Department of Systematic Biology - Botany & the U.S. National Herbarium The Plant Press

New Series - Vol. 5 - No. 4 October-December 2002

Botany Profile With Liberty and Justicia for All By Robert DeFilipps usticia is an attractive genus in the curator in the Smithsonian Institution’s Flora of Ecuador in 1987. In addition to dicot family Acanthaceae. It is Department of Botany. those previously mentioned, Wasshau- named for James Justice (1698-1763), Wasshausen began working in Smith- sen has contributed family taxonomic Jan early tulipomaniac and the first person sonian Botany on May 20, 1962, as a treatments of Acanthaceae for the flora in England to grow a pineapple to the technician with Velva Rudd, the Fabaceae of Texas by Correll & Johnston, and of fruiting stage. All botanists and horticul- expert. In a span of 14 years, he worked the Galapagos Islands, Dominica, Pico turists, and numerous other visitors to upwards from technician to the position of das Almas (Bahia, Brazil) and Venezuelan the tropics, are familiar with the “shrimp Chairman of the Botany Department, which Guayana, as well as for checklists or plant,” an evergreen shrub with arching he assumed in 1976 and held until 1982. catalogues of the family in the three spikes having conspicuous, coppery Prior to that he had been an associate Guianas (Guyana, Suriname, French bronze, overlapping bracts resembling the curator from 1969 to 1976, and later became Guiana), French Guiana (edited by carapace of a large shrimp. The technical a full curator from 1982 to the present time. Cremers & Hoff), and Peru. name of this widely cultivated plant, once A great affinity for field collecting and Among his numerous begonia endemic to Mexico, is Justicia bran- exploration pervades his botanical publications is a treatment of the family degeana Wasshausen & L.B. Smith. The interests, and one early influence was his for the Flora of Venezuela (1989), and joint authors of the species, Dieter C. opportunity to peruse the vast collections the world-scope treatment in the defini- Wasshausen (Acanthaceae and Begonia- that had recently been brought back from tive Begoniaceae, Edition 2, Part I: ceae specialist) and Lyman B. Smith Amazonian Peru by J.J. Wurdack. At nearly Annotated Species List; Part II: Illus- (Bromeliaceae and Begoniaceae special- the same time it was realized that Emery C. trated Key, Abridgement and Supple- ist, deceased) have remained associated Leonard (1892-1968), an Acanthaceae ment, by J. Golding and D.C. Wasshau- in a number of ways by mutual botanical specialist at the Smithsonian, had abruptly sen, which recently appeared in Contrib. interests over the years. left behind eight herbarium cases of Texas U.S. Nat. Herb. 43: 1-289 (2002); its Dieter Carl Wasshausen, curator in the Acanthaceae, and Lyman Smith suggested precursor (ed. 1) appeared in Smith- United States National Herbarium (US), that Wasshausen might want to examine sonian Contrib. Bot. 60: 1-584 (1986), of was born in Jena, Germany in 1938. After them. This led to his master’s study as a which Wasshausen was a co-author with the Second World War, his father, an treatment for Lundell’s Flora of Texas, and L.B. Smith, J. Golding and C.E. Kare- eminent German rocket scientist, settled was the genesis of a lifelong interest in the geannes. the family in New Jersey. Later, Dieter New World Acanthaceae. ltogether, Wasshausen has Wasshausen joined the U.S. Army to In the 1980s he diverged slightly to described approximately 247 new spend six months in Greenland testing the collaborate with L.B. Smith and R.M. Klein species in various families, and rate of movement of nuclear fallout in a study of the taxonomically difficult fiveA new species have been named for radiation on the Greenland Icecap. His grass family (Poaceae) for the Flora him, including the composite Vernonia three degrees were earned at George Ilustrada Catarinense, a flora of the state wasshausenii S.B. Jones from Brazil; the Washington University (Washington, of Santa Catarina, Brazil, resulting in 998 melastome Tibouchina wasshausenii J.J. D.C.): B.S. in 1962; M.S. in 1965 with a pages of text. Wasshausen’s excursions Wurdack from Peru; and Vellozia wass- thesis on Acanthaceae for C.L. Lundell’s into the taxonomy of begonias (Begonia- hausenii L.B. Smith & E.S. Ayensu from Flora of Texas; and Ph. D. in 1972 with a ceae) also began with the stimulus of Brazil. Many of the new species in both dissertation monograph of the genus Smith, and their first joint paper on the categories have been collected during Aphelandra (Acanthaceae). The major subject was on begonias in Ecuador his strenuous field work of the past advisor for his degrees was Lyman Smith, (1979), followed by a treatment for the Continued on page 10 Travel

