/25-10/27). Ze-Long Nie, Kunming Institute of Editor Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Clara Inez Orozco, Universidad Nacional Gary Krupnick Eastern Himalayan conservation and de Colombia; Brunelliaceae and Solan- ([email protected]) biodiversity, and molecular biogeography aceae (10/26-10/28). of Northern Hemisphere disjunct plants News Contacts Stephen Blackmore, Royal Botanic (10/10-6/9). MaryAnn Apicelli, Robert Faden, Ellen Garden Edinburgh; Compositae pollen Farr, George Russell, Alice Tangerini, and Mauricio Diazgranados, Herbario (11/2-11/6). Elizabeth Zimmer Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, John Skvarla, Oklahoma University; The Plant Press is a quarterly publication provided Colombia; Cuatrecasas specimens and Compositae pollen (11/2-11/6). free of charge. If you would like to be added to the archives (10/17-2/15). mailing list, please contact Dr. Gary Krupnick at: Alexandra Wortley, Royal Botanic Department of Botany, Smithsonian Institution, PO Isabel Martinez-Ferrando, Independent Garden Edinburgh; Compositae pollen Box 37012, NMNH MRC-166, Washington, DC researcher; volunteer interview (10/17). 20013-7012, or by E-mail: [email protected]. (11/2-11/6). Annette Olsen, United States Geological Web site: http://www.nmnh.si.edu/botany Continued on page 10 Survey; image storage (10/18).
Page 2 Science on a Roll Chair ur conclusion today is that it is unconstitu- to the last argument: Is ID science? Chair tional to teach Intelligent Design as an “While ID arguments may be true,” states Judge Oalternative to evolution in a public school Jones, “ID is not science.” It fails to be science on science classroom.” So concludes the Memorandum three levels. First ID violates the ground rules of With Opinion issued by Judge John E. Jones III on 20 science established in the 16th and 17th centuries by December 2005 in the Tammy Kitzmiller, et al. invoking and permitting supernatural causation. Or as (Plaintiffs) v. Dover Area School District, et al. Doug Erwin in the Department of Paleobiology stated (Defendants) court battle over teaching creationism in “Science doesn’t do miracles.” Second, the ID argu- A the schools. ment of “irreducible complexity” employs the flawed, When I changed my major from philosophy to illogical and contrived dualism of creation science, biology as an undergraduate at Harvard, I never i.e., “to the extent that evolutionary theory is discred- View expected that thirty years later as Chairman of Botany ited, ID is confirmed.” Irreducible complexity be- at the world’s largest natural history museum I would comes a negative argument against evolution, not a be confronting the same debate that had taken place in proof of ID. And third, ID’s negative attack on evolu- my own mind as a student. When I changed majors I tion has been refuted by the entire scientific commu- decided to pursue a career that would allow me to nity. For Judge Jones, this last test is perhaps the most W. explore the natural world and the origin of life from a important: not a single scientific society has endorsed scientific perspective rather than one based on belief ID and no scientific papers supporting ID have been John and philosophical evaluation. These two approaches to published in peer-reviewed journals. Judge Jones Kress understanding the world were both valid, but separate concludes that “The goal of the Intelligent Design avenues of inquiry. My time discussing with other Movement is not to encourage critical thought, but to philosophy majors questions such as “What is the foment a revolution which would supplant evolutionary purpose of life?” and “How do we know?” came to an theory with ID.” end. I fled to the biology labs to answer the same The Memorandum Opinion by Judge Jones should questions, but this time using the scientific method to be read by everyone interested in the debate over understand evolution. I have continued to this day with teaching Intelligent Design in our schools and the that line of inquiry. presentation of the theory of evolution in educational In his 139-page ruling, Judge Jones lays out the institutions such as the Smithsonian Institution. The difference between science and religion and wisely Judge’s arguments are well balanced with detailed points out that the two can exist side-by-side without background on the issues. His most important conclu- conflict. Some would respond that creationism is a sion is the affirmation of the distinction between legitimate response by religious fundamentalists to science and religion. I recognized that distinction back their perceived attack by scientific materialism, as as an undergraduate when I moved my major from the exemplified by the theory of evolution, on a belief- Department of Philosophy to the Department of based society. However, Judge Jones reasoned that Biology. As scientists we need to maintain an open religious beliefs are not acceptable as scientific mind on belief and facts, spirit and materialism, while alternatives to well established scientific theories. In keeping a firm distinction between religion and the case of the Dover area schools in Pennsylvania, science. Yet even more disconcerting than the science the Court ruled that Intelligent Design (ID), as a versus belief discussion is the increasing fuzziness in religious belief, was not appropriate in the science today’s society between fiction and non-fiction, curriculum. In fact the ID policy was in violation of between recognizing fact from fantasy. The number the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment of one book in the non-fiction category of the New York the U.S. Constitution (“Congress shall make no law Times Best Seller List is an autobiography that has respecting an establishment of religion…”) and also now been shown for the most part to be made-up and failed the “Endorsement Test” (“Government shows fictionalized by the author, i.e. it is not fact but fiction. religious favoritism or sponsorship”). The main body So what is real? Our job as scientists in a scientific of the Jones’ Opinion is devoted to how the ID policy institution is to present and interpret for the public the failed the Endorsement Test. He addresses four facts about the natural world. This job seems to be central questions: (1) Would an objective observer increasingly difficult. know that ID is a form of creationism? (2) Would an objective student view the ID statement as an Official Endorsement of Religion? (3) Would an objective citizen view the ID statement as an Official Endorse- ment of Religion? (4) Is ID science? As evolutionary biologists, we should find the Judge’s comments informative and encouraging, especially with regards
