Oxford Plant

Systematics With news from Oxford University Herbaria (OXF and FHO), Department of Plant Sciences, Oxford

OPS 26 July 2020

Contents

Foreword Stephen A. Harris ...... 3

News Staff news; Pablo Muñoz-Rodríguez, winner of the 1st edition of the CETAF E-SCORE Award; Acalypha project in Robert Scotland’s group; BRAHMS: management of natural history collections; Danby Patrons’ Group ...... 3

Six years of integrated systematic studies on Ipomoea at Oxford Pablo Muñoz-Rodríguez ...... 4

Expeditions and visits ...... 5

Publications 2019 ...... 5

Abstracts of systematic theses submitted in 2019: What can we learn about plant evolution from a robust phylogenetic framework? Tom Carruthers ...... 6

Monitoring and managing plant diversity in field margins in southern England Claudia Havranek ...... 6

Endemism hotspots in the flora of Belize Gail Stott ...... 7

Student reports: Bioquality and forest plantations in Japan Ben Jones ...... 7

Systematics of Stictocardia Hall.f. Alex Sumadijaya ...... 7

Documenting diversity in natural history collections of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.) and its wild relatives Tom Wells ...... 7

Something new or something rare? John R.I. Wood ...... 8

Recent Rapid Botanic Survey from West and East Africa William Hawthorne and Cicely Marshall ...... 9

Ash dieback – what will it mean for the woodland ground flora? Keith Kirby ...... 11

Researching hidden histories of women in botany Gem Toes-Crichton ...... 12

News from the Herbaria – Fielding-Druce (OXF) and Daubeny (FHO) Serena K. Marner ...... 14

Oxford University Herbaria Digitisation Project Alistair Orr and Kate Loven ...... 14

First rules for the Fielding Herbarium Stephen A. Harris ...... 15

Dillenius in Oxford Graham Avery ...... 17

Druce Collection: autographs of British Botanists Serena K. Marner ...... 18

A revelation in full colour John R.I. Wood and Rosa Villanueva-Espinoza ...... 20

2 Oxford Plant Systematics OPS 26 July 2020

Foreword News described eight new species of Acalypha from the WIOR region and have published a

synopsis of the genus in West Tropical Africa

(Montero Muñoz et al., 2018; Cardiel and This year has been extraordinary for plant Staff news Montero Muñoz, 2017). Iris is now working systematics in Oxford, as in all spheres of life In May 2020, James Ritchie, a technician in to incorporate molecular analysis into her across the globe. However, there is the Herbaria, died suddenly. James joined the taxonomic studies, to expand the still limited opportunity for celebration. This issue of Herbaria team as an apprentice, just after knowledge of most species in the genus. The OPS marks the achievements of Robert leaving school, in September 2014. On aim of her three-month project, supervised Scotland and his colleagues in the successful completion of his apprenticeship, Pablo Muñoz-Rodríguez, was to become publication of their monograph of Ipomoea James became a full-time herbarium familiar with the main techniques of (Convolvulaceae), the largest monographic technician. James was fascinated by the laboratory and computer work for research programme ever undertaken (and specimens in the Herbaria, the stories phylogenetic analysis. Iris’ visit to Oxford completed) in Oxford. The world’s first attached to them and even the obscure was funded by the European Molecular taxonomic monograph, Plantarum umbell- language used to describe them. James will Biology Organization. For more information iferarum distributio nova, was written by be missed by all who work in the Herbaria. see https://acalypha.es Robert Morison, the University’s Regius

Professor of Botany, and published in 1672. Martina Boatfield left her post as Montero Muñoz, I., J.M. Cardiel & G.A. Ali Orr and Kate Loven report on progress digitisation technician in August 2019 and Levin. (2018). Nomenclatural review of towards making the University’s botanical was replaced by Kate Loven. Acalypha (Euphorbiaceae) of the Western collections available to all. Gem Toes- Indian Ocean Region (Madagascar, the Crichton gives a different photographic Sophie Wilcox, Alexander Librarian of Comoros Archipelago, the Mascarene perspective on the Herbaria, as she uncovers Ornithology, was also appointed Sherardian Islands and the Seychelles Archipelago). some of the achievements of women ‘lost’ Librarian of Plant Taxonomy splitting her Phytokeys 108: 85-116. among the cupboards. Serena Marner time between the two libraries in 2019. From presents the first catalogue of part of the vast 2020 she will be located principally in the Cardiel, J.M. & I. Montero Muñoz. (2017). botanical archive of George Druce, a former Sherardian Library in the Department of Synopsis of Acalypha (Euphorbiaceae) of Curator of the Herbaria and recorder of the Plant Sciences. West Tropical Africa, including Cameroon, botanical achievements of Johann Dillenius, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and São the first Sherardian Professor of Botany. Tomé and Príncipe. Plant Systematics and John Wood and his colleagues take us on Pablo Muñoz-Rodríguez, Evolution, 304: 93-110. modern collecting experiences and the st surprises awaiting field workers. The value winner of the 1 edition of the of field work and data are also themes CETAF E-SCORE Award running through contributions from William Pablo Muñoz-Rodríguez, a postdoctoral BRAHMS: management of Hawthorne and Cicely Marshall in Africa, researcher with Robert Scotland, is the natural history collections and Keith Kirby closer to home in Wytham winner of the first edition of the CETAF E- The BRAHMS database software has been Woods. SCORE Award for Excellence in Research extensively developed this last year with I trust you will find this issue of OPS of Based on Natural History Collections. This much of the focus on botanic garden interest. award has been launched by the Consortium management. Recent updates are reported on of European Taxonomic Facilities to reward https://herbaria.plants.ox.ac.uk/bol/brahms/ Stephen A. Harris early-career researchers, within the fields of News. Collaboration with the RHS is also Curator of Oxford University Herbaria taxonomy, biodiversity and geodiversity flourishing: science, who base their research on natural https://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2020-07-10- science collections. The award includes oxford-teams-royal-horticultural-society- financial support to facilitate a visit to one of develop-innovative-plant-data-management. Front cover images: the CETAF institutes and an invitation to the Six species of Ipomoea CETAF governing board meeting for a Denis Filer and Andrew Liddell (Convolvulaceae) from Wood et presentation of the winner´s research. The al.'s (2020) monograph (see page 4). award ceremony was held on 22nd May 2020, the International Day for Biological Danby Patrons’ Group Top left: I. calyptrata Dammer © Diversity. For more information see In January 2019, the Danby Patrons’ Group Beth Williams; top right: I. indica https://cetaf.org/news/cetaf-e-score-award- held its inaugural event in Oxford University (Burm.) Merr. © John Pink; middle excellence-research-based-natural-science- Herbaria. The Danby Group was formed by left: I pandurata (L.) G.Mey. © collections-first-edition-2020 The Friends of Oxford Botanic Garden & Steve Turner; middle right: I. Arboretum for the benefit of the Garden, bahiensis Willd. © Maria Tatiana Arboretum and Herbaria. The Group’s name Martínez; bottom left: I. Acalypha project in Robert commemorates Henry Danvers, 1st Earl of aristolochiifolia G.Don © Maria Scotland’s group Danby, who provided funds to purchase the Tatiana Martínez; bottom right: I. I. In summer 2019, Iris Montero Muñoz visited lease, and erect the gates and walls, of the argentea Meisn. © Darwin the Department of Plant Sciences for three Botanic Garden in 1621. Initiative Project 16-004 months to work in Professor Robert Scotland´s group. Iris is a Teaching Assistant and Ph.D. candidate at the Autonomous Typesetting and layout of OPS by Serena Marner University in Madrid, where she works on

Department of Plant Sciences, the systematics of Acalypha, a megadiverse Oxford Plant Diversity Research Group

University of Oxford, genus in the Euphorbiaceae. Specifically, website: http://herbaria.plants.ox.ac.uk

South Parks Road, Iris’ work focuses on Acalypha in the

Oxford, OX1 3RB, U.K. Western Indian Ocean region (WIOR) but Oxford University Herbaria database at:

Tel: +44 (0) 1865 275000 her interests span the genus’ global range. As http://herbaria.plants.ox.ac.uk/bol/oxford

part of her work, she and colleagues have

Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford 3

Six years of integrated systematic studies on

Ipomoea at Oxford

Many groups of tropical plants have never been monographed, partly because of the pragmatic and regional nature of taxonomy. Tackling a study of this kind at a global scale and in a reasonable time frame is often seen as an overwhelming task. There is often a number of species with a global distribution and extensive synonymy; there is a large and increasing number of specimens (in some cases hundreds of thousands) housed in numerous and dispersed herbaria and there is an extensive, scattered and often obscure literature. In summary, taxonomic monographs are often seen as requiring so much investment that they are rarely undertaken. However, monographic studies contribute not only to improving the taxonomy of the groups studied, but also to understanding the origin and evolution of these groups. With this in mind, Robert Scotland and John Wood published in 2012 a letter titled ‘Accelerating the pace of taxonomy’ (Trends in Ecology and Evolution 27: 415-416). In that letter, they introduced the concept of ‘Foundation monographs’ as an approach to overhauling the taxonomy of species-rich groups of tropical plants. This approach seeks to focus Illustration of Ipomoea praecana House by Rosemary Wise on those tasks that are tractable and can offer the maximum improvement in taxonomic knowledge in a given period of time. are distributed in the Americas and the other studies of this group of plants. In addition, Importantly, it is novel in the sense that it third in the Old World. Among them, several the recently launched website combines standard techniques of morphol- species of global importance such as the http://www.ipomoeaproject.org aims to ogical study with the use of online digital sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.), facilitate access to all the data and resources images and molecular sequence data. This the water spinach (I. aquatica Forssk.) or the generated by the researchers during this integration allows a focus on species level Japanese morning glory (I. nil (L.) Roth) project. This website includes up-to-date taxonomic problems across the entire stand out. Finally, new species of Ipomoea taxonomic information on all species of the distribution range of individual species. A are still described every year and the genus genus, images to aid identification of detailed explanation of this approach and had never been monographed. In summary, a specimens and observations, molecular multiple examples were published in monographic study of Ipomoea was phylogenies, references and a BRAHMS November 2019 in Nature Plants. pertinent. database with information of all botanical The feasibility of the ‘foundation Six years of studies have resulted in ‘A records studied as part of the project. monograph’ approach was first tested in the foundation monograph of Ipomoea study of Convolvulus, a medium-sized and (Convolvulaceae) in the Americas’, pub- References relatively well-known genus of temperate lished as an open access monographic plants. A global review of this genus was volume in the journal Phytokeys. The 823- Wood, J.R.I., Muñoz-Rodríguez, P., produced by Scotland, Wood and colleagues page work includes descriptions of all 425 Williams, B.R.M., Scotland, R.W. (2020). A in as little as one year (Phytokeys 51: 1-282, species in the continent (including some 60 foundation monograph of Ipomoea 2015). Following this success, Scotland, species described during this project), (Convolvulaceae) in the New World. Wood and colleagues embarked on a more alongside information on their ecology and Phytokeys 143: 1-823. ambitious project: the monographic study of distribution — with over 12,000 voucher the genus Ipomoea. specimens cited. Authors also provide notes Carruthers, T. et al. (2020). The temporal Ipomoea is a megadiverse group of plants on salient characteristics and taxonomic dynamics of evolutionary diversification in and the largest genus in the family issues related to individual species, a full Ipomoea. Molecular Phylogenetics and Convolvulaceae. Ipomoea includes herbs, synonymy and 272 new lectotypifications. Evolution: 106768. shrubs, lianas and trees and is present in all Importantly, the work includes identification tropical and subtropical regions of the world, keys and over 200 photographs and Muñoz-Rodríguez, P. et al. (2019). A from sea level to 4,000 metres and from illustrations drawn by botanical artists taxonomic monograph of Ipomoea tropical rain forests to semi-desert coastal Rosemary Wise and Eliana Calzadilla. This integrated across phylogenetic scales. environments. The genus is also present in publication, together with another twenty- Nature Plants 5: 1136-1144. other more temperate regions as far north as two related papers published by the group in Canada and several widespread species recent years and listed below, constitute the Carruthers, T. et al. (2019). The implication present a worldwide distribution. Around most comprehensive study of Ipomoea to of lineage-specific rates for divergence time two thirds of the currently recognised species date and an extraordinary resource for future estimation. Systematic Biology, syz080.