Vicki Funk traveled to Urbana, Illinois to Miami, Florida (9/20 – 9/22) to attend the collections of Commelinaceae at the Royal (7/1 – 7/3) to attend the annual meeting of biannual symposium of the Coalition for Botanic Gardens, Kew and East African the Society for the Study of Evolution Excellence in Tropical Biology (CETroB). Herbarium, National Museum of Kenya. (SSE); to Madison, Wisconsin (8/2 – 8/8) Paula DePriest traveled to Hartford, Laurence Dorr traveled to Caracas, to attend the annual meeting of the Connecticut (7/25 – 7/28) to attended the Venezuela (8/8 – 8/29) to collect plant American Institute of Biological Sciences American Bryological and Lichenological specimens in the Teta de Niquitao-Guirigay (AIBS) and to collect Asteraceae for Society meeting at the University of National Monument and the Guaramacal research; to Patras, Greece (9/11 – 9/16) to Connecticut. National Park and use the herbarium in attend the Sixth International Congress on Maria Faust traveled to Madison, Guanare; and to Bronx, New York (9/24 – 9/ Systematic and Evolutionary Biology Wisconsin (8/4 – 8/7) to attend the annual 27) to visit the New York Botanical Garden (ICSEB-VI); and to London, U.K. (9/17 – 9/ meeting of the Phycological Society of and to work on Taxonomic Literature II, 23) to conduct herbarium work at the Royal America (PSA). Supplement F-G. Botanic Gardens, Kew. Warren Wagner traveled to Madison, Pedro Acevedo traveled to Puerto Rico Laurence Skog traveled to Costa Rica Wisconsin (8/4 – 8/8) to present a talk at (8/15 – 9/7) to continue a survey on the (7/14 – 7/23) to conduct field work and the annual meeting of the Botanical vascular plant flora of karst limestone herbarium studies; to Scotland (9/23 – 10/ Society of America (BSA). areas; and to Bronx, New York (9/27 – 9/28) 2) to participate in the Gesneriaceae work- Liz Zimmer traveled to Madison, Wis- for a visit to the New York Botanical shop at Royal Botanical Gardens in Edin- consin (8/4 – 8/8) to present a poster at the Garden. burgh; and to Tampa, Florida (10/12 – 10/ annual meeting of the Botanical Society of Gary Krupnick traveled to Patras, 16) to visit Selby Botanical Garden and to America (BSA); and to Cambridge, Massa- Greece (9/12 – 9/17) to co-chair a sympo- select materials for loan. chusetts (8/21) to discuss collaborative sium and present a paper at the Sixth W. John Kress traveled to Panama (7/ opportunities. International Congress on Systematic and 28 – 8/4) to attend the annual meeting of Paul Peterson traveled to Madison, Evolutionary Biology (ICSEB-VI). the Association for Tropical Biology; and Wisconsin (8/4 – 8/8) to present a talk on Dan Nicolson traveled to Bronx, New Chloridoideae (Poaceae) at the annual York (9/24 – 9/30) to visit the New York meeting of the Botanical Society of Botanical Garden and to work on Taxo- The Plant Press America (BSA); and to Mexico (9/15 – 10/ nomic Literature II, Supplement F-G. 20) to collect grasses. Mark and Diane Littler traveled to New Series - Vol. 5 - No. 4 Robert Faden traveled to London, U.K. Panama (10/8 – 10/22) to conduct research Head of Botany and Nairobi, Kenya (8/4 – 8/25) to study on coral reefs in Bocas del Toro. W. John Kress ([email protected]) Visitors EDITORIAL STAFF Katherine Smith, Private researcher; Peru- Robert Raguso , University of South Co-Editors vian plants (7/17). Carolina; Pollination biology (9/5 - 9/6). Gary Krupnick Katharine Lofdahl, University of Guam; ([email protected]) Jerrold Davis, Department of Botany, Cor- Robert DeFilipps Tree ferns (8/14 - 8/16). nell University; Puccinellia (Poaceae) and Phytolacca (Phytolaccaceae) (9/12 - 9/13). ([email protected]) Jeff Saarela, University of Alberta, Circulation Manager Canada; Bromus, Brachyelytrum (Poa- Hestor Bell, Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Shirley Maina ceae), Acorus (Acoraceae) (8/16 - 8/17). Garden, California; Poaceae (9/16). ([email protected]) Michael Tamessar, University of Guyana, Frederica Bowcutt, The Evergreen State News Contacts Georgetown; Biological Diversity of the College; Lithocarpus (Fagaceae) (9/18). MaryAnn Apicelli, Robert Faden, Ellen Guianas Program (8/18 - 8/28). Farr, George Russell, Alice Tangerini, and Terry Macfarlane, Department of Conser- Elizabeth Zimmer Roger Troutman, Sprint Corporation vation and Land Management; Poaceae, (retired); Independent research (8/26 - 9/8). DELTA (9/18 - 9/19). The Plant Press is a quarterly publication provided free of charge. If you would like to be Susan Grose, University of Washington, Gerrit Davidse, Missouri Botanical added to the mailing list, contact Shirley Maina at: Department of Systematic Biology - Seattle; Asteraceae (8/27 - 9/7). Garden, St. Louis; Identification of grasses Botany, Smithsonian Institution, PO Box collected by Paul Peterson (9/24 - 10/14). 37012, NMNH MRC-166, Washington, DC Patricia Tester, Team Leader, Lower Food 20013-7012, or by e-mail: maina.shirley@ Dynamics and Plankton Ecology, National Tarciso Filgueiras, Instituto Brasileiro do nmnh.si.edu. Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA; Biodi- Geografia y Estatística, Brazil (IBGE); versity of dinoflagellates and copepods in Identification of grasses collected by Paul Web site: http://www.nmnh.si.edu/botany coral reef-mangrove ecosystems (9/6). Peterson (9/28 - 11/19).

Page 2 Natural History Exploration: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow Chair he rush to discover new species of plants and collections comprised the largest number of natural animals began during the Great Age of Natural history objects that young America had accumulated, History Exploration in the 1700s and 1800s. and represented specimens native to our own country With TAlthough local species had been described and named as well as regions throughout the world. They formed for centuries before that time, it wasn’t until the major the basis for the beginning of two of the great exploring expeditions set out on voyages around the scientific institutions now based in Washington: the world that a concept of global biodiversity began to Smithsonian Institution and the United States Botanic A emerge. As biologists, when we think of the great Garden. explorers, the names that come to mind are Captain After the demise of the Columbia Institute, the Cook, Joseph Banks and the Forsters, von Humboldt remainder of that establishment merged with the View and Bonpland, Charles Darwin and Alfred Russell Historical Society of Washington in 1841 to form the Wallace. National Institute for the Promotion of Science. The Most of us do not think about the exploration natural history collections as well as the garden efforts of the young United States of America as it plants were placed under custody of the National entered the international scientific arena. In the early Institute. With the return of the Wilkes Expedition in W. 1800s scientists in the newly established capitol of 1842 with its thousands of specimens, Congress Washington formed the Columbia Institute for the authorized the formation of the Smithsonian Institu- John Promotion of Arts and Sciences. Chartered by Congress tion to serve as a National Museum for the advance- Kress in 1818, the Institute started the first botanical garden ment and diffusion of knowledge. on the nation’s Mall and established the beginnings of Almost simultaneously Congress authorized the a national herbarium with specimens from local natural- construction of a botanical garden on the Mall and in ists William Darlington and Alexander McWilliams. 1856 it was officially named the “United States Although the Institute went defunct in 1837, it provided Botanic Garden” under the jurisdiction of the Joint the impetus for the first U.S. international exploring Committee on the Library. Thus began the nearly 150 expedition. year history of the Department of Botany at the In 1828 Congress approved the United States South Smithsonian Institution and the U.S. Botanic Garden. Seas Exploring Expedition, especially through the The publication of the discoveries of the Expedi- efforts of John Cleves Symmes of Ohio, who believed in tion was the responsibility of Wilkes who eventually the “Holes in the Poles” theory that the Earth was published 19 volumes over the course of 30 years. For hollow and could be entered through cavities at the two the botanical discoveries Asa Gray and Wilkes argued poles. Part of the mission of this expedition, which had over the publication of the new plant taxa. Interest- commercial, diplomatic, and scientific objectives, was to ingly they first disagreed over the extent of the Latin find these entrances to the center of the Earth and claim descriptions of the new taxa. Secondly, Wilkes wanted their rights for the newly developing country. Ten years this work to be an entirely American “enterprise” later in 1838 the expedition actually began when Lt. without any assistance from foreigners while Gray Charles Wilkes set sail from Virginia in the flagship insisted that proper identifications and descriptions Vincennes with a fleet of six vessels. The Wilkes Expe- of the new species were dependent on making dition, as it was to be called, cost $928,000, lasted four comparisons to specimens found only in European years, covered nearly 87,000 miles, and visited most of herbaria. Eventually Gray won the day by distributing the continents of the world, including a significant duplicates of the collections to the major European effort in the exploration of the coast of Antarctica. herbaria and obtaining assistance from foreign plant Nine “scientifics” were on board representing all of specialists in making proper determinations. Gray the major natural history disciplines. William Bracken- fundamentally established botany as a recognized ridge and William Rich were the botanists. Asa Gray, science in our country and brought American botany America’s foremost botanist at the time, was originally into the international arena. slated to go on the voyage, but declined at the last Today the U.S. Botanic Garden continues to be a minute in order to take a position as professor of freestanding institution under the administration of botany at the University of Michigan. He eventually Continued on page 10 assisted in preparation of the Expedition volumes on plants. When the Expedition finally returned at the end of four years, over four thousand animal specimens, fifty thousand plant specimens (both living and preserved), thousands of anthropological artifacts, and thousands of minerals, gems, and fossils had been amassed. These