Page 3 was introduced. Its spread has been term activities (e.g., bee importation Staff explosive and it can only be controlled by issues, development of educational the use of other herbicides at increased programs, creation of a pollinator conser- Research & expense to the farmers. It has not been vation digital library), and to assemble Activities determined how large an area in the U.S. advisory committees to brainstorm issues is under threat, but the plant was recorded to be considered in the formulation of from North Carolina for the first time in future task forces. Gary Krupnick, a Robert Faden attended a meeting in 2002, and it has been reported from South member of the NAPPC Steering Commit- Tifton, Georgia on a naturalized species Carolina and Alabama as well. tee, helped organize the meeting. Faden also gave a talk to the Four of dayflower that has become a signifi- W. John Kress, with Ida Lopez, Vinita cant agricultural weed in the southern Seasons Garden Club on 16 November at a private home in Washington, DC. The Gowda, and Michael Bordelon, spent U.S. in recent years. The meeting, “Sym- 10 days in Dominica setting up an exper- posium on Tropical Spiderwort (Commel- talk was entitled “A Plant-collecting Expedition to Southern Tanzania.” imental Heliconia garden. They estab- ina benghalensis): An Exotic Invasive lished nearly 70 30-gallon pots of various Weed in the Southeast US”, was held on On October 20, Vicki Funk traveled to forms of Heliconia in an enclosed shade 29 November at the Conference Center Panama to attend the first meeting of the house to conduct experiments on hum- of the University of Georgia, Tifton. Biodiversity Science and Education Initia- mingbird behavior as pollinators of these Faden’s talk was entitled “Natural Varia- tive, a project organized by Under Secre- plants. This research was supported by tion in Commelina benghalensis (Com- tary for Science Dave Evans and Stephen trust funds from the Under Secretary for melinaceae).” Commelina benghalensis, Hubbel. Funk is serving on Task Force 1, Sciences at the Smithsonian Institution. a native of the Old World tropics, has which is asked to answer the questions been a weed in the southeastern U.S. for “What do we know about biological On 3 October, Alain Touwaide and more than 70 years, but it did not become diversity?” and “How do we fill the gaps?” Emanuela Appetiti opened the Web site a serious agricultural pest until after “Renaissance Herbals / Plantarum Roundup (a chemical herbicide) resistant Because of the critical role that pollina- Aetatis Novae Tabulae – A Smithsonian cotton was introduced into Georgia in tors play in nature, over 100 international Institution Libraries Digital Collection” 1998. By 2000 it had become the most scientists, educators, and business leaders at the National Library of Rome in Italy. serious weed in cotton in a small area of met at the Smithsonian Institution’s During the program, Touwaide gave a southern Georgia, and since then it has National Zoological Park on 20-21 demonstration of the Web site, which is spread to more than 30 counties in the October to develop strategies aimed at not yet available to the public, but will be state. Commelina benghalensis has protecting pollinating species. Collec- in the near future. become invasive for a variety of reasons, tively known at the North American Pol- From 7 November to 2 December, Jun including its own resistance to Roundup, linator Protection Campaign (NAPPC), Wen traveled throughout Peru for field which became the herbicide of choice this year the consortium assembled to studies on Nolana (Solanaceae), Aralia- after the new, genetically modified cotton deploy task forces to undertake short- ceae, Vitaceae, and Prunus (Rosaceae). Some herbarium studies were done in Lima, Oxapampa and Arequipa. The trip was very fruitful with about 10 species discovered from Peru.
Awards & Grants
Rusty Russell and W. John Kress received a grant from The Earthwatch Institute for “Plants and People: Extract- ing Ethnobotanical Data from Historic Specimens,” to begin work on collecting ethnobotanical information from speci- mens from the US National Herbarium. Three teams of Earthwatch participants will visit NMNH during 2006 to work on this project. Russell also received a grant from the Smithsonian Center for Latino Initiatives. Vinita Gowda (left), Ida Lopez, and Michael Bordelon put finishing touches on This is the second year of funding for the an experimental Heliconia garden in Dominica. project “Ethnobotanical Diversity in the
Page 4 Border Regions of U.S. and Mexico.” continuing loss of plant diversity. The Funds will allow continued study of plant most innovative element of the Strategy is and ethnographic collections made by the inclusion of 16 broad outcome- Edward Palmer from 1869-1911, the oriented targets, aimed at achieving a Mexican Boundary Survey of 1849-1855, series of measurable goals by 2010. After and the International Boundary Commis- the GPPC conference, Kress and sion of 1892-1894. Krupnick attended the Plant Talk editorial board meeting at the Royal Botanic Alain Touwaide has been appointed Gardens Kew in London, UK. The General Secretary of the International Department is a sponsoring partner of Society for the History of Medicine. Plant Talk, a magazine that provides Jun Wen received a grant from the information, encouragement, and advice National Science Foundation for her on global plant conservation, supporting collaborative work with Mike Dillon (the the GSPC by addressing Target 14, which Field Museum of Natural History) for covers the promotion of education and “Phylogenetic Systematics of Nolana public awareness about plant diversity. (Solanaceae) and Biogeographic Implica- Kress was recently appointed to the tions for the Atacama and Peruvian Plant Conservation Committee of the Deserts.” IUCN Species Survival Commission. The Botany/>. The Web page allows the user Committee consists of botanical experts to navigate the series via title, volume from around the world that work together number, or issue date. One can also select to provide a plan for conserving plants and an individual volume, search for a title, or their habitats. In particular, the Commit- search for an author. tee will address the completion of the The Smithsonian Contributions to conservation assessment of all species of Botany series reports on the scientific, vascular plants as well as in situ conserva- technical, and historical research con- tion measures. One outcome of the ducted by Smithsonian staff and their meeting is that Kress and Krupnick will professional colleagues, as well as on the work in partnership with IUCN and other collections of the various Smithsonian key botanical institutions around the museums. world (e.g., Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, The emphasis upon publications as a Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, means of diffusing knowledge was Missouri Botanical Garden) on Target 2 expressed by the first Secretary of the of the GSPC, which is to assign prelimi- Smithsonian Institution. In his formal plan Global Partnership nary global level assessments of the for the Institution, Joseph Henry articu- conservation status of all known plant lated a program that included the follow- for Plant species by 2010. ing statement: “It is proposed to publish a Conservation series of reports, giving an account of the new discoveries in science, and of the The Global Partnership for Plant changes made from year to year in all Conservation (GPPC), established to branches of knowledge not strictly support the worldwide implementation of professional.” the Global Strategy for Plant Conserva- The digitization project is part of a tion (GSPC), held its first conference larger effort to digitize all Smithsonian “Plants 2010” at the National Botanic Institution publication series (see http:// Gardens in