4 Oxford Plant Systematics OPS 26 July 2020

Wood, J.R.I. (2019). Ghost forests, fires and Wood, J.R.I. et al. (2015). A foundation in New Guinea and the extension of the range sleeping beauties/Convolvulaceae. Oxford monograph of Convolvulus L. of the cassowary-dispersed species, Aglaia Plant Systematics 25: 6. (Convolvulaceae). Phytokeys 51: 1-282. mackiana Pannell. She wrote the new descriptions during visits to Kew (K) and Wood, J.R.I. & Martinez-Ugartache, M.T. Khoury, C.K. et al. (2015). Distributions, ex Glasnevin (DBN). Rosemary Wise prepared (2018). Distribución y endemismo del situ conservation priorities, and genetic plates of four species, based on material from género Ipomoea (Convolvulaceae) en el resource potential of crop wild relatives of FHO and loans from K and L. oriente boliviano y sus implicaciones sweet potato [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam., I. In April, Caroline attended the joint British biogeográficas. Kaempffiana 14(1): 13-21. series Batatas] Frontiers in Plant Sciences Ecological Society and Society for Tropical 6:251. Ecology conference in Edinburgh, where Wood, J.R.I. et al. (2018). Additional notes dispersal biology of fleshy tropical fruits was on Ipomoea (Convolvulaceae) in Bolivia. Williams, B.R.M., Mitchell, T.C., Wood, the theme for one of the sessions. This was Kew Bulletin 73(57): 1-15. J.R.I., Harris, D.J., Scotland, R.W., Carine, followed by a day in Edinburgh herbarium M.A. (2014). Integrating DNA barcode (E) to continue her work on the Meliaceae for Muñoz-Rodríguez, P. et al. (2018). data in a monograph of Convolvulus. Taxon the Flora of Thailand. This project was also Reconciling conflicting phylogenies in the 63: 1287-1306. pursued on two week-long visits to Kew and origin of sweet potato and dispersal to during three weeks in Bangkok (BKF) in Polynesia. Current Biology 28(8): 1246- Wood, J.R.I. et al. (2014). Convolvulaceae. October. 1256. In: Jorgensen, P.M. et al. (Eds) Catálogo de After a week in Michigan (MICH) in las plantas vasculares de Bolivia. September, she attended the launch in Wood, J.R.I. & McDonald, J.A. (2018). Monographs in Systematic Botany from the Singapore of the special issue of the Gardens’ Proposal to reject the name Ipomoea Missouri Botanical Garden 127: 520–53. Bulletin Singapore, published to celebrate emetica (Convolvulaceae). Taxon 67(1): Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St Louis. David Mabberley’s 70th birthday. Her 210–211. contribution was a new species, Aglaia Scotland, R.W. & Wood, J.R.I. (2012). mabberleyi Pannell, named in recognition of Wood, J.R.I. et al. (2017). El género Accelerating the pace of taxonomy. Trends David's fieldwork and his taxonomic Ipomoea L. (Convolvulaceae) en Paraguay. in Ecology and Evolution 27(8): 415-416. contribution to revision of the Meliaceae Rojasia 16: 9-22. (excluding Aglaia) in Malesia, Sri Lanka, Pablo Muñoz-Rodríguez India, China, Australia and New Caledonia. Wood, J.R.I. et al. (2017). New species of Post Doctoral Researcher Caroline spent a total of five weeks in Ipomoea (Convolvulaceae) from South Singapore, working on her accounts of the America. Phytokeys 88: 1-38. Meliaceae, Salicaceae and Achariaceae for the Flora of Singapore. Wood, J.R.I. & Scotland, R.W. (2017). Expeditions and visits Notes on Ipomoea L. (Convolvulaceae) in

Cuba and neighbouring islands with a checklist of species found in Cuba. Kew John Wood made two visits to Bolivia, each Publications 2019 Bulletin 72(45): 1-16. of about a month, one in March-April and the

other in July-August. The main focus of both Wood, J.R.I. & Scotland, R.W. (2017). visits was to support Kew’s Bolivian TIPAS Notes on Ipomoea from the Amazonian project (Tropical Important Plant Areas), in Carruthers, T., Sanderson, M.J., Scotland, periphery. Kew Bulletin 72(10): 1-18. collaboration with botanists from Kew and R.W. (2019). The implication of lineage-

the Natural History Museum in Santa Cruz. specific rates for divergence time Wood, J.R.I. & Scotland, R.W. (2017). Fieldwork involved delimiting potential estimation. Systematic Biology, syz080. Misapplied names, synonyms and new sites, recording endemic species and species of Ipomoea (Convolvulaceae) from assessing potential threats to the sites and Hawthorne, W.D. & Marshall, C.A.M. South America. Kew Bulletin 72(9): 1-26. species. Both visits also provided the (2019). Rapid Botanic Survey, bioquality

opportunity to obtain records and photo- and improving botanical inventory in the Wood, J.R.I. et al. (2017). New species of graphs for forthcoming publications on tropics by integrating across spatial scales. Ipomoea (Convolvulaceae) from Bahia. Kew Ipomoea and Jacquemontia. Gardens’ Bulletin Singapore 71 (Suppl. 2): Bulletin 72(8): 1-20. 315-333.

In November John Wood and Tom Wells Wood, J.R.I. et al. (2017). Remarkable visited Ecuador for just over a week. The Kirby, K.J. & Hall, J. (2019). Woodland disjunctions in Ipomoea species main purpose was to develop contacts for Survey Handbook: collecting data for (Convolvulaceae) from NE Brazil and Oxford’s BBSRC project to study wild conservation in British woodland. Pelagic Central America and their taxonomic populations of the sweet potato and its wild Publishing, Exeter. implications. Kew Bulletin 72(44): 1-10. relatives. Visits were made to the herbaria of

six Ecuadorean institutions in four cities and, Lander, T., Harris, S.A., Cremona, P.J., Wood, J.R.I. et al. (2016). Two overlooked rather surprisingly, several new species of Boshier, D.H. (2019). Impact of habitat loss species of Ipomoea (Convolvulaceae) from Ipomoea were found amongst specimens of and fragmentation on reproduction, Paraguay. Kew Bulletin 71(25): 1-6. Convolvulaceae, as well as several examples dispersal and species persistence for an

of Jacquemontia peruviana Helwig, not endangered Chilean tree. Conservation Wood, J.R.I. et al. (2016). Ipomoea collected in Peru for over a hundred years. Genetics 20: 973-985. pantanalensis, a new species of Ipomoea L.

(Convolvulaceae) from the Pantanal, Brazil. Caroline Pannell made several visits to Lewis, G.P., Tebbs, M. & Wood, J.R.I. Kew Bulletin 71(6): 1-3. herbaria, attended a conference and made (2019). Two new species of Poecilanthe

some field trips. She visited Leipzig (LZ) (Leguminosae: Papilionoideae: Wood, J.R.I. et al. (2015). Ipomoea twice to collaborate with Alexandra Brongniartieae) from Bolivia and Brazil. (Convolvulaceae) in Bolivia. Kew Bulletin Muellner-Riehl and Jan Schnitzler on Australian Systematic Botany 32: 547-554. 70(31): 1-124. molecular work on two new species of Aglaia

Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford 5

Lindsell, J., Agyei, R., Bosu, D., Decher, J. Abstracts of systematic accounted for, robust inferences can be Hawthorne, W., Marshall, C. A. M., made. This includes the inference that the Ofori-Boateng, C., Rödel, M.-O. (2019). theses submitted in storage root of the Sweet Potato (Ipomoea The Biodiversity of Atewa Forest, Research batatas) evolved in pre-human times, Report. A Rocha Ghana, Accra, Ghana. 2019 challenging the existing paradigm that it https://ghana.arocha.org/wp- evolved relatively recently as a result of content/uploads/sites/15/2015/07/Biodiversi human domestication. It also includes the ty-of-Atewa-A-Rocha.pdf. The following D.Phil. theses were submitted inference that there is a significant increase and successfully defended in 2019: in net diversification rates for a clade of Maes, S. L., Blondeel, H., Perring, M. P., Neotropical Ipomoea that is of a scale Depauw, L., Brūmelis, G., Brunet, J., What can we learn about plant equivalent to some of the most iconic Decocq, G., Den Ouden, J., Härdtle, W., evolution from a robust radiations in the plant kingdom. Taken Hédl, R., Heinken, T., Heinrichs, S., phylogenetic framework? together, this thesis illustrates fundamental Jaroszewicz, B., Kirby, K., Kopecký, M., Tom Carruthers problems 135 that underlie methods in Máliš, F., Wulf, M. & Verheyen, K. (2019). macroevolutionary research, but highlights Department of Plant Sciences, University of Litter quality, land-use history, and nitrogen that when methods are used in the right Oxford deposition effects on topsoil conditions context, they can serve as a basis for making across European temperate deciduous novel and robust inferences about the natural Supervisor: Professor Robert Scotland forests. Forest Ecology and Management world. (Oxford) 433: 405-418.