Page 3 two FTEA species. A cutting of the latter is Gesnerioideae, Particularly the Gloxinieae” Staff growing well in the Botany Research (co-authored with Eric Roalson, John Greenhouse. Boggan, and Elizabeth Zimmer). Others Research attending from US and presenting Dan Nicolson Laurence Dorr and traveled contributed papers were Christian to New York Botanic Garden from 24-27 Feuillet “Lampadaria and Cremersia – Pedro Acevedo presented a plenary talk September to begin work on the now Two New Genera from the Guianas” (co- entitled “Caribbean Botany” at the 2002 reorganized Taxonomic Literature edition authored with Laurence Skog), and John Caribbean Botanic Gardens for Conserva- 2 (TL-2) masterfiles deposited there by Clark “A Preliminary Phylogeny of tion Meeting, held at the Fairchild Tropical Frans Stafleu. They aim to write the final Alloplectus: Implications for Taxonomic Garden during 15-18 May. At the meeting, supplement for authors whose names Circumscription and Evolution of Flower Acevedo was presented an award from the begin with F & G. TL-2 began in 1976 with Resupination.” Skog visited the herbaria consortium for contributing to the knowl- Volume 1 covering A-G being done at Edinburgh and Kew during his week (23 edge of Caribbean botany, specifically for without support and, with this 1,136 page September-2 October) in the United the publication of Flora of St. John, U.S. publication in hand (TL-1 of 1967 was 556 Kingdom. Virgin Islands. pages), Richard Cowan and Frans Stafleu went to NSF for support that enabled a With funding from NSF, John Clark major increase in coverage. They estimated conducted a one-month field trip to Bolivia that using the final standards of H-Z would to collect and study Gesneriaceae. An require at least two additional volumes to interesting discovery was the presence of bring A-G to the same standard. While resupinate flowers in Alloplectus bolivi- compiling material, with support for NSF, anus. It took two weeks (equivalent of 50 for volumes H-Z, they compiled material for to 60 hours of walking) to find this species. A-G. After completing H-Z, Stafleu and Eric It was collected on the Mapiri trail in the Mennega began mining the TL-2 master- Staff Activities Yungas region of Bolivia. He recently files to create a supplement for A-G that returned from Europe, where he studied would bring it to the same standard as H-Z. John Boggan traveled to Morristown, herbarium specimens at Paris (P), Brussels They generated the supplements A-E (in New Jersey (2-7 July) to attend the (BR), London (BM), Kew (K), and Edin- six volumes) before both of them died, national convention of the American burgh (E). leaving F-G in limbo. Nicolson and Dorr Gloxinia and Gesneriad Society, where he were pleasantly surprised to find that Eric Robert Faden traveled to U.K. and Kenya served on the board of directors as an Mennega had hand-written a number of F- on 4 - 26 August to continue his research outgoing director and as chairman of the G treatments. Basil Stergios and Miquel on Flora of Tropical East Africa (FTEA) botanical review committee, and also as a Niño, botanists from UNELLEZ, Herbario Commelinaceae, especially the genus contributing editor to the society’s Universitario (PORT), Guanare, Venezuela, Laurence Skog Commelina. At the Royal Botanic Gardens, magazine, The Gloxinian. accompanied Nicolson and Dorr to New Kew he focused on specimens from Paris attended the same convention as an York. Stergios and Niño are working with (P), Geneva (G) and Brussels (BR) that had invited speaker, and served as the newly Dorr on a Flora of Guaramacal in the been borrowed on his request. A type from appointed chairman of the research Venezuelan Andes. G and numerous Madagascan collections committee. from P enabled him to finally confirm that a In July, Laurence Skog visited the Robert DeFilipps traveled to Haiti (1-8 species from Kenya and Tanzania is indeed National Museum (CR) in San Jose and the August) with Beverly Wolpert, graduate undescribed. In Nairobi, at the East African Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad student at George Washington University, Herbarium, National Museums of Kenya, (INBio) in San Jose, Costa Rica, to examine to assist her collecting medicinal plants Faden was able to clear up a number of specimens of Gesneriaceae. He also visited used locally as anthelmintics (vermifuges) misidentifications among the numerous the Organization for Tropical Studies to expel intestinal parasitic worms. East African Commelina species and was (OTS) Field Stations at La Selva and Palos Specimens were obtained from practitio- able to check the details of many of his Verdes to collect samples for molecular ners at a voodoo temple (Peristyle de descriptions made from Kew specimens. research, as well as visiting the new La Paz Mariani) near Port-au-Prince, as well as Other studies added data to the recently Waterfall Gardens in Alajuela province for from various herb sellers and markets, and completed Research Training Program additional samples. from an akee (Blighia sapida) plantation summer intern research paper, and other Skog also traveled to Edinburgh, near Croix-des-Bouquets. Although Haiti ongoing projects. Two day-trips in the Scotland from 25-28 September to partici- has no formally established botanical Nairobi area allowed the observation and pate in the three and a half day Gesneria- garden, DeFilipps and Wolpert were collection of several uncommon species, ceae Workshop at the Royal Botanic pleased to learn that plans for the estab- including a cultivated plant of a recently Garden. He gave an invited lecture as part lishment of three botanical gardens are discovered, new species of Coleotrype: of the Taxonomy—Large Scale Pattern: underway. They will be at Djode near Cap just the fourth species from mainland New World portion of the program entitled Haitien, under auspices of the Fondasyon Africa and not closely related to the other “The Changing Relationships within the Ayizan Velekete; at Kenscoff, on a portion