Dublin from 22 - 25 October. www.sil.si.edu/smithsoniancontributions/). Cristián Samper presented the keynote Even though only the Botany series is address, “The Challenge of Implementing Smithsonian listed at this point, authors and titles are the GSPC a National and Regional searchable for all SI series: Anthropol- Levels.” The GPPC is composed of 20 Contributions to ogy; Paleobiology; Earth Sciences; member organizations, including the Botany on the Web Marine Sciences; Zoology; Folklife National Museum of Natural History. W. Studies; Air and Space; and History and John Kress and Gary Krupnick repre- The Smithsonian Institution Libraries Technology. sented the Department at the meeting. have digitized the complete Smithsonian As previously reported (see Plant The Global Strategy was adopted by Contributions to Botany series (vols. 1- Press, vol. 7, no. 4; 2004), the Contribu- the Conference of the Parties of the 91; 1969-2001), and have made all tions from the United States National Convention on Biological Diversity volumes available on-line as single large- Herbarium series also has selected (CBD) in April 2002, with the long-term file pdfs or small-file pdfs at Page 5 greatest diversity came from the south- A Copenhagen-Smithsonian Expedition western part of the mountains near the to Ethiopia coffee town of Teppe. These forests consisted of tall canopy trees with wild Gregory McKee, Department tech- collecting ferns for the Flora of Ethiopia Arabica coffee (Coffea arabica) under- nician and former assistant to retired and Eritrea. McKee accompanied the story. One side trip brought the expedi- curator of ferns David Lellinger, partici- expedition leader, Professor Ib Friis tion to a wonderful tall bamboo forest pated on a fern collecting expedition to (University of Copenhagen Museum), draped with Canarina abyssinica (Cam- Ethiopia. McKee was partially funded by a assistant Assefa Hailu (University of panulaceae) vines with red, bell-shaped small grant from the Office of the Addis Ababa Herbarium), and driver flowers. As was the case with most of the Director, National Museum of Natural Berhanu Yitbara during the trip. trip, the great majority of collections History, to curator Robert Faden, who After a day in Addis Ababa gathering were epiphytes, in one case obtained only was unable to travel at the time. As a supplies, the expedition headed southwest by the good graces of a fearless bee- result of McKee’s field work 173 collec- to the town of Ambo (famous as the site keeper who scrambled up at least 20 tions will be added to the U.S. National of Emperor Haile Selassie’s favorite meters of sheer trunk before wiggling out Herbarium. The fern collections at US are resort) which was used as a base for the to the end of a branch to snag a huge the largest in the United States and one of next few days while collections were Huperzia dacrydioides (Lycopodiaceae). the largest such collections in the world. made in the nearby Tchelimu forest. The After spending the Ethiopian New Year The new collections from Ethiopia will next leg of the trip was collecting along in the town of Jimma, the coffee capitol be a significant addition to the African the way to the town of Nekemt, going of Ethiopia, the expedition wound down fern holdings. The following is McKee’s from ca. 2,800 meters to 1,650 meters, twisty Italian occupation-era roads across account of the trip. making a few lowland collections. the Rift Valley to the town of Goba Between August 22 and September 23, The next few days saw a number of outside of Bale National Park. Crossing the University of Copenhagen sent an collections from the wet valleys of the the Seniti plateau at 4,000 meters plus expedition to Ethiopia for the purpose of surrounding rivers and swamps, but the was literally breath-taking, with gigantic 21-22 April 2006 National Museum of Natural History “Island Archipelagos: Cauldrons of Evolution” In collaboration with the United States Botanic Garden and the National Tropical Botanical Garden Island archipelagos have long been recognized as unique biological laboratories by evolutionary biologists. The classic observations by Charles Darwin on adaptive radiation in finches were made in the Galápagos archipelago and more recently ecological and evolutionary investigations in the Hawaiian Islands, Eastern Caribbean, and Azores have increased our understanding of evolutionary processes and the generation of biological diversity. Characterized by different degrees of isolation from continental floras and faunas, by equable maritime climates, and by often reduced biodiversity and trophic structure, islands often contain unique biotas that experience different selective pressures from those that dominate mainland ecosystems. Added to this mix of biological richness are two kinds of storms – physical storms in the form of hurricanes that regularly pass through the island chains and the “storm” of human population growth and development. The former storms, along with other types of natural disturbance such as volcanic activity, have played an important role in the evolution of the biota. The latter “storm” now threatens the continued existence and ecological integrity of both terrestrial and marine ecosystems of island archipelagos. The Symposium will explore the role that island archipelagos have played in our understanding of ecological and evolutionary processes as well as the future conservation of these unique ecosystems. The speakers at the Symposium will be Bruce G. Baldwin (University of California at Berkeley); Javier Francisco-Ortega (Florida International University); Ole Hamann (Botanic Garden, University of Copenhagen); Mike Maunder (Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden); Robert Ricklefs (University of Missouri-St. Louis); and Warren Wagner (National Museum of “Artocarpus altilis” from the Society Natural History). Islands by John Frederick Miller, from Captain James Cook's Information and registration at: http://persoon.si.edu/sbs/ first Pacific voyage (1768-1771) Fax: 202-786-2563 – e-mail: [email protected] © The Natural History Museum, London Page 6 lobelias and Ethiopian wolves (Simien foxes) fading in and out of dense mist. Collections were made on both sides of the plateau in the Ericaceae forests and pine forests lower down. Heading back to Addis Ababa via the Rift Valley road, the final total was 173 fern collections in sets of 4 - 10, repre- senting an estimated 160 species. While the specimens need to be more closely examined, at least one range extension was made (the treefern, Cyathea mannii) and some state records need to be confirmed. Due to the political climate, the dryland ferns to the east in the Afar Depression and in the Awash Valley could not be collected; hopefully, a future expedition could fill in the gaps. The collections will be named by Faden when they reach the Smithsonian. Ethiopian beekeeper with Huperzia dacrydioides. (photo by Gregory McKee) Southeast Asia and China. the Catalogue and contribute to one of the In November, 2001, a momentous largest and most complete grass collec- work on lichens, The Lichens of North tions in the world. America, was published by Irwin Brodo, Since 1988, Deborah Bell has been and Steve and Sylvia Sharnoff. In support collaborating with the National