A robust molecular phylogeny provides Muñoz-Rodríguez, P., Carruthers, T., insights into evolutionary history because it Monitoring and managing Wood, J.R.I., Williams, B.R.M., illustrates the order that different taxa have plant diversity in field margins Weitemier, K., Kronmiller, B., Goodwin, Z., diverged from each other, and the changes Sumadijaya, A., Anglin, N.L., Filer, D., in southern England that have accumulated between different taxa Harris, D., Rausher, M.D., Kelly, S., Liston, Claudia Havranek over evolutionary history. However, a A., Scotland, R.W. (2019). A taxonomic Department of Plant Sciences, University of molecular phylogeny does not provide monograph of Ipomoea integrated across Oxford information about a range of other phylogenetic scales. Nature Plants 5: 1136– fundamental parameters in macro- 1144; supplementary information 1-49. Supervisor: Professor Stephen Harris evolutionary research. This includes the (Oxford) absolute time-scale over which a clade has Öllerer, K., Varga, A., Kirby, K., Demeter, evolved, and the rate that different clades L., Biró, M., Bölöni, J. & Molnár, Z. (2019). Biodiversity is severely threatened by human have diversified. In order to estimate absolute Beyond the obvious impact of domestic activity; one of the greatest threats is from time-scales (referred to as divergence time livestock grazing on temperate forest agriculture. To reduce the impacts of estimation), and infer net diversification vegetation – a global review. Biological agriculture on biodiversity, one conservation rates, speciation rates, and extinction rates Conservation 237: 209-219. strategy, incentivised by UK governments, is (referred to as diversification parameter to exclude strips of land with herbaceous estimation), additional analyses are therefore Pannell, C.M. (2019). Aglaia mabberleyi vegetation, termed field margins. Conserving required. As robust phylogenies are inferred Pannell (Meliaceae) a new species from field margins preserves a valuable habitat for for an increasing number of groups, and Borneo. Gardens’ Bulletin Singapore 71 plant and animal species and are therefore complex analyses are performed to infer (Suppl. 2): 189-195. predicted to boost biodiversity. However, macroevolutionary parameters in a greater despite being a widely implemented policy, variety of contexts, evaluating the robustness Valadao, H., Proença, C.E.B., Kuhlmann, results from monitoring plant diversity in of methods for inferring divergence times M.P., Harris, S.A., Tidon, R. (2019). Fruit‐ field margins are lacking, and the ecological and diversification parameters is more breeding drosophilids (Diptera) in the impacts of management in field margins are important than ever. Here, I evaluate the Neotropics: playing the field and not well understood. This thesis aims to robustness of methods for inferring specialising in generalism? Ecological provide suggestions for ecologically divergence times and diversification Entomology 44: 721-737. effective ways to monitor and manage plant parameters. I show that even in the context of diversity in field margins, based on three genomic scale datasets, among-branch- Wood, J.R.I., Dipankah Borah, Lod Yama years of fieldwork across four farms in substitution rate-variation that acts & Puranjoy Mipun (2019). Strobilanthes Oxfordshire, England. consistently across entire genomes causes twangensis (Acanthaceae), a new species Based on my extensive fieldwork I present considerable error in divergence time from the East Himalayas. Kew Bulletin 74: four main findings. Firstly, I found that only estimates, regardless of the quantity of 41 (1-5). a limited amount of variation in plant molecular sequence data that is sampled. I community composition can be explained by then show that methods that implement Wood, J.R.I. (2019). Odontonema margin-level characteristics. This suggests multiple fossil calibrations with relaxed (Acanthaceae), new to Peru. Kew Bulletin that management at margin-level can only clock methods, which are designed to 74: 42 (1-3). have a limited impact. Secondly, I observed account for among-branch-substitution-rate- little variation in the plant communities variation, make unrealistic assumptions Wood, J.R.I. (2019). Stenostephanus between different farms. This suggests that about the fossil record. I show that these (Acanthaceae) in Peru. Kew Bulletin 74: 64 management recommendations for plant unrealistic assumptions are likely to be a (1-24). diversity in field margins can be generalised further source of error in divergence time across farms. Thirdly, I observed higher estimates. I then characterise the implications Wood, J.R.I. (2019). A synopsis of butterfly species richness in field margins of these problems for estimating divergence Stenostephanus (Acanthaceae) in Bolivia. with higher plant species richness and times and diversification parameters within Kew Bulletin 74: 65 (1-13). intermediate vegetation height. This suggests Ipomoea, and show that they can lead to very that management of plant height and uncertain inferences. However, I show that if diversity, will have a positive effect on questions are carefully framed, and the butterfly diversity. Finally, I found that assumptions of different methods fully assessing plant biodiversity using either

6 Oxford Plant Systematics OPS 26 July 2020 transect or quadrat survey methods, resulted Chiquibul Forest Reserve; and the limestone synonyms. Using the database, the Genetic in biases in the plant species recorded. These foothills on the eastern side of the Maya Heat Index, a measure of bioquality, is being results suggest that plant surveys in field Mountains, in the Bladen Nature Reserve) calculated and will reveal patterns at margins should use both transects and are considered priorities for further research different scales across Japan. Maps of the quadrats, to reduce bias in plant species lists. (in situ sampling). floristic composition across Japan created Together, these four main findings provide In the concluding chapter, hotspot from the database will inform us where a ecological evidence to improve the efficacy predictions are examined within the context species is or was, and thus identify the of conservation efforts for farmland of the national protected areas system of potential for increasing the bioquality of biodiversity, through monitoring and Belize. Several areas that were predicted as plantations in their next management cycles, management of field margins. high bioquality occur in places where there is and for them to become higher biodiversity- currently little or no on-the-ground manage- value forests through changed management. ment. Several suggested refinements for the Endemism hotspots in the methodology are presented, and this chapter flora of Belize concludes with recommendations for the Alex Sumadijaya (D.Phil., 4th development of a national strategy for plant year) Systematics of Gail Stott conservation. Department of Plant Sciences, University of Stictocardia Hall.f. Oxford Supervised by Professor Robert Scotland Supervisors: Dr William Hawthorne Student reports (Oxford). Funding: LPDP (Indonesia (Oxford) and Dr David Harris (Royal Endowment Fund for Education) Botanic Garden Edinburgh) Ben Jones (M.Sc. Res., 2nd In the final year of my D.Phil., I am analysing This thesis is aimed at improving the year) Bioquality and forest and writing chapters for my thesis and understanding of endemism (or ‘bioquality’) plantations in Japan preparing a taxonomic revision of hotspots (areas where globally rare species Stictocardia, a small segregate genus now are concentrated) within the flora of Belize, known to be nested within Old-World Supervised by Professor Stephen Harris with a view to informing conservation Ipomoea. My focus is on reciprocal (Oxford) and Dr William Hawthorne priorities at scales suitable for practical land illumination, a circular process that (Oxford) management. Research is framed within a repeatedly re-evaluates taxonomic standardised bioquality scoring system, hypotheses relative to morphological and Japan’s land has 70% forest cover: mixed whereby all species are allocated to ‘Star’ molecular data, to deliver a robust taxonomic forests of coniferous and deciduous trees in catgeories of global rarity. Based on this, the account and phylogeny. Hokkaido; deciduous beech forests in bioquality of different areas is calculated as a northern Honshu; broad-leaf evergreen weighted average of the Star of species found forests in western Honshu and the south; and there. nd mangroves in the coastal areas of the South- Tom Wells (D.Phil., 2 year) Chapter 2 describes the curation of a West Islands. According to the Red List of Documenting diversity in database of botanical records for Belize. Japan, 25% of the flora is threatened with Patterns in historical data are explored, natural history collections of extinction. Japan is a good study area for revealing bias in the dataset; spatially, and in sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas investigating biodiversity hotspots and issues terms of taxonomic groups and habit types. (L.) Lam.) and its wild relatives surrounding their conservation due to the Parts of Belize are found to be under- high number of rare and of threatened species sampled. Areas close to settlements, research Supervised by Professor Robert Scotland and the well-established taxonomic stations, and unusual geomorphological (Oxford). Funding: Interdisciplinary framework. In a large part of Japan, forestry features are associated with high numbers of Biosciences DTP (BBSRC) is based on clearcutting and the artificial botanical records. Chapter 3 examines regeneration of conifers. Plantations now distribution patterns in observed bioquality In the first full year of my D.Phil. I have occupy 40% of total forest area, principally data to determine how these relate to focused on producing a comprehensive as monocultures of Japanese cedar underlying geology and topographic account of the morphological variation (Cryptomeria japonica (Thunb. ex L.f.) diversity. A high percentage of hotspots are present in previously collected specimens of D.Don), Hinoki cypress (Chamaecyparis found on rugged limestone at mid - high I. batatas and its closest wild relatives. obtusa (Siebold & Zucc.) Endl.), and larch elevations, and where there are transitions in Alongside visits and loan requests to herbaria (Larix kaempferi (Lamb.) Carrière). These underlying geology. Chapters 4 and 5 use in Europe, the US, and Latin America, and areas cover approximately 10 million two modelling methods to predict bioquality accessing digitised collections online, this hectares, with more than half being over 45 at a 1 km grid square resolution. Chapter 4 has also involved requesting seeds and in years old and ready for harvesting. These describes a bottom-up approach to predicting vitro material from global germplasm plantations are believed to support a bioquality, based on stacking individual repositories (CIP, NARO, USDA) for relatively low diversity of indigenous plants species distribution models (SSDM). Results cultivation in the Dunstan Greenhouses at the and animals, and management options showed affinities to observed bioquality Oxford Department of Plant Sciences. enhancing biodiversity are required to meet patterns, but a general tendency to over- As well as specimens of eight of the closest the increasing demand of non-timber forest inflate bioquality. Chapter 5 describes the use wild species to sweet potato, a number of ecosystem services. of a top-down, macroecological (MEM) accessions of unknown determination, some A comprehensive database has been approach to modelling bioquality. This originally collected as far back as the 1950s, compiled from the Global Biodiversity method produced more accurate predictions are now growing well and providing material Information Facility (GBIF), global online than those arising from the SSDM model. for morphological, cytological, palynol- herbaria, as well as samples and checklists Three main areas where hotspots overlap on ogical and molecular phylogenetic analysis. provided by colleagues in Japan. The the SSDM and MEM maps (the western end These specimens are poorly known and their database contains 1,153,642 unique of the Colombia River Forest Reserve, taxonomy is disputed. Some have been occurrence records of vascular plant species including Little Quartz Ridge and the Burgos hypothesised to have played a role in the linked to an area or a place across Japan, and Plateau; on the Vaca Plateau, near the border origin of sweet potato, which I aim to further holds 37,062 taxon names in total, including with Guatemala and eastwards into the explore as part of my thesis.

Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford 7

All analysed specimens are documented in BRAHMS 8, and in the near future I hope to undertake a comprehensive round of whole genome sequencing, as well as fieldwork to collect more material and ascertain the contemporary status of these plants in the wild.

Something new or something rare?