Page 4 of the Wynne Nature Preserve Center; and The Allen staff prefers illustrators to learn Andrew Medina-Marino and Warren in Port-au-Prince at Habitation Leclerc, the how to scan their own work and send Wagner. On 8 August, she stayed over in 30-acre garden estate of famous dancer electronic files if possible. Color scanning Madison and participated in the “Deep and choreographer Katherine Dunham, is another matter and Allen’s $50, 000 color Gene” group discussion sponsored by an once the home of Pauline Bonaparte, scanner is able to scan images with much NSF RCN program grant. Later in the Napoleon’s sister. better color output than most desktop month, on 21 August, Zimmer visited Peter models. Several members brought color Del Tredici at the Arnold Arboretum and John Kress Mike Bordelon and traveled work and the Press staff demonstrated Elena Kramer at Harvard University in to Thailand and Myanmar in July. The first making color adjustments to their scanned order to discuss collaborative opportuni- stop was Khon Kaen University in rd pieces. ties. Thailand to attend the 3 International Also featured during the week of Conference on the Family Zingiberaceae. meetings were workshops and lectures on Kress delivered the keynote address traditional techniques (watercolor, scratch- presenting his new classification of the board, mixed media and pen and ink) and gingers (co-authored by Linda Prince and digital media (Photoshop, Illustrator, Kyle Williams) and Bordelon presented his PowerPoint and 3D programs). Tangerini slide show on the gingers of the Botany gave a pen (and brush) and ink workshop Research Greenhouses (with Burmese on botanical illustration during the Tech- musical accompaniment). After the meet- niques Showcase: a round table format in ing, they traveled to Yangon, Myanmar for which many styles of traditional illustration discussions with the Forest Department were demonstrated. The GNSI Annual and the Botany Department at the Univer- Exhibit was displayed in the University of sity of Yangon, concerning the final Kansas Natural History Museum where it Awards & revisions on the soon-to-be-published shared space with the dioramas of stuffed “Checklist of the Trees, Shrubs, Herbs, bears, wolves and other local fauna. Grants and Climbers of Myanmar.” They also Tangerini had her pen and ink drawing of spent several days in the field north of Xenophyllum staffordiae, one of Vicki John Clark obtained a Doctoral Disserta- Yangon on the eastern slopes of the Funk’s Andean comps, included in the tion Improvement Grant from the National Arakan Yoma near Pye. After Yangon, they exhibit. Science Foundation to finish his research went back to Thailand to attend the meet- on Alloplectus (Gesneriaceae) for his ing of the Heliconia Society International Alice Tangerini also participated in the Ph.D. dissertation. Clark will continue to in Pataya at the Noon Nooch Botanical annual meeting of the American Society of pursue this research in conjunction with Garden. The subject of that conference Botanical Artists (ASBA) on 4-5 October, Patrick Herendeen at George Washington included heliconias, gingers, prayer plants, held at the U.S. Botanic Garden and the University and Elizabeth Zimmer and and cannas. Holiday Inn in SW Washington, DC. Laurence Skog in Botany. Funding from Tangerini organized a behind-the-scenes Alice Tangerini this grant will allow Clark to expand his attended the annual tour at the Renwick Gallery for a group of doctoral dissertation and monographic national meeting of the Guild of Natural illustrators. The tour, given by Ellen revision of Alloplectus (Gesneriaceae) to Science Illustrators (GNSI) held at the Myette, operations facility manager, include morphological and molecular University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas included some ceramic and glass collec- studies on the biology of resupination from 4-10 August. Lawrence is the home of tions with botanical influences and motifs. (upside down flowers) in Alloplectus. Allen Press, one of the major publishers of An opening reception for the ASBA juried scientific journals in the U.S. and a show was held at the Botanic Garden On 11 October, Ruth Schallert, Botany sponsor of this year’s meeting. The GNSI Conservatory on Friday evening along librarian, received a Distinguished Service organizers arranged for half day tours of with awards for outstanding work by Award for excellence in achievement from the Allen Press facility. Members viewed participating artists. Holly Shimizu, director Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, where their design and scanning rooms and the of the Garden, was in attendance as she completed her bachelor’s degree. large printing area where issues of Brit- hostess and as one of the jurors of the Schallert received the award at a class tonia could be seen running through the exhibit. Saturday’s agenda featured reunion and homecoming ceremony. presses. Workshops on scanning and portfolio sharing and half-day workshops printing illustrations given by the staff of on techniques of design and on painting Allen Press were well attended by guild concepts. members. One of the great discoveries for Tangerini was how many different ap- Elizabeth Zimmer attended the annual proaches can be used in scanning artwork. Botanical Society of America (BSA) Although her methods differed from the meeting from 4-7 August, in Madison, designers at Allen the results were about Wisconsin, and presented a poster entitled the same for black and white images where “Origin and Biogeography of Pacific the most important concern is resolution. Melicope.” Co-authors were Gery Allan,