Cancer of their work, 1,600 lichen samples were Institute (NIH) on a multi-year program collected across the continent over many to collect and test plant species for Significant Botany years. Last year, this entire collection was cancer-active and AIDS-active compounds donated by the National Museum of in a search for effective treatments using Collections of 2005 Natural Sciences in Ottawa, Canada to the natural products. Thousands of plant The U.S. National Herbarium acquired USNH. These collections form the species have been collected by NCI more than 13,500 botanical specimens foundation of their research on every contractors and, for each bulk sample, a during 2005. Some of the more signifi- lichen species reported in their publica- voucher specimen has been produced to cant acquisitions are worth noting. tion. As such, these specimens are critical provide physical, unambiguous evidence An unfortunate result of administrative links that allow one to revisit the time, of the plant species being collected. A shuffling at the University of Nebraska and place, and possible mindset of the single, complete reference collection of was the immediate availability of large authors years from now. Providing all these voucher specimens is currently parts of the well established herbarium historic reference services to researchers housed in the USNH. Last year an there – unfortunate because well distrib- is an important function of the USNH. additional 139 collections were made and uted collections better serve the botanical An extremely important strategy in the provided by Doel Soejarto, a pharmacog- community and provide more learning Department’s current collecting plan is to nosist from the University of Illinois- opportunities for students. Because focus on acquiring plant collections Chicago collaborating with the Field tropical collections are an especially through field collecting that significantly Museum. These specimens have been important research focus in the USNH, impact both the collections and our high integrated into the existing NCI collec- Vicki Funk made special arrangements to quality research projects. One very tion of over 25,000 that is managed at acquire 9,413 plant specimens (lichens, important program is the Catalogue of MSC by Linda Hollenberg. bryophytes, ferns and flowering plants) New World Grasses, a multi-year effort that had been collected in the South by Paul Peterson and collaborators to Pacific, Southeast Asia, Philippines and provide a comprehensive list of grass China. These collections significantly species from the Western Hemisphere. improve already strong collections from Last year, Peterson traveled to Peru to the Philippines and the South Pacific, focus of the grass flora of that highly whiles others provide important re- diverse country, collecting 475 speci- sources for new research initiatives in mens that will provide important data to Page 7 The Return of the Titan A big, rare, stinky event has happened again! The gigantic plant, Amorphophal- lus titanum (commonly known as “titan arum”), part of the living research collec- tion of the Department, was put on display in full flower at the U.S. Botanic Garden (USBG) Conservatory, the Department’s “Botanical Partner on the Mall.” On the morning of 8 November, the plant was brought from the Smithsonian Botany Research Greenhouses in Suitland, Mary- land, to the USBG Conservatory, where it was provided with the optimal environ- ment for growth (very warm, bright, and humid). The titan arum began its opening the evening of 19 November and slowly began to close 21 November. The spadix collapsed on 26 November. Raised from seed by Michael Bordelon, Manager of Living Collections in the Department, this was the first time that this particular plant had bloomed. Pollen collected from the The glorious Amorphophallus titanum at maximum opening on 20 November 2003 flowering specimen (USBG) was 2005 (left) and with fruit on 17 January 2006 (right) at the U.S. Botanic Garden. used to pollinate the plant. Pollination (photo by G. Sword, US Botanic Garden) was successful and seeds are now The Private Life of developing. Pollen was also collected and example of the evolutionary diversity of the BBC production Plants preserved by Dan Nicolson. complex organisms in the tropics. Inves- .) “This plant is a true wonder of nature,” tigations of such species can help us The titan arum emerges from, and said W. John Kress, who was interviewed understand the processes that have shaped stores energy in, a huge underground stem by several media outlets. “The flower is a biodiversity on the Earth. And like many called a “corm.” The plant blooms on an feast for the plant lover’s eye and will species on the planet, we must preserve unpredictable schedule, when sufficient delight the olfactory senses when in full the titan arum’s rain forest habitats if it is energy is accumulated, usually after bloom.” Kress continued, “The plant is to survive.” several years. The developing inflores- extremely rare and has only been seen by The renown of the titan arum comes cence initially appears as a pale green, a few botanists in its native Sumatra. from its great size – it is reputed to have bud-shaped structure composed of a However, the titan arum is a spectacular the largest known un-branched inflores- spathe enclosing a central spike-like cence. The plant is native only to the spadix. At first hidden inside the spathe, tropical rainforests of Sumatra, Indonesia. the spadix is revealed as the entire Since the first recorded bloom in the U.S. structure swells. At full bloom, the spathe in 1937, titan arums have been exhibited is fully unfurled to reveal a crimson in this country on just a few occasions. interior. The ultimate height of the spadix Many will recall that a titan arum owned depends on the energy accumulated in the by the USBG bloomed, for its second corm, and the speed of the development time, while on display at the Conservatory depends on day and night temperatures. in July 2003, generating an enormous The average recorded height of an inflor- response of about 10,000 visitors on the escence is about 5 feet, and the largest peak day. As small seedlings, the USBG one in cultivation was 9 feet, 7 inches. In plant and the Smithsonian titan arum were their natural habitat, titan arums can grow given to the two institutions in October up to 12-feet tall. The maximum height of 1993 by Maryland arum enthusiasts Craig the Smithsonian’s titan arum was 52.5 and Fanny Phillips. The Phillipses had inches (4 feet, 4.5 inches); its corm grown the plants from seed collected in weighs over 100 pounds. At full bloom 1991 by California physician James R. the inflorescence is well-known for Symon, now deceased, who had searched smelling like rotting meat, hence it has for the titan arum during several journeys another common name, “corpse flower.” to Sumatra. (Symon later traveled in The odor is released in pulses and attracts Amorphophallus titanum fruit (photo Sumatra with Sir David Attenborough in carrion beetles and other pollinators in by G. Sword, US Botanic Garden) 1993, to find the plant for the filming of the plant’s native Sumatra. Page 8 Curating the collections of José Cuatrecasas Arumí (1903-1996) By Vicki A. Funk career might have ended almost 60 