What motivates a plant hunter? It is a question I am often asked. I can only answer for myself. It is the delight of having a purpose to travel into mountains or remote Map of the distribution of Lepidagathis riedeliana Nees in Brazil and Bolivia forests to be entranced by the beauty and wildness of nature. It is the possibility of finding something new or of unravelling a puzzle about a poorly known plant. And it is sometimes the delight in finding a long-lost species or a rarity you have never seen. I have studied the Acanthaceae of Bolivia Figure 1. for a quarter of a century or more, wrote an Lepidagathis riedeliana account of the family with Dieter Nees Wasshausen in 2004 and have seen almost all species at one time or another. One that had Photo © Maira Martínez always eluded me was the mysterious Lepidagathis riedeliana Nees, a species found in Mato Grosso in the 1830s and named after the collector the German Ludwig Riedel. It was recollected at an unknown location in Brazil, probably later in the nineteenth century and that specimen is now housed in the Natural History Museum in Paris. It was again collected in Mato Grosso early in the twentieth century by Thomas Figure 2. Meyer and described as the type of a new Seasonally moist cerrado monotypic genus under the name Acanthura habitat where Lepidagathis matogrossensis Lindau, which was recently riedeliana Nees was found in shown to be the same as Lepidagathis July 2019. riedeliana. There has been only one other collection from Brazil made by Gert Photo © Maira Martínez Hatschbach, in 1997, also from Mato Grosso. Meanwhile it was collected twice in Bolivia, once from an unspecified location in Velasco and once from the flooded pampa near El Refugio in the Noel Kempff National Park. Although this last record was the only three times in Bolivia and four times in Brazil discovery of further populations in the fully georeferenced record, it had never been over a period of 200 years, and two of the extensive area where it is known to grow. refound either by me or any other botanist seven records are unlocalised. It appears to The wide distribution is reassuring to some who has visited the area. Last July I was in be a plant of seasonally flooded grassland in degree, but it makes it difficult to focus another part of Eastern Bolivia travelling cerrado vegetation and a partial explanation efforts at conservation. Fortunately, at least with Rosie Clegg from Kew and Maira for the few records is that it flowers at the one location where it grows lies within the Martínez from the Natural History Museum height of the dry season when much of the Noel Kempff National Park in a seasonally in Santa Cruz when we stopped by a grassy surrounding vegetation is desiccated. flooded pampa of little agricultural potential hollow in a rather nondescript cerrado. I Nevertheless, it is clearly very rare and the but we know nothing of the fate of the scrambled through the barbed wire and into population I saw consisted of around ten Brazilian populations. the grassy hollow, where I spotted the plants. It is difficult to explain its rarity given Lepidagathis. Although I had only seen dried its wide distribution and the relative Reference herbarium specimens before, I knew exactly frequency of its preferred habitat, although what it was. It was that rare event for a field the cerrados are disappearing to be replaced Wasshausen, D.C. & Wood, J.R.I. (2004) botanist – a eureka moment. by “improved” pasture for cattle ranching or The Acanthaceae of Bolivia. Smithsonian Unlike most rare plants, Lepidagathis soya cultivation. Institution: Contributions from the U.S. riedeliana does not inhabit a single What of the future? Who knows? At least National Herbarium 49: 1-152. threatened location but is distributed over a we now know its habitat and flowering huge area of eastern Bolivia and Mato Grosso season so there is a better chance that John R.I. Wood in Brazil. However, it has only been found dedicated searches will result in the Research Associate

8 Oxford Plant Systematics OPS 26 July 2020

Map of tropical Africa with arrows pointing to the western ends of the two RBS transects Basemap source: Esri (World Street Map https://server.arcgisonline.com/ArcGIS/rest/services/World_Street_Map Jan., 2020)

In total, 186 RBS sample areas were weighted concentration of rare species; Recent Rapid Botanic enumerated (92-94 in each country), in each Marshall et al, 2016) and to note IUCN Red of which as many plant species as could be Listed species. Given the general lack of Survey from West and found by the teams were identified on the distinction in the satellite imagery between spot or from voucher specimens. We rejoined the sliver of corridor and the vast expanses of East Africa the teams to help identify and database the apparently homogeneous vegetation that it large bales of RBS specimens acquired ran through, it was no surprise that most of during fieldwork. For the 11,607 plant the plant communities traversed have rather Two African Rapid Botanic Surveys (RBS) records, 8,561 specimen vouchers were low bioquality, being dominated by coordinated from Oxford (and now the made, covering 1,620 species. The widespread species. Even threats to local University of Cambridge, where Cicely specimens remain in East Africa, but have uses of the plants would be limited, Marshall has relocated) were completed been photographed and further identification considering the vast expanses, for instance of 2018-2019 and have provided new detail on is ongoing. In spite of the secondary nature papyrus swamp or Acacia woodland on the vegetation and plant biodiversity at the of much of the vegetation sampled, all show either side of the corridor. However, there eastern and western flanks of tropical Africa. the distinct floristic signature of one of the were some ‘flecks of gold’ in the pan, and red In East Africa, a two-country RBS was part several phytochoria (broad-scale floristic flags for developers to note. For instance, in of an Environmental and Social Impact region as defined by White, 1983) and Uganda, the corridor bisects patches of Assessment (ESIA) for a large East African vegetation formation passed through: gallery forest that link protected forests on pipeline project (EACOP). The EACOP Sudanian, Guineo-Congolian, Zambezian, either side of the corridor, not least pipeline would carry crude oil from the Somali-Masai and Zanzibar-Inhambane potentially for chimpanzees living in those shores of Lake Albert in western Uganda to variants of woodland, grassland, bushland, forests. In Tanzania, a previous outlying the coast north of Tanga in Tanzania, thicket, swamps, rocky areas, gallery and patch of the Itigi-Sumbu thicket biome was impacting a narrow corridor about 1,500 km other forest patches. discovered, c. 100 km north of its previously long but only tens of metres wide, either side of the trenched pipe. The EACOP pipeline plan has raised environmental and socio- economic concerns in the media; our task was to provide a botanical perspective: to survey this corridor and flag any patches of species and habitats of conservation concern.

Such a long and thin transect presented tougher logistical challenges than usual.

The first step was to pre-stratify the sample corridor: using satellite imagery we defined

58 sections based on apparent vegetation and Setting up the location. We started off the fieldwork and specimen drying trained two RBS teams from herbaria in “facility” Kampala Makerere and from Dar Es Salaam universities. The two field teams then each carried on to complete most of the hard work, Photo © William sampling in two field seasons, working Hawthorne towards the national border near Lake Victoria. Fortunately, most of the pipeline route had been planned by EACOP to avoid protected and other known sensitive areas, As we have previously classified all tropical mapped (and very limited) extent (White, but there were still many thousands of African species into ‘Star’ categories of 1983), with several characteristic global hectares of previously unsampled vegetation global rarity, it was relatively straightforward rarities such as Millettia paucijuga Harms, in which rare or otherwise valued species to analyse the data for species and habitats Bussea massaiensis (Taub.) Harms ssp. might lay hidden. that might be of global conservation concern, massaiensis, Maerua eminii Pax and Pavetta and to score the vegetation for bioquality (the burttii Bremek. Near the coast in Tanzania,

Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford 9 especially in patches of gallery forest, several globally rare coastal species were found in the corridor, including Byttneria fruticosa K.Schum. ex Engl., Julbernardia magnis- tipulata (Harms) Troupin, Pseudoprosopis euryphylla Harms ssp. puguensis Brenan, Stuhlmannia moavi Taub., Saintpaulia ionantha H.Wendl. and Warburgia stuhlmannii Engl. These discoveries and fragments of vegetation have been reported by RSK to EACOP. On the other side of Africa, a RBS was conducted in northwest Guinea of an area Moving camp: planned for development of bauxite mining priority to the and haulage to the coast. Whilst much specimens shorter, the process was fairly similar, starting with pre-stratification and planning helped by remote imagery. In this case, we worked with experienced RBS surveyors Ouo-Ouo Haba and David Bilivogui and their assistants. Over a few weeks, we moved nomadically in tented camps along with zoologists and sociologists to sample areas inland from Boké before sampling the Boké environs itself. This area is poorly resourced, with few opportunities for much more than subsistence agriculture, and a very low density or absence of schools, clinics, electricity, and mobile phone masts (and beer). Stuhlmannia Although there have been historical moavi Taub. a herbarium collections around Boké itself, rare tree found almost nothing was known for the vegetation in the coastal of the proposed quarry areas 100 km inland. woodland near a We found only about 120 species recorded river, Tanzania for Boké environs in online herbaria, including collections of the type of the globally rare Cathormion rhombifolium (Benth.) Keay made by Heudelot in 1837 from the Rio Nunez river estuary, where we refound it on several occasions. The survey found 643 species in 130 sample areas, increasing our knowledge in just a few weeks by more than 500%, and with much better resolution. The target area is an interesting mosaic of sparsely vegetated hardpan (‘ferrocrete’) terraces called bowé, interspersed with streamside woodland, strips of gallery of forest and scattered fields with scattered tree and other crops like mango, oil palm, RBS sampling groundnut, maize and rice mostly near in stream over watercourses. A small group of chimpanzees bowé. had been observed by the zoologists in the mangrove near Boké, and the scattered strips of coastal gallery forests and thickets there All images included stands of several interesting species, © William including an as yet unidentified specimen of Hawthorne a Strombosiopsis (the first record of the genus in the country). A set of species largely restricted to these ever-diminishing Western Guinean gallery forests found here include Cathormion rhombifolium, Byrsanthus Utricularia tetraloba P.Taylor, alongside a and associated dry forests are of generally brownii Guill. and Placodiscus riparius few uncommon species typical of bowé in low bioquality, but locally important for Keay. The wetlands on some bowé also have general, include Eriocaulon species and fuelwood and other products; the little time a distinctive (and therefore fairly high Djaloniella ypsiphylla P.Taylor. We focused spent surveying fallow, roadside or ruderal bioquality) community of species, several of on primary vegetation. The top, high vegetation was adequate to confirm it has a which are restricted to this sort of scattered bioquality areas requiring conservation low bioquality and is of low conservation landform in West Africa, including Bryaspis action are the gallery forests and the wet concern. lupulina (Benth.) P.A.Duvign., Dopatrium bowé. The predominant savanna-woodland senegalense Benth., D. longidens Skan and