Page 5 Searching for Lichens Where the Reindeer Play Paula DePriest and Sue Lutz traveled to northwestern Mongolia in June to conduct research on lichens of the Tsaatan reindeer herding grounds. Mongolia, a high plateau bordered on the north by Russia and the south by China, is well known for its Gobi Desert and grassy steppes. However, it also has high mountains with Siberia-like larch forest and alpine meadows. The Sayan Mountains, in the extreme northwest, bordering on Russian Tuva and Siberia, are home to the remaining wild and domesticated reindeer of Mongolia. This small region at the head- waters of the Yenisei River may be the area where reindeer were originally domesti- cated 2,000 – 3,000 years ago. Both the domesticated and wild reindeers of this area are southern disjuncts from the large reindeer herds of northern Siberia; global climate warming may threaten their survival. The goal of the trip was to study the lichen flora of the seasonal feeding Paula DePriest (second from left) examines the reindeer mount of a young grounds of domesticated reindeer in this Tsaatan girl with her grandfather, Tsaatan Herder Sanjin, and an interpreter. area. (Photo by Sue Lutz) A group of U.S. and Mongolian anthro- pologists and botanists traveled to the nomadic hunter-gatherers who use rein- Carolyn Thome and Paul Rhymer, modelers summer reindeer feeding grounds of the deer for transportation, milk and cheese, in SI Exhibits Central, for display in the Tsaatan. The Tsaatan (literally, ‘reindeer and, only rarely, meat and leather. Nomadic special exhibition “Modern Mongolia: possessing people’ in Mongolian) are Tsaatan, fewer than 200 individuals Reclaiming Genghis Khan.” The group representing around 30 family groups, live made a side trip to Hustai National Park to in summer camps to the east and west of see the reintroduced Przewalski’s horses, the Darkhat Valley near the famous the only remaining species of wild horse Hovsgol Lake. Together the camps herd that is native to Mongolia. In the capitol approximately 700 reindeer (Rangifer Ulaan Bataar they visited herbaria at the tarandus). The summer feeding grounds in Academy of Sciences and Mongolian the alpine tundra and the winter feeding State University, the Migjed Janraisig grounds in the larch taiga are covered by Buddhist Temple and the Black Market. A lichens, providing year-round food for the missed airline connection in Beijing reindeer. A Tsaatan guide, Sanjin, was able allowed them to tour the Forbidden City. to distinguish and provide traditional The trip was part of a larger project to names for eleven dominant lichen species study this most southern reindeer herding in the summer feeding ground, demonstrat- culture, led by William Fitzhugh (NMNH ing that traditional lichen taxonomy in this Anthropology), and the ancient empires of culture is sophisticated and in line with Mongolia by Dan Rogers and Matt Gallon lichenological taxonomy. (NMNH Anthropology). Botanists and In addition to the scientific benefits of biologists on the trip included Steve the expedition, DePriest and Lutz had the Young (Center for Arctic Studies, Ver- adventure of a lifetime. During the expedi- mont), Ts. Tsendeekhuu (Mongolian State tion they traveled by airplane, Russian University) and O. Sukhbaatar (Chinggis jeep, and horseback to reach the remote Khan University). The group plans to Cladonia rangiferina is called “Tsaa camp near the Russian border. On the way travel to the Tsaatan camp again next hag,” literally ‘reindeer lichen,’ by the they visited numerous sites with Bronze summer. Tsaatan. (Illustration by Wm. Keith Age deer stone monuments, one of which Harrison) was cast by members of the expedition,

Page 6 The 2003 Smithsonian Botanical Symposium, 28-29 March, is Set to Explore the Botanical Frontiers in Southeast Asia Over the last decade significant new Globalization of Natural History Science,” plant exploration in tropical South America. biodiversity discoveries and advances in addressed the impact of the CDB on The Symposium will include a day of the plant sciences have been made in the scientists and its ramifications for under- invited speakers followed by a keynote tropical areas of Southeast Asia through standing the natural world. address, and is being sponsored by the the collaborative efforts of local and The third José Cuatrecasas Medal in National Museum of Natural History, the foreign scientists. Exploration in many Tropical Botany will be awarded at the Cuatrecasas Family Foundation, the remote and poorly surveyed regions in Smithsonian Botanical Symposium. This International Association for Plant such countries as Laos, Cambodia, and prestigious award is presented annually to Taxonomy, and the United States Botanic Myanmar is an interna- Garden. uncovering tional scholar Two associated exhibits are planned to new taxa of who has open to coincide with the symposium. At plants and contributed the National Museum of Natural History, animals and significantly “A Passion for Plants: Contemporary Art expanding the to advancing from the Shirley Sherwood Collection” will inventory of the field of open in March. “Traditions in Elegance” biodiversity. At the same time in China, tropical botany. The award is named in will open in January at the U.S. Botanic Vietnam, Indonesia, and Malaysia innova- honor of Dr. José Cuatrecasas, a pioneer- Garden. tive field and laboratory investigations ing botanist who spent many years For more information and registration, have led to great strides in our under- working in the Department of Botany at visit or call standing of the ecological complexity of the Smithsonian and devoted his career to 202-357-2534. habitats as well as the evolutionary history and genetic diversity of plants in this region. Despite these innovations the Completing the D.C. Flora Checklist increasing rate of destruction of pristine The D.C. Flora Checklist Project is sperms], flowering plants [angiosperms]) environments necessitates rapid conserva- pleased to announce that the second part known to occur in the Washington- tion action. of the checklist of the flora of the Wash- Baltimore area. The new Checklist The 2003 Smithsonian Botanical ington-Baltimore area is now available in includes a total of 2,794 species – 1,801 Symposium, entitled “Botanical Frontiers pdf format at . 781 introduced [39%]) are in Part I, and Sequencing of the Rice Genome,” will The aim of this project has been to 793 species (581 native, 212 introduced explore the numerous new developments revise completely Frederick J. Hermann’s [27%]) are in Part II. in our knowledge of plant diversity in much outdated and long out-of-print A Southeast Asia by bringing together Checklist of Plants in the Washington- botanists from around the world for Baltimore Area (ed. 2), published in 1946 discussion and exchange. Topics will in duplicated form. The publication of the include recent fossil discoveries of the Annotated Checklist of the Vascular earliest angiosperms, ethnobotanical Plants of the Washington-Baltimore Area, surveys, systematics and floristics, forest the new revision by Stanwyn Shetler and structure, conservation, and break- Sylvia Orli, has now been completed with throughs in genome technology. the release of Part II, Monocotyledons (95 This Symposium, to be held 28-29 p.), on 30 August. Part I, Ferns, Fern March 2003 at the National Museum of Allies, Gymnosperms, and Dicotyledons Natural History in Washington, D.C., (186 p.), was issued 21 March 2000. It is follows the first two highly successful hoped that the revised checklist will Smithsonian Botanical Symposia hosted become the basis for preparing a com- by Botany. The 2001 conference, entitled pletely new manual of the flora of the “Linnaean Taxonomy in the 21st Century,” Washington-Baltimore Area, to replace the addressed the fundamental question of 1919 Flora of the District of Columbia and how we name plants and animals in light of Vicinity of A.S. Hitchcock and P.C. Stand- recent advances in understanding the ley. evolutionary relationships of organisms. The Checklist includes all native and The 2002 conference, entitled “The naturalized species of vascular plants Convention on Biological Diversity: The (ferns and fern allies, conifers [gymno-