years described based on his collections and earlier. Cuatrecasas never returned to many have been named after him, includ- A new project spearheaded by Vicki Spain until after the death of dictator ing eight genera in five families Funk has begun to make available in Francisco Franco. Since the death of (Cuatresia A.T. Hunziker, Solanaceae; herbaria and through hard copy publica- Cuatrecasas, the Herbario Nacional Co- Cuatrecasea Dugand, Palmae; Cuatreca- tion (and eventually documents on the lombiano (COL) in Bogotá, located at the sasiella H. Robinson, Cuatrecasanthus web), the specimens, photographs and Universidad Nacional de Colombia, has H. Robinson, Joseanthus H. Robinson, notebooks of José Cuatrecasas A. The been named in his honor, and the library and Neocuatrecasia R.M King & H. goal of this specific sub-project is to from his home has been reconstructed Robinson, all in the Asteraceae; Cuatre- curate 75 percent of the remaining and is on display at the Institut Botánic de casasiodendron Standley & Steyermark, specimens of the Cuatrecasas collections Barcelona (BC) in Spain. Rubiaceae; and Quadricasaea Woodson, and to complete work on organizing the Cuatrecasas’ first publication was in Apocynaceae). A list of species honoring photographic slides. Cuatrecasas, a 1924 and his last one is still in press. Cuatrecasas shows species in mosses, prolific collector and world renowned Over the years he published 265 papers liverworts, ferns, and in 37 plant families. scientist, died in 1996 and although some most of them single authored. For 73 Tributes of this type will inevitably progress has been made, three-fourths of years he published something nearly continue as the many collections by his material remains to be processed. every year, missing only 1939, 1974, and Cuatrecasas continue to be processed by Many of the collections and slides of 1983; an incredible accomplishment. He the US National Herbarium and sent for Cuatrecasas are central to ongoing was an author or coauthor of two sub- study to specialists around the world. In research projects in Colombia and are tribes and many genera of the Composi- addition, Cuatrecasas was an excellent greatly needed by researchers. Because of tae. A quick check of Index Kewensis photographer and his research files funding constraints this project must be gives a list of 2,391 records with Cuatre- contain numerous photographs, (many on done in stages. casas in the author field of which an large format negatives that were printed The career of Cuatrecasas extends astounding 1,307 are Compositae on glass plates) dating from his field work from his birth, 19 March 1903, in Cam- records. Few taxonomists can work in the in Colombia in the 1930s and 40s. Many podrón (Gerona), Spain, through his family Compositae without making use of of the Cuatrecasas photographs are studies in Barcelona and Madrid (1924- his work. At the time of the 1985 priceless because they are from high 1931), graduate work in Berlin (1930-31) festschrift in his honor, Cuatrecasas was elevation areas that have since been where he knew Adolph Engler, time at the listed with B.L. Robinson, S.F. Blake, A.L. destroyed. Jardin Botánico de Madrid (1933- 39), Cabrera, and H. Merxmüller, as individu- In August we were successful in the years in Colombia (1939-47) and in als who had made truly constructive and obtaining funds for the first part of the Chicago (1947-1955) to his years in insightful contributions to the study of project. The Collections Improvement Washington at the Smithsonian Institution the Compositae in the first three quarters committee headed by Carol Butler (1955-1996). In 1939 he was on a trip to of this century. provided a grant to hire a researcher for South America and if he had not been Cuatrecasas collected extensively and four months to work on the photographs warned about the Spanish Civil War, in areas that were difficult to reach. Over and Compositae specimens. The Depart- before returning to Spain, his botanical the years many new taxa have been ment of Botany also provided supplemen- tal funding from the Cuatrecasas Fund. Finding the right person to do the job might have been difficult but the Director of the National Museum of Natural History, Cristián Samper, came to the rescue and identified Mauricio Diazgrana- dos C., Director Herbario, Investigador UNESIS, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universi- dad Javeriana, Bogotá D.C., Colombia. Diazgranados turned out to be perfect: he is fluent in both Spanish and English, he knows Colombia and he is an expert in the Compositae. He arrived in October and has worked hard to complete much of the goals of the sub-project. Linda Hollen- berg, Carol Kelloff, Marjorie Knowles, and Harold Robinson have José Cuatrecasas (in Spain in 1923 , left, and at the Smithsonian in the 1970s). Continued on page 10 Page 9 Cuatrecasas accessibility. his sub-project completed. And there is Continued from page 9 During Phase 2, Diazgranados has more good news, Diazgranados is been working on the specimens. During applying to graduate schools in the USA also helped with the project his life Cuatrecasas collected over and he hopes to study the one genus, As one might expect the work was 40,000 plants and he received thousands Espeletiopsis (Espeletiinae), that more difficult and more interesting than more as gifts for determination. Diaz- Cuatrecasas did not cover in his mono- we had anticipated. During the first phase granados is trying to reduce the backlog graph. All in all it has been a pleasure of the project, Diazgranados worked on of unprocessed material by identifying working with Diazgranados and we hope organizing the photographic archives. material and checking it against our he will be able to come back soon and Photography was a passion of Cuatrecasas current holdings. So far he has curated all continue to work on this most interesting and during his life he took over 20,000 unfiled specimens of the Espeletiinae group of plants. pictures, about 12,000 of which are here (the group of particular interest to at the museum (the others are missing). Cuatrecasas). In addition he has rounded These photographs, many taken in remote up and processed nearly 1,200 unmounted areas, have enormous potential for specimens that were Compositae but not science and social commentary. In Espeletiinae. During this processing of addition to taking photographs Cuatre- material he found many mistakes as well casas kept detailed notes as to where they as plants without labels or otherwise were taken and who or what was in them. disorganized and he was able to straighten The photographic material housed at the out most of these. The duplicates were museum has been placed in archival segregated into groups to be sent to sleeves and notebooks. The journals have Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales been copied onto archival paper and an Visitors Bernardino Rivadavia (Buenos Aires), Continued from page 2 overview of what is housed here at the Real Jardín Botánico (Madrid), Field museum has been prepared. Other funds Museum of Natural History (Chicago), were used to scan about 400 slides and we Guido Mathieu, Ghent University, New York Botanical Garden, Universidad Belguim; Peperomia (11/3-11/17). are exploring various ways to