10 Oxford Plant Systematics OPS 26 July 2020

The resulting databases of species assemblages along such broad-ranging transects, all from a discrete time frame, is a valuable addition to knowledge of African flora, especially in an era when there is an increasing need to watch out for gross changes in biodiversity over time. Botanical collectors often focus on known hotspots and discrete large blocks of vegetation, so there is a large gap in our knowledge corres- ponding to the many small groves, ponds and tiny strips of gallery forest throughout tropical Africa, important local refuges or corridors for animals, and often relied on by local communities for their local supply of important commodities. Sampling in this patchwork can be difficult and time- consuming, but it is important because Dieback of ash twigs and branches leading to reduced canopy cover increasingly this is how the front line between biodiversity loss and human use looks. RBS provides an ideal sampling Ash dieback – what will eventually may fill the canopy gaps. The protocol for these types of patch, as a basis implications for the ground flora are part of for historical monitoring against which it mean for the ongoing research into understorey changes in changes can be measured, and to pinpoint the Wytham Woods. flecks of gold that lie hidden in unexpected woodland ground flora? We will use results from 164 10x10 m places in the landscape. vegetation plots established across the RBS teams (plus the authors) were: Woods between 1973 and 1976 and (Uganda) James Kalema (team leader) with Tree species, like humans, are continually subsequently re-recorded in 1991, 1999, Ahmad Bukenya, Kennedy Mullasa and being exposed to potential pest and disease 2012 and 2018 (Dawkins and Field, 1978). Serunjugi Derick; (Tanzania) Henry organisms, but most trees, most of the time These data provide us with a baseline of what Ndangalasi (team leader), Frank Mbago are not affected by them. However, every so the vegetation was like and how it varied (curator), Haji Selemanji and Josephat often one appears in a form that the host prior to the disease having a significant Kalughasha; (Guinea) Ouo-Ouo-Haba and species cannot cope with, and that can cause impact. A further full recording is planned David Bilivogui with Faya Simbiano widespread damage and death. In the late for 2023. In the meantime, the 10% of plots and Koikoi Bilivogui. Guides were also 1960s this is what happened when a new with the greatest ash cover will be checked recruited locally for each day’s work. The form of Dutch Elm Disease appeared in annually for the extent of the disease in the field work was funded by EACOP and AMC Britain and we are seeing something similar canopy, along with a quarter of the other with environmental work coordinated by the now with Ash Dieback. plots. companies RSK, TEC and Sally Johnson. The fungus causing the dieback What sort of responses might we expect Hymenoscyphus fraxineus Baral et al. (2014) from the ground flora? From analysis of past References comes from the Far East where it does not changes, we can expect that where the cause problems for its host ash species. canopy opens out substantially (>30%) Hawthorne W.D. & Marshall, C.A.M. However once introduced to Europe, damage species richness in the ground layer is likely (2016). A Manual for Rapid Botanic Survey to and death of European ash Fraxinus to increase initially, because more light (RBS) and measurement of vegetation excelsior L. started to be reported. The first reaches the ground floor. Bramble (Rubus bioquality 2016. outbreaks were recorded from Poland in fruticosus L. agg.) in particular can show a http://herbaria.plants.ox.ac.uk/bol/oxford/Su 1992, then the disease spread westward strong response to canopy gaps, but this is rvey. across the Continent. Affected trees were reduced when there is high deer grazing and first confirmed from Britain in 2012, but it is browsing. Initially there may be increased Hawthorne, W.D. & Marshall, C.A.M. likely the disease had been in the country for nutrient availability as trees die and this (2019). Rapid Botanic Survey, Bioquality several years prior to that. It is now present might favour competitive, more eutrophic- and improving botanical inventory in the throughout Britain and canopy dieback is type species. We will however need to allow tropics by integrating across spatial scales. starting to become common. for the general trend towards eutrophication Gardens’ Bulletin Singapore 71(Suppl. 2): There will be multiple consequences: for that has been happening from nitrogen 315-333. example many roadside ash trees will need to compounds given off by cars and from the be felled to reduce the risk of traffic nearby dairy farm (Corney et al., 2008; Kirby Marshall, C. A. M., Wieringa, J. J. & accidents; foresters have lost the use of a and Thomas, 2000). Hawthorne, W. D. (2016). Bioquality tough, fast-growing timber tree; the ecology We can also learn something from how the hotspots in the tropical African flora. of many semi-natural woods will alter as a ground flora changed in woods that were Current Biology 26: 3214–3219. major component of their canopy is reduced affected by Dutch Elm Disease, although in or lost completely (Hill et al., 2018; Mitchell Wytham, elms Ulmus spp. were previously White, F. (1983). The vegetation of Africa, et al., 2014). not a major canopy component. Where death a descriptive memoir to accompany the In Wytham Woods ash is one of the of the main canopy elms did create large UNESCO/AETFAT/UNSO Vegetation Map commonest trees and in 2017 we picked up gaps, dense thickets of bramble, thistles of Africa (3 Plates, Northwestern Africa, the first definite signs of the presence of the Cirsium spp., cleavers Galium aparine L. and Northeastern Africa, and Southern Africa, disease. Assuming the disease behaves as nettles Urtica dioica L. often formed. These 1:5,000,000). UNESCO, Paris. elsewhere we can expect the tree canopy to might persist as open glades for several open out, to varying degrees across the years, depending on how quickly the canopy William Hawthorne, Research Associate Woods according to the present abundance of regrew. At Hayley Wood in Cambridgeshire, (Oxford) and Cicely Marshall (Department ash. Promising stands of ash saplings have with smaller gaps, the ground flora response of Plant Sciences, Cambridge) already died and it will be other species that was initially rather like that after a coppice

Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford 11 cut: Primula elatior Hill, the oxlip, did well Researching hidden became an important metaphor within the and buried-seed plants such as ragged robin project. Lychnis flos-cuculi L. emerged. Deer were histories of women in I began locating plants, (digitally) attracted to these areas and grasses became photographing them, taking location and abundant (Rackham, 2003). By 2018 the botany habitat notes, along with GPS coordinates gaps had mostly closed over but could still be before pressing them. This evolved into distinguished as patches of young ash over working purely with camera-less techniques, low bramble, grass, nettles and My photographic practice and passion for laying the plant specimens on light-sensitive meadowsweet Filipendula ulmaria (L.) plants are tightly entwined. As a child my black and white photo paper to create Maxim.. Time will tell whether, at Wytham mother would lead me around the garden, photograms/lumen prints, as well as using with Ash Dieback, a similar difference pointing out the plants, using their scientific paper treated with light sensitive cyanotype emerges between the ground flora changes in names and explaining how to tend them. I chemistry. large versus small gaps. was instantly captivated by the rich colours The decision to stop using a camera Ash Dieback is only the latest of a series of and forms, and this curiosity for plants never stemmed from thinking about these women new and emerging pests and diseases to left me. and the absence of a camera within their affect our trees. Often the arrival of a pest or I began working at the Department of Plant work. Materiality, time and the unique nature disease organism appears to be linked to Sciences almost a decade ago, supporting of each illustration and specimen grew in increased international trade in plants. The research, teaching, communication and importance for me. presence of other damaging pests and outreach activities. I still have vivid I began by creating 1-2-hour exposures, and diseases on the continent that have not yet memories of my first tour of the Herbaria later experimented over longer periods to see reached Britain emphasises the need for with Herbarium Manager, Serena Marner. how this might affect the results. As the tough biosecurity measures. In addition, trees I remember being introduced to the seasons turned, I realised I could extend the in Britain are being put under more stress botanical illustrations of artist Rosemary exposure times by creating the prints using from climate change and pollution, such that Wise. They were like nothing I had seen the LED grow-lights in the rooftop they may be more susceptible to pest and before, and I was amazed to learn that she had greenhouses in the department. I also began disease damage. What we learn about the illustrated over 14,000 species in her career to use research plants as well as those I had impact of Ash Dieback on our woods may spanning 55 years! Rosemary and I have collected and pressed. help us to assess the likely significance of become fond friends since then, discussing Whilst working in the Herbaria this idea of future pest and disease problems for our her expeditions, art, photography, and our uncovering layer upon layer of history and woodland flora. love of plants. discovering stories was something I wanted In January 2018 I enrolled as a part-time to visualise. Oxford University Herbaria are References student at Falmouth University to undertake filled with hundreds of thousands of Corney, P., Kirby, K., Le Duc, M., Smart, a two-year Masters degree in photography. I specimens which are designed to be handled S., McAllister, H., Marrs, R. (2008). had already been working with plant and used for research, but this handling Changes in the field‐layer of Wytham scientists, photographing plants, events and causes unavoidable degradation over time. Woods ‐ assessment of the impacts of a outreach to communicate visually the The dried plant specimens and botanical range of environmental factors controlling exciting research taking place. illustrations are an endless source of change. Journal of Vegetation Science 19: Last summer I had just six months to design, fascination for me, helping me understand 287-298. produce and deliver my final university the meticulous methods and materials used in project, and was granted access to explore the creating, preserving and cataloguing. There Dawkins, H.C.D. & Field, D.R.B. (1978). A collections within the Oxford University is a plethora of specialist stationery used for long-term surveillance system for British Herbaria. The aim of the project was to each element of the plant specimen pressing woodland vegetation. Commonwealth research and explore botanical illustrations, and mounting processes. This includes Forestry Institute Occasional Paper 1. specimens and objects, highlighting some of origami-style folded plant specimen Oxford: Commonwealth Forestry Institute. the key methods used to depict and record fragment and dissection packets/capsules plants since the seventeenth century, that are used to hold seeds and small flowers. Hill, L., Hemery, G., Hector, A. & Brown, focussing specifically on the important I became increasingly interested in N. (2018). Maintaining ecosystem contributions made to date by women in the materiality, spending the day at the London properties after loss of ash in Great Britain. field of botany. Centre for Book Arts learning to construct Journal of Applied Ecology 56(2). Rosemary Wise introduced me to the work and sew a book to present the project. I of Victorian biologist and botanical artist decided to harness the herbarium materials as Kirby, K. & Thomas, R. (2000). Changes in Marianne North, taking me to the Royal a method of sharing my experience with the the ground flora in Wytham Woods, Botanic Gardens at Kew for a working visit viewer. I wanted to emulate the experience of southern England from 1974 to 1991 - to the herbarium, as well as a tour of the working in an herbarium, handling plant implications for nature conservation. Marianne North Gallery. I continued specimens, books and objects. Journal of Vegetation Science 11: 871-880. discussing my ideas with Druce Curator The book contains my own photographs, Stephen Harris and Serena Marner who photographs I found in my studies and Mitchell, R.J., Beaton, J.K., Bellamy, P.E., showed me a vast number of specimens, archival materials for each case study, as well Broome, A., Chetcuti, J., Eaton, S., Ellis, books and illustrations created by women. as herbarium specimen mounting materials. C.J., Gimona, A., Harmer, R., Hester, A.J., I developed a timeline and a number of case These were mounted alongside individual Hewison, R.L., Hodgetts, N.G., Iason, G.R., studies dating back to the seventeenth written case studies, which were printed on Kerr, G., Littlewood, N.A., Newey, S., century. I was researching the work the specific watercolour paper Rosemary Potts, J.M., Pozsgai, G., Ray, D., Sim, D.A., undertaken by women botanists, artists, Wise uses for her work. Stockan, J.A., Taylor, A.F.S. & Woodward, illustrators, designers and printmakers. I The book was designed and created as a S. (2014). Ash dieback in the UK: a review learned how to press the plants correctly, response to the research I had undertaken and of the ecological and conservation spending time identifying, collecting, my experience of working in the Herbaria. I implications and potential management pressing and rearranging plants for my mounted the prints and case studies into the options. Biological Conservation 175: 95- herbarium. I specifically sought out plants book in chronological order, along with some 109. growing in the interstices of pavements and other ephemera and materials from the walls. Those plants that are all too often Herbaria. I purposefully chose not to fix my Keith Kirby, Woodland Ecologist overlooked and considered ‘weeds’, this