Page 7 The Conservation Column

By Gary A. Krupnick The fields of biological diversity and Natural History Resources for Conserva- tions and botanical gardens. conservation were at the forefront at the tion Assessment” was the title of a Held every four to six years, ICSEB is Sixth International Congress of Systematic symposium organized by John Kress and the primary meeting of systematists and and Evolutionary Biology (ICSEB VI) held Gary Krupnick. Speakers of the sympo- evolutionary biologists worldwide. 9-16 September at the University of Patras sium addressed the strengths and weak- Currently, the Congress is held under the in Patras, Greece. The theme of the confer- nesses of several classes of information, auspices of IOSEB (International Organiza- ence was “Biodiversity in the Information used to assess levels of species diversity tion for Systematic and Evolutionary Age” and several symposia focused on and distribution for conservation pur- Biology), which was created at ICSEB V in conservation research. poses. These classes of biological Budapest. The aim of the Organization is Among the keynote addresses, two information range from a complete inven- to embrace all relevant aspects of system- were highly significant for conservation- tory of all organisms on Earth, to collected atic and evolutionary biology including ists. James Edwards of the Global Bio- biological specimens, to expert opinion. All subjects ranging from molecular to global, diversity Information Facility (GBIF), in classes of information comprise the and from descriptive to theoretical. Denmark, presented “Biodiversity Infor- resources found in natural history institu- matics as a Megascience: Fully Exploiting Biodiversity Data,” giving attendees a clear understanding of how GBIF plans to Staff on the Move operate. Daniel Janzen of the University of Pennsylvania presented his views on the “gardenification” of wild areas in his talk Cameron Cooley, a Smithsonian Minority joined the Department of Invertebrate “Conserving Tropical Wildland Biodiver- Internship fellow, spent June and July Zoology (IZ) - Section Crustacea where sity through Non-Damaging Develop- working with Elizabeth Zimmer and she followed as his half-time assistant. ment.” Warren Wagner on a molecular phylog- Gulledge still continues to work half-time Several symposia of invited speakers eny of the Hawaiian composite genus for Lemaitre in IZ on various projects, one focused on biodiversity and conservation. Remya. Cooley now is a first year graduate of which is the Decapod Guide of the Global change, biogeography, GBIF, and student in the Botany and Plant Pathology Indian River Estuary (via SMS - Fort the ALL Species Foundation were the Department at Purdue University. Pierce, Florida). She will continue to topics of a few symposia. Two others alternate weekly with IZ and Botany. looked at global biodiversity and the use On 1 September, Rose Gulledge trans- of natural history resources in conserva- ferred from the Smithsonian’s Museum tion assessments. The former was the Support Center (MSC) in Suitland, focus of “Life, the Universe and Every- Maryland, to join Botany at the National thing,” a symposium organized by Vicki Museum of Natural History as Laurence Funk and Dennis P. Gordon of the Dorr’s half-time assistant. This is a National Institute of Water and Atmo- temporary assignment until the vacant full- spheric Research, New Zealand. The time assistant position that reports to Dorr symposium investigated how far taxono- is advertised. Gulledge has been settling in mists have come in our efforts to under- and learning new inventorying proce- stand the history of life. Seventeen dures, botanical terms, and trying not to speakers attempted to cover all of the get lost in the herbarium. She began her major clades of life. Each speaker had been employment at the museum in 1990 after asked to address three questions with completing a master’s degree in biological respect to his/her group: Where are we in oceanography (phytoplankton nutrient our attempts to determine the phylogeny work) at North Carolina State University. and sister group relationships of this Initially she was a Trust Fund employee at group?; How can these results be inter- the Smithsonian Oceanographic Sorting preted in the light of the history of Earth?; Center (SOSC) at MSC. A few months later and, Where do we go from here? The Gulledge became a Federal employee with symposium ended with a presentation of Botany working half-time with Maria the current phylogeny of life in graphic Faust on tropical benthic dinoflagellates form. and half-time with Rafael Lemaitre, then A separate symposium addressed how with SOSC, on deep-water hermit crabs natural history collections have been and and other decapods. In May 1992, how- can be used in conservation work. “Using ever, SOSC was dissolved and Lemaitre