use them. de Los Andes (Merida, Venezuela), Plans are also underway for other Universidad Nacional de Colombia Tara Massad, World Wildlife Fund; re- research projects. Additional slides and (Bogota), and other herbaria, according a strictive range plant families (11/8-12/ photographs have been found and are previous established flowchart. This 20). being incorporated into the folders. This activity is not finished yet but will be Teresa Woods, Kansas State University; phase is more or less finished. Several completed soon. Lespedeza (Fabaceae) (11/15; 11/18). thousands of the large format negatives Diazgranados has only a few days of will eventually be scanned for digital work left but he departs with the goals of Yolanda Herrera-Arrieta, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Durango, Mexico; Muhlenbergia (Poaceae) (11/20-12/18). Melissa Luckow, Cornell University; Leguminosae (11/21-11/26). Gale Robertson, Independent re- searcher; volunteer interview (11/21). Jamie Whitacre, Independent re- searcher; contractor interview (11/30). Curry Keide, Maryland Department of Natural Resources; seagrasses (12/1). Cindy Skema, Cornell University; Dombeya (Sterculiaceae) (12/12-12/16). Steve Popovich, United States Depart- ment of Agriculture - Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests, Fort Collins, Colorado; grass identification (12/13). Michael Nee, New York Botanical Garden; Solanaceae (12/20-12/22). Mauricio Diazgranados C. in the US National Herbarium (photo by Marjorie Andrew Henderson, New York Botanical Knowles) Garden; Arecaceae (12/27). Page 10 Botany’s Type now available on the Department’s Web into the hinderlands of Guyana from site Page 11 A Quiet Man By Heijia L. Wheeler Daniel Grant is a quiet man. Your first impression is that he is shy, intelli- gent, thoughtful, and very serious. As you get to know him, it becomes clear that he is a multi-faceted, multi-talented man with many interests, energy and a great sense of humor. Most of us can only dream of visiting far off lands and cities, but Grant has lived all over the world. He worked for the Department of State in the Foreign Service for 30 years and was posted to Pakistan, Indonesia, Viet Nam, Korea, Haiti and Paris. The average posting lasted about three years. In his various foreign assignments, Grant wrote reports on local economic conditions, promoted U.S. positions on economic issues in discus- sions with local government officials, and assisted U.S. business representatives in Daniel Grant. (photo by Leslie Brothers) operating in the host country. His expo- sure to foreign cultures also gave him a management software) the necessary She admires his ability to analyze a task chance to study a number of languages; he information for each of the specimens when given a set of parameters and come speaks French and German and has a that are brought back from collection up with a process to get the job done. nodding acquaintance with Indonesian, trips by the curators and research scien- If all that sounds a bit too serious, Vietnamese, Korean, and Urdu. Foreign tists. He does similar data entry on Grant has other interests and talents. After Service positions are very competitive pressed specimens at the museum. Every retirement, he decided to learn to play the and only a small number of candidates are plant grown in the Research Greenhouse piano. He had never studied music nor had chosen. There are many hurdles beginning is given a unique number; information he played before. He says that he started with a difficult written exam, oral exam, such as the scientific name, name of with simple melodies and now has moved interviews, medical exams, and security donors, and other information are entered on to Beethoven, Bach, and Handel. He checks. Only one or two percent of the into the database. also is an accomplished photographer initial applicants are selected. At the museum, he converts the vast with an artistic eye. He likes to bike to When Grant retired from the State photographic slide collection made by W. keep fit and finally he is an accomplished Department in 1997, he already had a John Kress to digital images and enters chef. His repertoire is rather eclectic but keen interest in computers and at the them into a separate data base. The Kress he especially likes to cook French and time, the coming of the new millennium collection of eight families of the Zingi- Italian food. With any luck, we may get to was creating a huge crisis: the Y2K berales consist of about 8,000 records in taste some of his creations. problem. Most of the major computer Microsoft Access, 5,000 in KE EMu and systems were written many years ago in 2,000 accessions growing in the green- Wurdack Cobol, a language that is considered a bit house. When rhizomes of the Zingibera- Continued from page 1 archaic. Most of the analysts who wrote les are collected from all over the world, the programs were retired and the demand they are planted and grown, sometimes Euphorbiaceae s.l. segregates. His recent for those who knew that language was for several years. When they bloom, they 2005 paper on the phylogeny of Euphor- huge. Grant saw the opportunity, took are vouchered. Grant enters pertinent data biaceae s.s. included classification courses in Cobol and was hired by on each new specimen, and upon request, changes with the recognition of two new NASDAQ as a computer administrator at photographs the plant including inflores- subfamilies. His work now proceeds their Rockville facility. Two years later, cences. He works closely with Ida Lopez towards a full generic reclassification of Grant truly retired, but still wanted to stay and it is clear that she admires and that group as he recently did for Phyllan- involved. depends on him for this work. Grant is thaceae in collaboration with Petra He began volunteering for the Smith- able to manipulate the KE EMu data, Hoffmann (RBG Kew) and Hashendra sonian Institution in 2002. He began at extract the necessary information and put Kathriarachchi (University of Colombo, the Smithsonian Botany Research Green- it in a usable form for analysis. Lopez Sri Lanka). house in Suitland, where he enters into describes Grant as a perfectionist who Wurdack’s Malpighiales ordinal work the KE EMu database (collections likes to solve problems in creative ways. also confirmed the recent claim by Page 12 Barkman et al. in 2004 that Rafflesiaceae slowly – often too slowly to yield good National Academy of Sciences, Wurdack s.s. is a member of Malpighiales. Raffle- phylogenies. Some of the most exciting and his collaborators, including W. John siaceae are best known to contain a and high-profile current research in plant Kress and Elizabeth A. Zimmer, proposed species with the world’s largest flower molecular evolution, however, involves a solution to DNA barcoding in plants. (Rafflesia arnoldii) but their reduced the mitochondrial genome. Mitochondrial Wurdack enjoys working with her- parasitic lifestyle has long made classifi- work was the focus of Wurdack’s post- barium collections, especially making cation difficult and most affinities have doctoral research. He examined HGT in determinations on unidentified euphorbs been suggested to be with other parasitic an intron in mitochondrial cox1 and was that have yet to be assigned