Department of Botany and the U.S. National Herbarium The Press

National Museum of Natural History Smithsonian Institution

New Series - Vol. 2 - No. 1 April - June 1999

Department Profile A Prolific Asian Plant Corrector By Robert DeFilipps of the Asiatic aroid Aglaonema, American Society of Plant Taxonomists, an Henry Nicolson is one of the which includes the popular “Chinese the Botanical Society of Washington, and world’s foremost “plant correc- evergreen” of horticulture, became the the Flora Malesiana Foundation, and is a Dtors”. While studying the true very first listing under the new series founding member of the International identity of an aroid from the insular entitled Smithsonian Contributions to Aroid Society and the AETFAT (Associa- periphery of Asia, the “Telinga potato” Botany (1969). Fast-forwarding to three tion pour l’Etude Taxonomique de la which was known for over a hundred decades beyond 1969, he was recently Flore d’Afrique Tropicale). years as Amorphophallus campanulatus, appointed by Chairman W. J. Kress to the essions of intensive field work in he unhesitatingly corrected its name to A. position of managing editorship of the Southeast Asia (17 months); Nepal paeoniifolius. He also rescued, from a Smithsonian Contributions to Botany. S(1 year); Yunnan, China (3 maze of generic uncertainty, one of the With approximately 200 publications months); Sri Lanka (1 month); India; most well known of all houseplants, the (including three books) under his belt, Dominica (West Indies), and elsewhere variegated “pothos”, and designated it as Nicolson’s advice on botanical nomencla- paved the way for substantial publications the cultivar Epipremnum pinnatum ture is widely sought by an international with reference to the Flora of the Hassan ‘Aureum’. In fact, if it were possible to clientele, and perhaps acknowledged in District, Karnataka (India); Rheede’s do so, this avid family genealogist would more taxonomic articles than that of (1669-1698) Hortus Malabaricus; and the correct his own birthplace from the actual almost any of his contemporaries. Flora of Dominica: Dicotyledoneae. locus of Kansas City, Missouri, to the Nicolson spent his honeymoon in 1959 at Currently, Nicolson is completing a major more affectionate town of Shenandoah, the International Botanical Congress in project, initiated by Dr. F. Raymond Iowa where he grew up, but that’s Montreal, Canada, and since the mid- Fosberg, documenting the publications another story. 1950s his career has always included a and collections of the Forsters, a father- The seeds of a nascent interest in generous amount of devotion to the and-son team who accompanied the botany surrounded him as a youth, for his activities of worldwide botanical organiza- second voyage of Captain Cook, and family owned several seed and nursery tions. He served the International Associa- whose work became a cornerstone of companies in the Midwest, and his first tion for Plant (IAPT) as an Pacific botany. Additionally, he intends to educational venture was business school, officer on numerous committees (e.g., take a shot at preparing a revision of the in order to absorb techniques for involve- Spermatophyta; Typification of Generic Indomalaysian genus Anadendrum ment in the family’s concerns. While Names; Orthography; Bureau of Nomen- Schott, for publication in the venerable enrolled in business school (MBA, clature; Awards; Nominations; Editorial Flora Malesiana. Stanford University, 1957), a desire for Committee of the International Code of This year is already a very busy one for botany which had originally surfaced at Botanical Nomenclature), and as nomen- Nicolson, who is one of the ten members Grinnell College (AB, 1955) began to clature editor of the journal Taxon from of the Steering Committee for the 1999 proliferate as various collections of 1979 to date. He was IAPT vice-president International Botanical Congress to be cultivated were made, and culmi- from 1985-1993, and is now in the last held in August in St. Louis, Missouri. A nated in a master’s degree (1959) and year of a six-year term as president of the new set of rules and recommendations, doctorate (1964) from Cornell University. IAPT, which began in 1993 when he was the “St. Louis Code” of botanical He joined the Department of Botany in elected prior to the Tokyo Congress. In nomenclature, will arise from the the National Museum of Natural History addition to those impeccable credentials, deliberations of the participants. Being in 1964, and his doctoral thesis, a revision he has been intimately involved with the Continued on page 6