Page 8 Riddled by Botany (vol. 41, 2001), and Anomochlooideae, Bambusoideae, Ehrhartoideae, and Pharo- ideae (vol. 39, 2000). Manuscripts for the This is the first in a new series of occa- edges by other sepals, the fifth has one printed volumes are produced directly from sional columns, in which we will present edge outside and appendaged, its other the database. The CNWG Web site is a various tidbits of botanical varia for your side inside and plain, in other words it has dynamic one that makes all data immedi- edification. We invite curators to search only half a beard! ately available to users as the data is the upper registers of their minds for items Thus the keen-witted medieval author entered into TROPICOS (in St. Louis or of interest. Meanwhile, here is our first of the riddle of the five brethren touched from remote locations via Telnet). In challenge: a thorny piece from Dan H. on an interesting matter of floral organiza- addition to the detailed data on New World Nicolson. tion. grasses, Old World grass names can be accessed through the database. Although Source: Stearn, W.T. 1965. The five coverage for the Old World is less com- brethren of the rose: an old botanical riddle. plete, new data is entered on a regular An old botanical riddle: Who or what Huntia 2: 180-184. basis. In addition to basic nomenclatural are these five strange brothers? and types data, many cross-references to Quinque sumus fratres, et eodem their usage in monographs, revisions, tempore nati, floras, and checklists, images (including Sunt duo barbati, duo sunt barba type photos), and specimens and maps absque creati, (data presently primarily from MO) are Unus et e quinque non est available through the website. Currently barbatus utrinque. the database contains information on some 77,000 names for grasses worldwide. There are many versions of this poem Progress on the in Latin, English and German, testifying to its being transmitted from person to Catalogue of New person from the Middle Ages. World Grasses Fünf Brüder sind’s, zu gleicher Botany is host to two visitors over the Zeit geboren, next two months who are working on Doch zweien nur erwuchs ein treatments for the Catalogue of New World voller Bart, Grasses (CNWG). Gerrit Davidse (from Zwei andern bleib die Wange Missouri Botanical Garden, MO) is visiting unbehaart, from 24 September to 14 October, and Staff Lecture Dem fünfte hat den halben Bart Tarciso Filgueiras (from Instituto Brasileiro Series Continues bloss. do Geografia y Estatística, IBGE, Brazil) is The Botany lecture series took a break visiting from 28 September to 19 Novem- Still not getting it? over the summer. The series resumed on 10 ber. They are working on the treatments of September with Paula T. DePriest present- the Aristidoideae, Arundinoideae, Dantho- Five brethren of one birth are we ing “Examining Symbiosis and Coevolu- nioideae, Centotheceae, and Andropo- All in a little family, tion in Lichen Systems.” Botany curators goneae for CNWG. Fernando Zuloaga and Two have beards, and two have will continue delivering research seminars Osvaldo Morrone (SI, Argentina) visited none each month for the remainder of the year. And only half a beard has one. Botany this spring to work on CNWG Paniceae. The CNWG editors (including The five brothers are, in short, the five Paul Peterson, Emmet Judziewicz [UWSP], sepals of Rosa canina and other dog- and Robert Soreng) and collaborators are roses. The manner in which the parts of working toward full coverage of names, the calyx are disposed within an unopened protologues, types, taxonomy, synonymy, flower is constant for whole groups of higher classification, and distribution for plants and is technically known as aestiva- New World grasses from Greenland to tion. There exist various types. The kind of Tierra del Fuego. All the work is prepared imbricate or overlapping aestivation in a database format and is available at occurring in Rosa and other genera with . of the five are completely outside the The group plans to publish accounts of others and, in R. canina (and most other the Pooideae, Panicoideae and smaller roses), have appendages or beard along PACC clade subfamilies in 2003, in the both edges; two with plain unappendaged Contributions from the U.S. National edges are completely overlapped along the Herbarium, as was done for Chloridoideae

Page 9 Chair made by staff and visitors are considered. Continued from page 3 Thirdly, entire families are chosen for digitizing. the Architect of the Capitol and is uniquely Elegance,” an exhibition celebrating the Future plans include providing close- situated at the heart of the U.S. Govern- history and enjoyment of tea, which will ups of critical features and three-dimen- ment at the base of Capitol Hill. This major open at the botanic garden in late January sional views of bulky fruits and other large botanical exhibition center positioned on 2003. The public collaboration will con- parts. A list of digitized type material is the National Mall includes the Conservato- tinue with the exhibition, “A Passion for available by visiting . Bartholdi Park as well as an extensive 25- Sherwood Collection,” which will open at acre propagation nursery facility with the NMNH in March 2003. Featuring an 85,000 square feet of glass house space extraordinary presentation of botanical outside of Washington. The strength of paintings, the exhibition will explore the the USBG lies in its clear ability to suc- interplay between art and science from the cessfully display and exhibit plant diver- perspective of style, form, purpose, use, sity to the over 750,000 visitors per year. and content. At the same time, the Department of In the future we plan to initiate a joint Botany at the Smithsonian has developed seminar series on botany and environmen- into an international research and educa- tal conservation in the new educational tion center in the botanical sciences, center to be constructed at the National especially plant taxonomy and classifica- Garden, pursue programs on horticultural tion. The Department is one of the largest conservation of endangered plants, botanical centers in the world and serves develop web links, and, perhaps most as a magnet for hundreds of students, importantly, promote both our goals visiting researchers, and enthusiastic through fundraising efforts. volunteers. The Department operates the Who would have thought that the U.S. National Herbarium containing 4.6 kernel of an idea of a national herbarium million preserved plant specimens from all and a national botanical garden planted in areas of the globe. 1818 at the Columbia Institute would be In consideration of the strengths of the blossoming today in 2002 through a new Wasshausen two institutions, the plant exhibition and collaboration between Botany at the Continued from page 1 propagation capabilities of the USBG Smithsonian and the United States Botanic richly complement the research, profes- Garden. Botanical exploration continues decades. In addition to work in Texas, he sional training, and conservation programs into the 21st century. has collected in an astonishing array of of the NMNH Department of Botany. In places: Puerto Rico; Dominica; Trinidad 2000 the USBG and the NMNH signed a (Mt. Aripo); Tobago; Brazil (states of Memorandum of Understanding to greatly Goias, Minas Gerais); Peru’s Cordillera increase their interactions and enhance the Vilcabamba, Rio Urubamba, Tambopata overall mission of each institution through Valley and other Amazonian areas; the effective collaborations. The research, field Bahamas (Abaco, Exuma, Rum Cay, San exploration, training, and conservation Botanical Type Salvador); French Guiana; Queensland, components provided by the Department Australia; Bolivia (Chuquiasca, Santa Cruz, of Botany, in combination with the Collection on the Cochabamba, La Paz); northern Argentina horticultural and public display elements at (Jujuy, Salta, Misiones); and two trips the U.S. Botanic Garden, formed a new and Web (1987, 1990) to observe and collect the highly significant botanical consortium in The Type Imaging Project continues to endemics of Madagascar with the incom- the Washington area and the Nation. make progress and has now completed a parable Werner Rauh (University of Already many activities are underway total of 22,910 specimen images (up from Heidelberg). Additionally, required library as a result of this collaboration. We are the 10,000th previously reported in Plant research has led him to visit foreign jointly developing a permanent botany Press 5(2): 6. 2002). The project has been herbaria too numerous to mention. exhibit at the Botanic Garden while designed to create a high resolution digital In 1979, Wasshausen received the research plants collected by NMNH image of each specimen in the United Willdenow Medal during the Tercentenary botanists are on display in the conservato- States National Herbarium’s Type Register. Celebration of the Botanic Garden, Berlin. ries. The two institutions also co-sponsor Types chosen for the project are It was awarded in recognition of his the Smithsonian Botanical Symposium currently selected in one of three ways. significant assistance in rebuilding the held at NMNH each spring. The first joint Firstly, all type specimens being sent on general collections of the Berlin Herbarium, temporary public program supported by loan are being digitized prior to shipment. which had been severely damaged during Twinings Tea Co. will be “Traditions in Secondly, special projects or requests WWII. At present he has a number of