a genus. As he plants. Davis and Wurdack not only able to demonstrate the utility of genomic notes, the greatest challenges and the confirmed that Rafflesiaceae belong to information (i.e., structural changes in the most interesting novelties can lay waiting Malpighiales, but also discovered a case mitochondrial genome) to probe deep- among such collections as gems to be of horizontal gene transfer (HGT). This level questions that could not be ad- uncovered. A backlog of undescribed or finding was reported in 2004 in Science dressed with standard molecular phylog- problematic euphorbs already fills a case and was the first documentation of host- enies. in Wurdack’s office. Wurdack’s work with parasite gene transfer, in this case Another area of molecular evolution collections has not unexpectedly brought involving the transfer of a mitochondrial that Wurdack has investigated is the origin to light a number of new species. Some gene to Rafflesiaceae from their Vitaceae of the toxin ricin. Ricin, a protein in the he had brought to the attention of others (Tetrastigma) hosts. They have uncovered seeds of the castor bean (Ricinus commu- actively working on groups (e.g., Tragia several other remarkable examples of nis), is one of the most toxic naturally guayanensis L. J. Gillespie, Dendrothrix HGT including a gene transfer between a occurring substances, but little has been wurdackii Esser) and others he is fern and an angiosperm. Wurdack says previously understood about how the describing, including new species in these examples extend the recent para- toxin evolved. Wurdack uncovered new Pausandra, Dalechampia, Tetraplandra, digm shift in regard to acceptance of the relatives of Ricinus and has examined the Tetrorchidium, and Aparisthmium. Where biological reality of HGT in plants and it evolution of ricin-like genes (homologs) possible (i.e., collections with usable is now convincingly established that HGT in them. DNA), molecular phylogenetic studies does indeed occur (i.e., it is not a labora- Wurdack’s research also involves DNA have been done in conjunction with tory or analytical artifact), involves a barcoding in plants. DNA barcodes are taxonomic descriptions. The Aparisth- variety of genes, and can transfer genes short stretches of DNA that can be used mium was first assigned to that genus between widely separated lineages. to identify species. In plants a standard- based on his DNA work. Mitochondrial genes are rarely used ized method has remained elusive but last Wurdack also has an interest in bio- for plant phylogenetics, as they evolve year in a paper in the Proceedings of the geography and his research has uncovered many unexpected patterns in Alchornea, Stillingia and Croton. Croton, further developed in collaboration with Paul Berry (University of Michigan) and his students, appears to have a single Old World introduction from the New World, whereas Wurdack found the reverse in Alchornea. Another research interest of Wur- dack’s is the Daphne family, Thymela- eaceae, which were at one time associated with Euphorbiaceae based on putatively shared unusual pollen (crotonoid pollen) and chemistry (phorbol esters). It is now known that these two families are un- related (Thymelaeaceae is in Malvales). He unexpectedly found that the Guyana Highland endemic family Tepuianthacaeae was related to Thymelaeaceae and in collaboration with James Horn (Duke University) is reclassifying it as a sub- family of Thymelaeaceae. Wurdack continues to work, most recently in collaboration with Zachary Rogers Three generations of euphorbiologists: Kenneth J. Wurdack (right) with Grady (Missouri Botanical Garden) on develop- Webster (center) and Gordon McPherson. Taken 6 October 2005 at the ing a complete generic-level phylogeny Monsanto Center, Missouri Botanical Garden three weeks before Webster of Thymelaeaceae. They have already passed away. (photo by Zach Rogers) Continued on page 14 Page 13 Wurdack for his continuing work on the Euphor- Continued from page 13 biaceae, DNA barcoding, and historical botany of the southeast United States. discovered that the neotropical genera have an especially complex biogeography. In addition to lab work, Wurdack has Publications experience in the field, including many trips in Venezuela and the southern United Acevedo-Rodriguez, P. 2005. Sapinda- States. His fieldwork encompasses over ceae. Pp. 46-66; 75-98. In: Steyermark, 3,000 personal collection numbers and J.A., E. Berry, K. Yatskievych and B.K. ranges from general collecting to Holst (eds.). Flora of the Venezuelan specialty collecting of Malpighiales. In Guayana. Vol 9. Rutaceae-Zygophylla- the field he has found many new plant ceae. Missouri Botanic Garden Press, St. distribution records, studied floral Louis. biology and pollination, and helped set up Acevedo-Rodriguez, P. and M.T. Strong. permanent plots for plant ecology studies. 2005. Monocots and gymnosperms of Wurdack has an interest in floristics and Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. the euphorbs are a large component of Contrib. U.S. Nat. Herb. 52: 1-416. many tropical floras. He is especially interested in producing Euphorbiaceae Adey, W. 2006. Lessons learned from the treatments for the floras of Ecuador and construction and operation of micro- the Guianas with contributions from cosms and mesocosms. P. 30. In: Precht, himself and other experts. W. (ed.). Restoration of Coral Reef Finally, Wurdack has had a long Ecosystems. CRC Press, Boca Raton. C.A. Jaramillo and M.J. Donoghue. 2005. interest in botanical history, especially of Athanasiadis, A. and W. Adey. 2006. The Explosive radiation of Malpighiales the southern United States. His interests supports a mid-Cretaceous origin of in historical botany were inspired by and genus Leptophytum Adey (Melobesioi- deae, Corallinales) on the northern modern tropical rain forests. Am. Nat. relate to the collections at the U.S. 165(3): E36-E65. National Herbarium. They were also Pacific Coast of North America. Bot. influenced by noted botanical historian Mar. 49(1): 134. Dorr, L.J. and P.E. Berry. 2005. Tiliaceae Joseph Ewan who spent a period of Beltrán, H. and H. Robinson. 2005. A and newly segregated Muntingiaceae. Pp. residence in the Department in the 1980s new species of Aequatorium (Astera- 342-343. In: Berry, P.E., et al. (eds.). as a visiting scholar. Wurdack’s historical ceae: Senecioneae) from Peru. Composit. Flora of the Venezuelan Guayana 9. topics include the history and types of the Newsl. 42: 5-7. Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St. Biltmore Herbarium (25,000 sheets given Louis. to US), and biographical sketches on Berry, P.E., A.L. Hipp, K.J. Wurdack, B. Dorr, L.J. and W. Meijer. 2005. Tilia- Joseph Herman Simpson (Florida collec- Van Ee and R. Riina. 2005. Molecular ceae. Pp. 343-362. In: Berry, P.E., et al. tor), Hardy Bryan Croom (1797-1837, phylogenetics of the giant genus Croton (eds.). Flora of the Venezuelan Guayana botanist in Florida and North Carolina), and tribe Crotoneae (Euphorbiaceae sensu 9. Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St. and Alvan Wentworth Chapman (1809- stricto) using ITS and trnL-trnF DNA Louis. 1899, Florida botanist). Wurdack’s sequence data. Am. J. Bot. 92(9): 1520- historical expertise on these subjects has 1534. Faust, M.A., R.W. Litaker, M.W. Vander- been sought by a number of individuals Bordelon, M. and W.J. Kress. 