12 Oxford Plant Systematics OPS 26 July 2020

Cyanotype print of Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. Lumen print of Nicotiana benthamiana Domin

© Gem Toes-Crichton © Gem Toes-Crichton

images using chemicals, instead scanning them and storing them in the dark to preserve them as a way to echo the unique and fragile nature of the preserved plant specimens. The Fielding-Druce Herbaria provided the perfect setting to display my book and prints. It was important to me that my book was viewed in context, and I wanted to share my experience of exploring these precious collections within my research. I gave a talk about my project to a broad audience of plant scientists, photographers and members of the public. Small groups then visited the Herbaria where I exhibited my book and some of the key objects I had used within my research were on display. This included specimens Rosemary had collected, along with her illustrations of the critically endangered Medusagyne oppositi- folia Baker (the jellyfish tree) alongside her book. It was a real privilege to work in the Herbaria and I feel as though I have only just begun to unravel these stories. I very much look forward to being able to continue my research in the Herbaria in future. The book and my talk can be viewed on my website: www.capturedbygem.co.uk

Gem Toes-Crichton Academic Administrator (Graduates)

Images right: pages from the book ‘INTERSTICES - Hidden Histories of Women in Botany’ showing two case- studies, that of Elizabeth Blackwell and Rosemary Wise. All images © Gem Toes-Crichton

Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford 13

News from the Herbaria illustrate: (i) reuse of drying papers as Fulham Palace, London. They formed part of manuscript bindings; (ii) mounting of early an exhibition entitled ‘Discovering the

modern specimens on contemporary printing Bishop of London’s Palace at Fulham’

proofs; (iii) use of eighteenth-century running from May 2019 through 2020. Fielding-Druce (OXF) and wallpaper to support herbarium sheets; (iv) Another specimen from the Sherardian Daubeny (FHO) use of printed documents and letter scraps as Herbarium of the orchid Goodyera repens This report covers the 2019 calendar year. fragment and seed packets; and (v) the use of (L.) R.Br. was lent to Magdalen College Once again, the numbers of people visiting letter fragments as mounting straps. Library for an exhibition on a theme relating the Herbaria increased, this time by 19% In June researchers and administrative staff to John Goodyer (1592-1664); John Goodyer compared to 2018. Increases were associated from the Department of Statistics visited the bequeathed his botanical library to Magdalen with group tours of the collections, Herbaria. The focus of their tour was College. This exhibition ran from June to particularly those tailored to specific themes. historical specimens in the context of modern August 2019. Individual research visits remained almost plant sciences research, collection biases and 115 other specimens were sent out on loan the same as 2018. From the curatorial the recovery of time series data from such to researchers within the UK for taxonomic perspective there was much activity within collections. studies. Further requests were received for the Herbaria on digitisation and databasing of Dr Sarah Simblet from the Ruskin School of images of specific specimens from specimens, see below, and in the processing Fine Art visited again with her students Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Czech of new accessions. attending a summer school course on Republic, India, Italy, South Africa, Spain as botanical drawing; the focus was Ferdinand well as the UK. 234 specimens were Visitors Bauer’s paintings and John Sibthorp’s received as incoming loans for research by We recorded 414 visits to the Herbaria during materials used to produce the magnificent Alex Sumadijaya and John Wood. Over 300 2019. This comprised 357 people in 16 Flora Graeca (1806-1840). specimens, returned to OXF and FHO, were groups and 69 researcher visits. In September, Biology (class of 1989) and checked in through the Herbaria database, Several new groups made visits. In January Oxford University alumni toured the which was transferred across to the new 2019, a group of researchers from across the collections where the focus was the role of version of BRAHMS – BRAHMS8, before University with interests in discussing the collections in modern plant sciences and the being returned to the collections. origin, use, and future of the copper plates linkages between specimens, books and made for Robert Morison’s work, Plantarum manuscripts. Also in September, members of New accessions historiae universalis Oxoniensis (1680, the Oxford Preservation Trust were shown A total of 3,570 specimens were recorded as 1699) visited. The copper plates of plant botanical materials focused on Oxford and new accessions for the year. The largest set illustrations survive, together with records of Oxford heritage, including items associated of material, 2,485 databased specimen the books’ publication by Oxford University with the early history of the Botanic Garden, records, was the personal herbarium of Jim Press and plant specimens associated with ground plans and designs for the glasshouses Bevan. This excellently curated and labelled, the publication. During their visit, the 12 from the 1850’s, and the opening and primarily British collection, which includes participants had the opportunity to see the construction of the Plant Sciences many Hieracium specimens, has been original copper plates, Morison’s published Department in the early 1950s. determined by specialists, so adds greatly to work, early-modern books from which In November, students studying an M.Sc. in the records in the Druce Herbarium. 124 images were copied, proof plates and Environmental Impact Assessment and miscellaneous specimens of Convolvulaceae, herbarium specimens associated with the Management at Oxford Brookes University collected by John Wood and his associates work. This was the first time such materials and Friends of Oxfordshire Museum visited mainly from Bolivia, were added to OXF. had ever been displayed together. the Herbaria. Undergraduate students from 836 new specimens were accessed to FHO First-year biology undergraduates were the Department of English were shown consisting mostly of miscellaneous African introduced to the Herbaria and Sherardian materials relevant to ‘Eighteenth century duplicates. Library of Plant Taxonomy in February. In literature and culture’. In December, March, four students studying to be medical delegates from a meeting of the Dendrol- Serena K. Marner herbalists and their tutor visited the Herbaria. ogical Society were introduced to the Assistant Curator This was followed by a visit from Graduate collections via the theme of ‘herbaria and Library and Archive Trainees interested in trees’. the links among library manuscripts, rare Academic visitors included: Ozan Senturk, books and preserved plant specimens, over a doctoral student from the Royal Botanic Oxford University the past four centuries. More recent material Gardens Edinburgh, studied Mediterranean shown included a first edition of Charles Fabaceae, especially specimens from Herbaria Digitisation Darwin’s On the origin of species (1859), Turkey; Dimitry German, from Heidelberg together with a letter from Darwin to a University and Altai State University, Project former Curator of the Herbaria, George studied Brassicaceae, finding a rich Claridge Druce. Modern published collection of material from Altai; and Tiago Workflow and progress report monographs and papers, alongside related Barbosa from São Paulo State University The Herbaria Digitisation project is halfway herbarium specimens, illustrated current studied Brazilian Lauraceae. We were through its initially funded period of two research within the Department and showed delighted to welcome Jim Bevan as a regular years. Within this time project technicians the collections’ importance for identifying weekly visitor. Jim has a special interest in Alistair Orr, Kate Loven, and formerly plants, and investigating their distribution, Hieracium (Asteraceae), and has set about Martina Boatfield, have managed to digitise classification and evolution. redetermining the British holdings of the about half of the material in the selected A more unusual group was approximately genus in the Druce Herbarium. regions of North and South America and 60 delegates from a one-day conference Africa from the Fielding-Druce Herbarium. entitled 'Histories, theories, and uses of waste Loan material This is around 28,000 (22,000 of which are paper in Early Modern England'. They were Two loans were sent for special exhibitions transcribed onto the BRAHMS collections shown a range of specimens from the pre- during the year. Six historic specimens, three management system) of the estimated Linnaean herbaria of William Sherard, from the Morisonian Herbarium and three 145,000 total specimens. This adds to the Robert Morison, Jacob Bobart the Younger, from the Herbarium of Charles Du Bois, 77,000 imaged and transcribed by Stephen Charles Du Bois and Johann Dillenius - to relating to ‘Horto Comptoniano’, were lent to Harris and Serena Marner from other areas of

14 Oxford Plant Systematics OPS 26 July 2020 the collection making a combined total of approximately 105,000. The transcription of specimen images is a naturally slower process than the image capture since we must decipher some very old hastily handwritten notes, often very faded and in Latin. To expedite the process, we make use of some convenient features developed by the BRAHMS team for this process which allow for quick reference to commonly used entries in each data field. We have also collectively decided to focus on limited fields so that records can be grouped by collector and then the batch completed later. The rate of production is variable depending on the complexity and legibility of the material, but we aim for around 300 records per day. A digitised specimen of The imaging process has developed through Lobelia polyphylla Hook. trialling different methods and has evolved to & Arn. from OXF collected be very efficient and accurate. Specimens are by Christopher Sandeman fetched from the Herbarium and brought to in Chile in 1939. the digitisation area using a temporary © Oxford University physical tagging system to ensure they are Herbaria returned to the correct locations. The specimens are then given a unique adhesive barcode which becomes the image filename and identifier to link them with transcription data on the BRAHMS collections manage- ment system. For the image capture we use Capture One; a powerful, industry-standard software package and a carefully designed First rules for the subcurator (Harris, 2017a). On the strength user preset which means there is no need to of this donation, the university awarded her change camera settings between shots and Fielding Herbarium brother, Samuel Simpson (1802-81), an the postproduction is uniform. To take the honorary MA (Jackson and Kell, 2004)! images, the specimens are placed in a frame On 20th December 1852, the University designed in-house with an integrated scale The Fielding Herbarium is one of the core officially took full responsibility for the bar, which eliminates the need for composing collections of Oxford University Herbaria. Fielding Herbarium, where it was ‘safely each shot and ensures the specimens are The collection was amassed by Henry Borron housed in the Apartment appropriated for its square in the image. The software is Fielding (1805-51), the wealthy son of the reception’ at the Botanic Garden. With controlled by a custom-macro coded in- head of a successful Lancashire calico- characteristic bravura that the task of house using Autohotkey, which automates printing company. In 1835, German cataloguing the diversity of the world’s much of the process with a few keystrokes physician Ernst Gottlieb Stuedel (1783- plants was near its end, Daubeny praised the and takes a white balance reading from the 1856) sold Fielding a large collection of completeness of Fielding’s collection: ‘So white frame, so that each image is colour European herbarium specimens, which led to large a portion indeed of its [the world’s] accurate. With these measures we can Fielding purchasing entire herbaria from surface has been ransacked to supply the produce around 600 images per day. collectors around Europe. He augmented contents of these cabinets, that it would seem these activities by subscribing to botanical to be a much shorter task for me to enumerate Alistair Orr fieldwork in Africa, Americas, Asia and the deficiencies, than to recount the contents Digitisation Technician Australia, where he provided financial of the Collection’ (Daubeny, 1853: 5). support for collectors in return for specimens, In the archives of Oxford University Unlocking the history of plants and by purchasing their herbarium specimens Herbaria there is Daubeny’s uncatalogued, Working in the Herbaria is an interesting at auction (Jackson and Kell, 2004; Clokie, handwritten record (transcribed below) of a transition from my former role working in a 1964: 44-48). After 15 years, Fielding owned meeting of the Curators of the Botanic lab or the greenhouse. When I sit down in one of the best private herbaria in nineteenth- Garden, which took place on Wednesday 31st front of the computer, I see each day as a century Europe. In Britain, only the personal May 1854. This is the earliest record of the journey, a sense of connection with history of herbarium of his friend William Jackson rules put in place for the care of the Fielding the men and women who dedicated their lives Hooker (1785-1865), Director of the Royal Herbarium. with passion to collecting plants. Each day I Botanic Garden Kew, whose collection learn something, whether it be a place in the founded the herbarium at Kew, was more At a Meeting of the Curators of the Americas or Africa, a plant from its native comprehensive (Jackson and Kell, 2004; Botanic Garden holden this day, it was origin that might be familiar from our own Desmond, 1998). agreed gardens or a Latin name or phrase we use in In 1852, Charles Daubeny (1795-1867), 1st That the Fielding Herbarium may our modern language. The Herbaria have all fifth Sherardian Professor of Botany and first be consulted by Members of the the information there, quietly waiting for the Sibthorpian Professor of Rural Economy, University and other persons cupboards to be opened, so it is a great convinced the university to accept an offer introduced to the Professor of Botany privilege that I am able to be part of sharing from Fielding’s wife, Mary Maria (1804-95), or the other Curators throughout the the Fielding collection online. that her husband’s herbarium (c. 80,000 year, excepting during a fortnight at specimens) be housed in the Botanic Garden, Christmas, during Passion and Easter Kate Loven, Digitisation Technician together with an endowment (£900) to pay a weeks, and at certain times in the

Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford 15

Summer Vacation when the Sub- Curator is allowed to be absent. 2. That the Sub-curator should be in attendance in general from 12 o’clock at noon till 5 during every week-day to give out and return to their places after examination the packets of specimens which parties consulting the Herbarium may desire to inspect. 3. That no portion of the Herbarium can be allowed to be removed from the premises for inspection. 4. That the duty of the Subcurator shall be to attend, as above stated during the hours already named, both in order to enable Students to consult the Herbarium, and also to arrange, preserve, and determine the plants which it at present contains, or which may be added to it from time to time. 5. That although the Fielding Herbarium will constitute the primary object of the Sub-curators attention, yet all[?] the other Botanical Collections belonging to the Establishment shall also be placed under his charge. 6. That the Sub-curator shall also make himself acquainted with the contents of the public Library belonging to the Establishment of the Botanic Garden, as far as to be able to refer, when appealed to, to any of the Works which persons admitted to the Herbarium may desire to consult, and to prepare a proper Catalogue for this purpose. 7. That the Sub-curator shall also be ready to comply with any other requirements of the Professor connected with the Science of Botany, and in particular that of providing the Specimens so necessa[ry] for the illustration of his Lectures. 8. That the Sub-Curator be allowed to be absent for a period not exceeding two months during the summer vacation, at times to be arranged Charles Daubeny's records of a meeting of the Curators of the Botanic Garden laying out between the Professor and himself, and the duties of the Fielding Curator. © Oxford University Herbaria that his attendance at the Botanic

Garden will not be expected during Passion and Easter Weeks, or for a It is ironic that Hooker was one of the Africa where he founded the botany fortnight after Christmas day. Curators. Despite his success as Professor of department at Rhodes University and became 9. That Mr Maxwell Masters be Botany in Glasgow, before his appointment a leading light in the Botanical Survey of confirmed in his appointment as Sub- to the Kew post in 1841, he was debarred South Africa (Lubke and Brink, 2004). The Curator, and that his Salary for the from professorships in Oxford; he lacked an post remained vacant until the Oxford-based year commencing on April 11th be paid Oxbridge education (Desmond, 1998). On pharmacist and botanist George Claridge at £20 from the Fielding Fund, 14th June 1866, Joseph Dalton Hooker, who Druce (1850-1932) became honorary Curator augmented by a Gratuity of £30 from had succeeded his father as Director of Kew, in 1895; he remained in post until his death the Professor of Botany in was appointed William Hooker’s replace- (Harris, 2007). consideration of his acting as his ment as a Curator of the Botanic Garden. Today, the Fielding Herbarium is no longer Demonstrator or Botanical Assistant. James Adey Ogle (1792-1857) had been at the Botanic Garden. It was given a new 10. That the Sub-curator be allowed for Regius Professor of Medicine in the home in the Department of Plant Sciences in his Residence the two largest of the University since 1851. the early 1950s, together with the Rooms lately built over the Lecture Maxwell Tylden Masters (1833-1907) University’s pre-nineteenth-century collect- room contiguous to the Botanic resigned after about three years to teach ions, the vast personal herbarium of Druce Garden, and in immediate proximity botany at St. George’s Hospital medical and the herbarium of the former Department with the Herbarium. school before eventually taking on editorship of Forestry (Harris, 2017b). Together these of the Gardeners’ Chronicle (Boulger and collections are known as Oxford University [Signed by W.J. Hooker, J.A. Ogle and Stearn, 2004). In 1886, Selmar Schönland Herbaria – a collection of approximately one C. Daubeny] (1860-1940) arrived for a three-year stint as million specimens. Fielding Curator, before emigrating to South

16 Oxford Plant Systematics OPS 26 July 2020

References

Boulger, G.S. & Stearn, W.T. (2004). Masters, Maxwell Tylden (1833-1907). Oxford Dictionary of National Biography https://doi.org/10.1093/ref:odnb/34928 (accessed 1st April 2020).

Clokie, H.N. (1964). An account of the Herbaria of the Department of Botany in the University of Oxford. Oxford University Press, Oxford.

Daubeny, C. (1853). Address to the Members of the University. Delivered on May 20, 1853. Botanic Garden, Oxford.

Desmond, R. (1998). Kew. The history of the Royal Botanic Gardens. The Harvill Press, London.

Harris, S.A. (2007). Druce and the Oxford University Herbaria. Oxford Plant Systematics 14: 12-13.

Harris, S.A. (2017a). Oxford Botanic Garden & Arboretum. A brief history. Oxford: Bodleian Library. Figure 1: Portrait of Johann Jacob Dillenius © Department of Plant Sciences Harris, S.A. (2017b). Herbaria in the Figure 2 Figure 3 Botanic Garden. Oxford Plant Systematics 23: 8-9. H:S:E Jackson, B.D. & Kell, P.E. (2011). Fielding, JOHANNES JACOBUS Henry Borron (1805-1851). Oxford DILLENIUS M:D Dictionary of National Biography E civitate DARMSTADT https://doi.org/10.1093/ref:odnb/9401 oriundus: (accessed 1st April 2020). Natu igitur GERMANUS, Lubke, R. & Brink, E. (2004). One hundred Studio et Amore ANGLUS, years of botany at Rhodes University. South Eruditione demum ORBIS African Journal of Science 100: 609-614. LITERATI CIVIS

Stephen A. Harris Professor Botanices Curator of Oxford University Herbaria Sherardinus, Ab ipso Sherardo nominatus, Et in Arte sua longe Omnium Princeps.

Quanto et quam felici Labore Dillenius in Oxford NATURAM penitus

investigaverit:

When you visit Oxford University Herbaria Quam artifice etiam Manu you see on the wall of the reading-room a fine ADMIRANDA EIUS depingere portrait of Johann Jacob Dillenius (1684- potuerit: 1747) in which he holds a drawing of the Quam Colores leviter variare: Mexican plant Sprekelia formosissima (L.)

Herb. described by him in 1732 (Figure 1). Quam facili ductu Æri incidere:

After qualifying as a doctor at Giessen Testantur

University, and publishing several botanical OPERA EIUS IMMORTALIA. works, Dillenius went to London in 1721 at Nemo interea the invitation of William Sherard to arrange his herbarium. In 1724 he was elected Fellow Aut melius vixit, aut flebilior of the Royal Society, and in 1734 became the occidit first Sherardian Professor of Botany at Die scilicet APRILIS secundo: Oxford, where he remained until his death. Anno Domini MDCCXLVII. Among the treasures of Oxford Herbaria are Aetatis LXIII. 26 specimens sent to Dillenius by Carl

Linnaeus, who visited Oxford in 1736. Their Figure 2 reproduced by kind permission of first meeting took place in Oxford’s Botanic the Principals and Fellows of St Edmund Hall

Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford 17

Garden where Dillenius, sceptical of Druce Collection: Linnaeus’ system of classification, remarked ‘This is the young man who would confound autographs of British the whole of botany’. But Dillenius was soon impressed by the visitor’s botanical Botanists expertise, and Linnaeus later wrote ‘There is nobody in England who understands or thinks about genera but Dillenius’. Their There seems to be no end to the archival meeting led to a life-long friendship and material left by George Claridge Druce exchanges of letters, publications, and (1850-1932) to the University of Oxford. herbarium specimens. Druce was one of the main benefactors to The life of Dillenius is commemorated in Oxford University Herbaria. In the past we Oxford’s Church of St Peter-in-the-East, now have highlighted the Druce archive and the Library of St Edmund Hall, by a splendid Druce’s Birthday Book (OPS 18: 15; OPS marble tablet (Figure 2) with a Latin eulogy 16:10-12). There is another separate, and (transcribed at Figure 3). In translation it virtually unknown, collection of volumes says: "Here lies Johann Jacob Dillenius, entitled Autographs of British Botanists A- Y, Doctor of Medicine, who came from the city which is described here. of Darmstadt. Thus by birth he was German, The ‘autographs’ are not just signatures but by study and affection English, and by exist in the form of letters, postcards, scholarship a citizen of the world of letters. photographs and notes interleaved and Chosen by Sherard himself as Sherardian arranged in six thickly bound volumes. They Professor of Botany, he was an outstanding are preserved within the Fielding-Druce leader in his field. His immortal works bear Herbarium. The items were organised and witness to the success of his work in bound by George Claridge Druce, and consist investigating nature in depth, his skill in of correspondence he received from depicting its wonders with subtle differences individuals, plus other notes he assembled One of the volumes from the Druce of colour, and his expertise in copper- about them. An index of these items has ‘Autograph’ collection engraving. At the same time, no-one led a recently been complied. Druce was an active © Oxford University Herbaria better life, or was more mourned when he field botanist from the 1870’s until his death. died, which was on the 2nd day of April 1747 He has been described as ‘the most A.D. at the age of 63” prominent British amateur botanist of the Ernest David Marquand (1848-1918) and th first three decades of the 20 century’ (OPS Edward Shearburn Marshall (1858-1919); 14: 12-13). He was an avid letter writer with plus 10 letters each from Sir Isaac Bayley a desire to be in contact with eminent Balfour (1853-1922), Sir David Prain (1857- members of the botanical community of his 1944) and Nathaniel Charles Rothschild time, as well as other prominent people from (1877-1923). The entire collection includes the pharmaceutical, medical, scientific and 16 individuals with knighthoods and 25 wider natural history communities. He professors. Somewhat surprisingly Druce invited and encouraged many people to join includes himself as an entry. the Botanical Exchange Club (forerunner to Amongst the ‘autograph’ items are those the present-day Botanical Society of Britain from 35 women, considered by Druce as and Ireland), also the Ashmolean Natural ‘British Botanists’ of the day. One might History Society of Oxfordshire and the have expected they would have mostly been Northamptonshire Natural History Society, contributors to Druce’s Herbarium, but only all these organizations he ran sometimes about a third come into that category. Druce practically single-handed for many years. very likely met a couple of these women at a People’s replies added to his collection; the meeting of the British Association for the more influential and eminent the person, the Advancement of Science held in Oxford in more Druce liked it! Druce’s purpose it 1926, in particular Gertrude Bacon (1874- seems for compiling such an archive was to 1949) and Mabel Mary Cheveley Raynor (c. reflect not only his diverse and significant 1888-1948). Bacon not only had interests in contacts, his networks of professional botany, joining the Wild Flower Society in colleagues and friends, but to give a snapshot 1901, but she was an original member of the of individuals of note in the wider botanical Astronomical Association. A keen interest in world of late-nineteenth century and early- aeronautics led her to be the first woman to twentieth century Britain. fly in an airship in 1898 and the first Within the six volumes there are 458 named Englishwoman to fly in a biplane in 1909. individuals. The ‘autograph’ items are sorted Druce had a strong desire to make mainly in alphabetical order by author discoveries of new plants within the British Figure 4 © Bodleian Libraries, University of surname. For just over one third of the flora and record them. Some of his female Oxford collection, there is one letter per person, correspondents did just that. Gertrude Bacon about one fifth of the collection is was with Druce’s friend Lady Joanna Dillenius is also commemorated in the represented by two letters per person, with Charlotte Davy (1865-1955), a botanical Radcliffe Science Library in Oxford on a set variable numbers of letters from the rest. The illustrator, when they were the first to find the of wooden doors, designed in 1935 by Eric largest number of letters per person are from sedge, Carex microglochin Wahlenb. in Gill, which include a panel (Figure 4) the following: 20 letters each from John Britain. Druce would have been extremely depicting ‘J.J.D.’ (Johann Jacob Dillenius). Knox (1831-1914), Charles Carmichael interested in this, if not a bit jealous! Another Lacaita (1853-1933) and Professor Sydney of his correspondents, Eliza Standerwick Graham Avery Howard Vines (1849-1934); 11 letters each Gregory (1840-1932), from whom seven Fellow of the Linnean Society from Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker (1817-1911), letters are included, was the first to discover