Page 10 projects going on simultaneously, and Publications variously in press, such as treatments of the Acanthaceae for the Vascular Flora of the Southeastern United States and the Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. and M.S. Ferrucci. (Gesneriaceae). Systematic Botany 27(3): Flora of the Guianas; a revision of 2002. Averrhoidium dalyi (Sapindaceae), a 573-591. new species from western Amazonia. Brit- Brazilian Begonia with Smith; comprehen- Robinson, H. tonia 54: 112-115. 2002. Holoschkuhria, a new sive treatments of the acanths for the genus of the Hymenopappinae (Helenieae) floras of Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia; and Bruna, E.M. and W.J. Kress. 2002. Habitat from Peru. Comp. Newsl. 38: 48. floristic studies of the Begoniaceae fragmentation and the demographic Robinson, H. occurring in the Guianas, Brazil and Peru. structure of an Amazonian understory herb 2002. Symphyopappus Although Wasshausen has covered so (Heliconia acuminata). Conserv. Biol. 16: uncinatus, a new species from Minas much territory and contributed greatly 1256-1266. Gerais, Brazil (Asteraceae: Eupatorieae: towards our understanding of the tax- Disynaphiinae). Comp. Newsl. 38: 52. onomy and systematics of the Acantha- Clark, J.L. and L.E. Skog. 2002. Novae Skog, L.E. and L.P. Kvist. 2002. Novae ceae and Begoniaceae, he indicates that Gesneriaceae Neotropicarum VIII: Allo- Gesneriaceae Neotropicarum IX: Cremo- there still remains much to be investigated. plectus grandicalyx, a new species from spermopsis, a new genus from Colombia. We can make some mental extrapolations Colombia and Ecuador. Novon 12(2): 173- Novon 12(2): 262-269. for ourselves based on his comments. He 178. has noted, for example, that originally there Soreng, R.J. Faust, M.A. and R.A. Gulledge. 2002. 2002. Poa. Pp. 593-595, 597. were 120 species of acanth known from Harmful Marine Dinoflagellates. Multime- In: Baldwin, B.G. et al. (eds.). The Jepson Bolivia, but after three field trips he was dia Interactive Software on high-quality Desert Manual: Vascular Plants of able to increase that number by one-fourth illustrations of species and taxonomic Southeastern California. University of more, to around 160 species. Perhaps even information on the world’s biological California Press, Berkeley. more startling is his remark that during just diversity. The World Biodiversity Data three weeks collecting in the Apurimac Stancik, D. and P.M. Peterson. 2002. Two base CD-ROM Series. UNESCO. region of Peru, he discovered 37 species of new species of Festuca from South Acanthaceae new to science, just by Feuillet, C. 2002. A new series and three America (Poaceae: Loliinae: Sect. Subu- walking and boating within a 25-mile new species of Passiflora subgenus latae). Sida 20: 23-30. radius: there, every valley has its own Astrophea from the Guianas. Brittonia 54: Strong, M.T. and R.H. Simmons. 2002. assemblage of acanth species. Detailed 18-29. Noteworthy Collections: Maryland. work on pollinators and pollen morphol- Golding, J. and D.C. Wasshausen. 2002. Castanea 67: 120-121. [Cyperus difformis; ogy are still desirable goals for future Rhynchospora oligantha] workers. Begoniaceae, Edition 2. Part I: Annotated Currently as busy as ever, work has Species List. Part II: Illustrated Key, been finished on two chapters in the forth- Abridgement and Supplement. Contribu- coming Botany book on conservation of tions from the United States National plant biodiversity being edited by W.J. Herbarium 43: 1-289. Kress and G.A. Krupnick, and for a treat- González Elizondo, M.S., I.L. López ment of Acanthaceae in Scott Mori’s (NY) Enriquez and W.L. Wagner. 2002. Mega- book on Flowering Plant Families of the corax gracielanus (Onagraceae), a new American Tropics. For the next three years, genus and species from Durango, México. Wasshausen’s projects will include writing Novon 12: 360-365. species descriptions for a marvelous set of books depicting in color photographs the Liu, A.-Z., D.-Z. Li, H. Wang and W.J. Acanthaceae and Begoniaceae of Brazil, to Kress. 2002. Ornithophilous and chi- be published by the Brazilian Harri Lorenzi. ropterophilous pollination in Musa In 2003, if all permissions are granted, he is itinerans (Musaceae), a pioneer species in planning a collecting trip to the state of tropical rain forests in Yunnan, SW China. Mato Grosso, Brazil. A move to Southport, Biotropica 34: 254-260. in coastal North Carolina, is also antici- Nicolson, D.H. and K.N. Gandhi. 2002. pated for this veteran botanist. Cecil John Saldanha (1926-2002). Taxon 51(3): 585-587. Roalson, E.H., A.E. Senters, L.E. Skog and E.A. Zimmer. 2002. A morphological cladistic analysis of the neotropical flowering plant genus Gasteranthus

Page 11 Art by Alice Tangerini

Justicia fortunensis and J. readii Daniel & Wasshausen

Justicia fortunensis and J. readii Daniel & Wasshausen, Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci. 46: 289- 297 (1990) are new species of Acanthaceae confined to cloud forest in Panama. Both species were recently collected, J. fortunensis by T. Daniel in Chiriquí, vicinity of the Fortuna Dam, and J. readii by our former staff member Robert Read in the Cerro Jefe. They are showy shrubs with conspicuous dark pink to drying dark red bracts and calyx lobes and white to pale pink or laven- der corollas. J. fortunensis is known only from the Pacific slopes of the Cordillera Central in western Panama (north-central Chiriquí) in the watershed of the Río Chiriquí at elevations from about 1025-1250 meters. J. readii is found in the cloud forest of eastern Panama at elevations from 500-1300 meters.

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