2005. sea, S.R. Kibler and P.A. Tester. 2005. and acknowledged in over 10 publications Tropical ginger cultivation in North Dinoflagellate diversity and abundance in including two books (E.O. Rothra, American temperate climates. Sibbaldia two Belizean coral reef-mangrove Florida’s Pioneer Naturalist: The Life of 3: 83-91. lagoons: a test of Margalef’s Mandala. Charles Torrey Simpson, 1995; G. Atoll Res. Bull. 534: 1-28. Fishman, Journeys Through Paradise: Clarke, H.D. and V.A. Funk. 2005. Using Pioneering Naturalists in the Southeast, checklists and collections data to investi- Finot, V.L, P.M. Peterson, F.O. Zuloaga, 2000). The importance of supplementary gate plant diversity. II. An analysis of five R.J. Soreng and O. Matthei. 2005. A historical detective work on the US florulas from northeastern South Ameri- revision of Trisetum (Poaceae: Pooideae: collections can be seen with the Biltmore ca. Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. 154: 29- Aveninae) in South America. Ann. Mo. specimens that often have poor documen- 37. Bot. Gard. 92(4): 533-568. tation coupled with the idiosyncratic Fu, Y.B., B.E. Coulman, Y.S.N. Ferdinan- practices of Biltmore Herbarium staff. Davis, C.C., W.R. Anderson and K.J. Wurdack. 2005. Gene transfer from a dez, J.Cayouette and P.M. Peterson. He most recently chronicled the history 2005. Genetic diversity of fringed brome of the rare southeastern United States parasitic flowering plant to a fern. P. Roy. Soc. B. 272(1578): 2237-2242. (Bromus ciliatus) as determined by euphorb Croton alabamensis. amplified fragment length polymorphism. Wurdack has set high research goals Davis, C.C., C.O. Webb, K.J. Wurdack, Can. J. Bot. 83(10): 1322-1328. Page 14 Funk, V.A. and C.L. Kelloff. 2005. Lapointe, B.E., P.J. Barile, M.M. Littler, Supertribe Asterodae. Phytologia 87(2): Preface. P. ix. In: T. Hollowell and R. D.S. Littler, B.J. Bedford and C.T. 73-74. Reynolds (eds.) Checklist of the Terres- Gasque. 2005. Macroalgal blooms on trial Vertebrates of the Guiana Shield. southeast Florida coral reefs: I. Nutrient Robinson, H. and N.E. Woodley. 2005. A Bull. Biol. Soc. Wash. no. 13. stoichiometry of the invasive green alga new species of Harmstonia from Bolivia Codium isthmocladum in the wider (Dolichopodidae: Diptera). P. Entomol. Funk, V.A., R.J. Bayer, S. Keeley, R. Caribbean indicates nutrients enrichment. Soc. Wash. 107(2): 436-440. Chan, L. Watson, B. Gemeinholzer, E. Harmful Algae 4(6): 1092-1105. Schilling, J. L. Panero, B.G. Baldwin, N. Saarela, J.M., P.M. Peterson and J. Garcia-Jacas, A. Susanna and R.K. Jansen. Lapointe, B.E., P.J. Barile, M.M. Littler Cayouette. 2005. Bromus hallii (Poa- 2005. Everywhere but Antarctica: Using a and D.S. Littler. 2005. Macroalgal ceae), a new combination for California, supertree to understand the diversity and blooms on southeast Florida coral reefs: U.S.A., and taxonomic notes on Bromus distribution of the Compositae. Biol. Skr. II. Cross-shelf discrimination of nitrogen orcuttianus and Bromus grandis. Sida 55: 343-373. sources indicates widespread assimilation 21(4): 1997-2013. of sewage nitrogen. Harmful Algae 4(6): Samper, C. 2005. Foreword. P. vii. In: T. Funk, V.A., P.C. Hoch, A. Prather and 1106-1122. W.L. Wagner. 2005. The importance of Hollowell and R. Reynolds (eds.) Check- vouchers in science. Taxon 54: 127-129. Littler, D.S. and M.M. Littler. 2005. list of the Terrestrial Vertebrates of the Study of living algae in the tortugas Guiana Shield. Bull. Biol. Soc. Wash. no. Givnish, T.J., J.C. Pires, S.W. Graham, produced the “Bible” for identifying those 13. M.A. McPherson, L.M. Prince, T.B. of the tropical Atlantic. P. 36. In: Shinn, Samuel, R., H. Kathriarachchi, P. Hoff- Patterson, H.S. Rai, E.H. Roalson, T.M. E.A. and W.C. Jaap (eds.). Field Guide to Evans, W.J. Hahn, K.C. Millam, A.W. mann, M. Barfuss, K. Wurdack, C.C. the Major Organisms and Processes Davis and M.W. Chase. 2005. Molecular Meerow, M. Molvray, P.J. Kores, H.E. Building Reefs and Islands of the Dry O’Brien, J.C. Hall, W.J. Kress and K.J. phylogenetics of Phyllanthaceae: evi- Tortugas: The Carnegie Dry Tortugas dence from plastid matK and nuclear Sytsma. 2005. Repeated evolution of net Laboratory Centennial Celebration venation and fleshy fruits among mono- PHYC sequences. Am. J. Bot. 92(1): 132- (1905-2005). University of Miami 141. cots in shaded habitats confirms a priori Rosenstiel School, Miami. predictions: evidence from an ndhF phy- Strong, M.T. 2005. Two new species of logeny. P. Roy. Soc. B. 272: 1481-1490. Littler, M.M., D.S. Littler and B.L. Rhynchospora sect. Tenues (Cyperaceae) Brooks. 2005. Extraordinary mound Hollowell, T. and R.P. Reynolds, eds. from the Guianas, South America. Novon building Avrainvillea (Chlorophyta): the 15(3): 479-483. 2005. Checklist of the Terrestrial largest tropical marine plants. Coral Vertebrates of the Guiana Shield. Bull. Reefs 24(3): 359. Terrell, E.E., H.E. Robinson, W.L. Wag- Biol. Soc. Wash., no. 13. ner and D.H. Lorence. 2005. Resurrec- Lorence, D.H. and W.L. Wagner. 2005. A tion of genus Kadua for Hawaiian Hedyo- Hollowell, T. and R.P. Reynolds. 2005. revision of Psychotria (Rubiaceae) in the Introduction. Pp. 1-6. In: T. Hollowell and tidinae (Rubiaceae), with emphasis on Marquesas Islands (French Polynesia). seed and fruit characters and notes on R. Reynolds (eds.) Checklist of the Allertonia 9(1): 1-37. Terrestrial Vertebrates of the Guiana south Pacific species. Syst. Bot. 30(4): Shield. Bull. Biol. Soc. Wash. no. 13. Motley, T.J., K.J. 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Water column structure and Robinson, H. 2005. New species and evance. CBS Publishers & Distributors, circulation in the Main Channel, Twin new combinations in the tribe Vernonieae New Delhi. Cays. Atoll Res. Bull. 535: 1-24. (Asteraceae). Phytologia 87(2): 80-96. Wurdack, K.J., P. Hoffmann and M.W. Kite, G.C., P. Hoffmann, D.C. Lees, K.J. Robinson, H. 2005. Parapolydora Chase. 2005. Molecular phylogenetic Wurdack and L.J. Gillespie. 2005. α- (Asteraceae), a new genus of Vernonieae analysis of uniovulate Euphorbiaceae Homonojirimycin and other polyhydroxy- from South Africa. Phytologia 87(2): 75- (Euphorbiaceae sensu stricto) using alkaloids in Suregada Roxb. ex Rottl. 79. plastid rbcL and trnL-F DNA sequences. (Euphorbiaceae). Biochem. Syst. Ecol. Robinson, H. 2005. Validation of the Am. J. Bot. 92(8): 1397-1420. 33(11): 1183-1186. Page 15 Art by Alice Tangerini Tragia guayanensis L.J. Gillespie In addition to Alice Tangerini, other illustra- tors, such as Cathy Pasquale, are often contracted out to do special projects for the Department. Tragia guayanensis was uncov- ered among unidenti- fied Euphorbiaceae collections and recog- nized as undescribed by Kenneth J. Wurdack. Lynn Gillespie (now at the Canadian Museum of Nature, Ottawa) was studying Tragia and its allies while as a post- doctoral fellow at the US National Herbarium and found this plant was unusual enough to deserve placement in a new monotypic section of Tragia (see Gillespie, Novon 4: 330-338; 1994). Drawing by Cathy Pasquale. Department of Botany PO Box 37012 NMNH, MRC-166 Washington DC 20013-7012 Official Business Penalty for Private Use $300 Page 16