18 Oxford Plant Systematics OPS 26 July 2020

Fumaria occidentalis Pugsley in Cornwall. Eleanor Vachell (1879-1948), a Welsh botanist, had a similar ambition to Druce Druce which was to see every British plant species Collection: in the wild. With the help of Druce, she was Autographs of one of very few people to find the extremely British rare Ghost Orchid, Epipogium aphyllum Sw. Botanists Vachell almost achieved her goal, reportedly Volume 5: P-S finding just 13 short of 1,800 different British species during her life time. Pages showing Druce archived two letters and two letters from postcards from Gulielma Lister (1860-1949) R.L. Praeger who was a world authority on slime moulds and had published a significant work on the © Oxford taxonomy and nomenclature of Myxo- University mycetes. Miss Lister was one of the first Herbaria women to be elected as a Fellow of the Linnean Society of London in 1904. Another correspondent of Druce was Ida Margaret Hayward (1872-1949) who also became a medicinal uses, but turned his attention to discovering a method of tapping which did Fellow of the Linnean Society in 1910. She collecting plants which might possibly not cause lasting damage to the trees. He studied alien plants, many whose seeds had survive cultivation in the British Isles. He acquired the nickname ‘Mad Ridley’ for his been inadvertently transported in fleeces to collected a vast number of herbarium obsession for this work. He also published a the woolen mills in Galashiels on the Scottish specimens sending them back to Kew, multi-volume work on the Flora of the Malay borders from Australia, New Zealand and including 5,000 species new to science at the Peninsula and described about 4,000 new South America. In 1919 she published The time. Later his interests turned again and he species. Adventive Flora of Tweedside jointly with began a career in Forestry which led him to The founder of the South London Botanical Druce. One of the first of three trustees of the work in the newly established Forestry Institute (1910), Allan Octavian Hume Royal Horticultural Society gardens at School at Oxford University in 1905. (1829-1912), wrote to Druce. He had worked Wisley, Ellen Ann Willmott (1858-1934) is Another plant hunter of note was Reginald in the Indian Civil Service and besides being also represented. Enjoying cultivating Farrer (1880-1920), who went on botanical a politician was interested in ornithology. He thousands of species and cultivars in her expeditions to the Alps and the Italian amassed a very large collection of Indian bird gardens, in which she employed up to 100 Dolomites, and later to China, the Tibetan skins and eggs, now held in the Natural gardeners, she also helped finance plant- border, and Upper Burma. Six letters exist History Museum in London, but when he lost hunting expeditions. Eccentricity took hold from Farrer, who was a student at Balliol his manuscripts he turned his activities to the as she aged and when visiting the gardens of College, graduating in 1902, and assisted study of botany instead. There are also eight others in the horticultural world, she with the rock garden which the Rev. H.J. letters from, William Herbert St Quintin surreptitiously planted seeds of the giant Bidder had created in the grounds of St. (1851-1933), a naturalist with a special thistle Eryngium giganteum M.Bieb.; the John’s College, Oxford. Farrer wrote many interest in ornithology who was a founding plant has become known as Miss Willmott’s books on rock gardening and was responsible member of the Avicultural Society. The ghost. for many hardy plant introductions to British Professor of Agricultural Botany at Reading A great number of gentlemen represented in gardens. Perhaps an unexpected individual to University, John Percival (1863-1949), the archive were Fellows of the Royal be included in this archive is a wealthy known for working on the taxonomy of Society. One such was the pioneering lawyer, very avid gardener and collector of wheat corresponded with Druce. Percival geneticist William Bateson (1861-1926), microscopes, Sir Frank Crisp (1843-1919). was asked to identify carbonized cereal who introduced the word ‘genetics’ into His claim to fame was that he built a very grains from archaeological sites in Egypt and biology. He was the founder of the Genetics large neo-Gothic mansion near Henley with the Near East which led to the development Society which celebrated its centenary in an extensive alpine garden modelled on the of archaeobotanical studies at Reading. 2019. From the medical profession is Sir Alps. Built under the rock garden were There are letters from Directors of the Royal (Edward) Farquhar Buzzard (1871-1945) caves, grottoes and connecting passages Botanic Gardens Kew including Sir Joseph who became the Regius Professor of which he filled with gnomes. He had a keen Dalton Hooker and Sir David Prain; from Medicine at the University of Oxford in sense of humour! Keepers of the Kew Herbarium and letters 1928. He went on to found a medical school Druce also had contact with many British from Sir Isaac Bayley Balfour, the Keeper of at Oxford dedicated to clinical and laboratory botanists working abroad. There are three the Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh, who research with the sponsorship of Lord letters and a telegram from Joseph Henry had previously been the Sherardian Professor Nuffield; now known as the Nuffield Maiden (1859-1925). From 1896 Maiden of Botany at Oxford, mentioned earlier. Department of Medicine. Similar to Druce, was government botanist and Director of the Many more interesting individuals are Edward Morell Holmes (1843-1930) started Botanic Gardens in New South Wales. He represented who all contributed much to our his working life as an apprentice to a studied and published extensively on knowledge of botany. pharmacist. He went on to lecture on materia Australian plants, revising the genus The index of the ‘Druce Collection: medica and between 1872 and 1922 was Eucalyptus in particular and writing on the Autographs of British Botanists’ recently curator of the Pharmaceutical Society’s useful native plants. He is remembered for compiled has been added to the Oxford Materia Medica Museum in London. There establishing the National Herbarium of New University Herbaria website at are seven letters from Holmes to Druce as South Wales, Sydney, including a museum https://herbaria.plants.ox.ac.uk/bol/Content/ well as specimens of bryophytes and algae and library which opened in 1901. Another of Projects/oxford/resources/Autograph_list_B collected by him in the Druce Herbarium. Druce’s contacts, based mostly in Singapore ritish_botanists.pdf There are 12 letters from the Irish (although and in Malaysia, was Henry Nicholas Ridley Scottish born) medic turned plant collector, (1855-1956) from whom there are four letters Serena K. Marner Augustine Henry (1857-1930). He spent 20 in the archive. He was responsible for a major Assistant Curator years travelling in remote provinces in China industry in the Malay Peninsula; the Oxford University Herbaria with the aim of finding Chinese plants with cultivation and tapping of rubber, after

Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford 19

A revelation in full colour

Stenostephanus Nees is a genus of Acanthaceae characteristic of neotropical cloud forest extending from southern Mexico along the Andes south to Bolivia with an isolated species in the Mata Atlantica forests of southern Brazil. Most species are rare and very restricted in their distribution with many local endemics, seven out of twelve species occurring in Peru and ten out of twelve in Bolivia being single country endemics. It is often difficult to refind plants, perhaps because some species are plietesial, and flower at irregular intervals. Map showing the distribution of Stenostephanus densiflorus J.R.I. Wood in Peru. Although John Wood knew the genus well in Bolivia and Colombia, he had worked entirely with dried herbarium specimens in the preparation of the account for Peru (Wood 2019). One of the new species described was characterised by conspicuous sub-rhomboid to obovate bracts and a dense inflorescence, the whole blackish in colour having been preserved using alcohol. This plant was given the name Stenostephanus densiflorus J.R.I Wood and was represented by 13 collections from moist hill forest on the eastern Andean slopes of central Peru in the area where Huánuco and Pasco meet with an outlying population in San Martín. The new species was only published in mid- December so it was a very welcome but expected seasonal present on Boxing Day when an e-mail arrived from Rosa Villanueva-Espinoza with attached photo- graphs of the new Stenostephanus. This showed a striking inflorescence with attractive deep-pinkish flowers. The correspondence that followed revealed that there were four additional collections from the same general area of Peru and an additional one from Junín bringing the total number of collections of this species to 18, suggesting a healthy population. Although Andean forest is generally under threat in Peru, it is reassuring that many of the collections were made in protected areas. Photographs and an updated map add value and colour to the original description and line drawing.

References

Daniel, T. (2006). Synchronous flowering and monocarpy suggest plietesial life history for neotropical Stenostephanus chiapensis (Acanthaceae). Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 57: 1011– 1018.

Wood, J.R.I. (2019). Stenostephanus (Acanthaceae) in Peru. Kew Bulletin 74: 64 (1 – 24)

John R.I. Wood, Research Associate & Rosa Villanueva-Espinoza Stenostephanus densiflorus J.R.I Wood in Peru Photos © Rosa Villanueva-Espinoza

20 Oxford Plant Systematics OPS 26 July 2020