Page 1 Visitors Travel

Lars Peter Kvist, Royal Veterinary and Pedro Acevedo (12/14/98-3/1/99) Paul Peterson (2/23-3/23) traveled to Agricultural University, Copenhagen, traveled to Puerto Rico to conduct Lima and Tacha, Peru to collect grasses for Denmark; Gasteranthus (Gesneriaceae), research and complete field work. ongoing research. plant extinction in Ecuador (Jan. 5-17). Mark and Diane Littler (12/14/98-3/ Paula DePriest (3/11) traveled to 10/99) traveled to the Smithsonian Marine Annapolis, Maryland to attend a joint Greg de Nevers, California Academy of Station at Fort Pierce, Florida and the meeting of the Potomac and Northeastern Sciences, San Francisco; Flora of Mada- Florida Keys to continue ongoing research. Divisions of the American Phytopathologi- gascar (Feb. 2-Aug. 1). Linda Moreland (1/11-1/16) traveled to cal Society, on the theme of “Bridging Leesburg, Virginia to attend a Supervisory Technology Gaps in Education and Teresa Sholars, College of the Redlands, Management Training Course. Research”, at which she presented a California; Lupinus spp. (Fabaceae) Deborah Bell (1/14) traveled to the lecture and contributed a poster. (March 5-6). Philadelphia Maritime Museum to evaluate their compactor ramp for possible use in Sherrie McLeRoy, Historian; T. Munson the department’s current compactor collections (Vitis sp.) (March 9-10). installation. Vicki Funk (1/16-2/8) traveled to Ana Maria Suarez, Universidad de La Stellenbosch, South Africa to attend and Habana; Cuban marine macroalgae (April participate in the Inaugural Meeting of the 1-30). Southern African Society of Systematic Biology (see related article in this issue), Editors’ Note and to Raleigh, North Carolina (2/24-2/25) As of this issue (New Series, Vol. 2, No. to meet with a graduate student committee 1, April - June 1999), The Plant Press at Duke University. will be published on a quarterly basis. Laurence Skog (1/19-1/31) traveled to The Plant Press Paramaribo, Suriname to participate in the international Flora of the Guianas meetings New Series - Vol. 2 - No. 1 and field trips. Susan Richardson (1/28) traveled to Chairman, Department of Botany the University of Maryland, College Park, W. John Kress ([email protected]) to attend the Interstate Pest Control Conference. EDITORIAL STAFF Dieter Wasshausen (2/3-2/7) traveled to the New York Botanical Garden to Co-Editors examine Bolivian and Brazilian plant Jane Villa-Lobos specimens, and to Jacksonville and West ([email protected]) Palm Beach, Florida (2/13-2/24) for Robert DeFilipps ([email protected]) manuscript and photo consultations with Kirsten Llamas at the Fairchild Tropical Consulting Editor Garden. Deborah Hinrichs Warren Wagner (2/9-2/23) traveled to Circulation Manager the University of California at Irvine, to Shirley Maina research Schiedea (Caryophyllacae) with ([email protected]) Steven Weller and Ann Sakai. Robert Faden (2/14-3/13) traveled to News Contacts London, England to study Commelinaceae Correction In the article on the “Revised Checklist for Amanda Boone, Robert Faden, Ellen at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, in the Flora of Myanmar” which appeared in Farr, George Russell, Alice Tangerini, connection with work on the Flora of and Elizabeth Zimmer issue no. 6, we inadvertently forgot to Tropical East Africa. mention that Ida Lopez is a member of the The Plant Press is a quarterly publication provided W. John Kress (2/16-3/5) traveled checklist preparation team. free of charge. If you would like to be added to the intermittently to Durham, North Carolina mailing list, contact Shirley Maina at: National Musem of Natural History, Smithsonian to teach a course on monocots at Duke Institution, Department of Botany, NHB 166, University, and to Miami, Florida (3/13- Washington, DC 20560, or by e-mail: 3/19) to teach the same course at Fairchild [email protected]. Tropical Garden. Web site: http://www.nmnh.si.edu/departments/ botany/html

Page 2 The “I” Words Chair ntegration of science and Interdisciplinary tantly, the new drive to integrate is based on the research. The “I” words. What do these terms realization that nothing exists in isolation, that the Imean, and are they important in our work? Open planet is growing smaller, and that the solutions to With any copy of Science or Nature and there will be at least global problems are embedded in a larger view of some mention of how we as scientists need to integrate interactions that can only be understood by an inte- our disciplines. Such integration clearly may occur at grated approach to science and society. many different levels, for example, between the natural Do we need to return to the concept of the Renais- A history disciplines of zoology and botany, or between sance intellectual who studied, understood, and the scientific disciplines of biology, chemistry and published on art, nature, government and economic physics, or even between the intellectual disciplines of growth? No, very few of us can have the individual science, politics and economics. Is the degree of breadth to comprehend all of these disciplines in the View integrative success proportional to the level of interdis- depth that is required to be successful. Rather, each of ciplinary collaboration? In other words, if I publish us needs to develop an integrated perspective on what with an economist, will the scientific impact be greater we do as individual scientists in our respective disci- than if I publish with a mammalogist? Two important plines and open up our research to the possibility of W. questions present themselves: Are we sufficiently collaborative programs. Integrative research is as much trained to conduct such integrated science? And Why is a state of mind as a level of knowledge. We must John interdisciplinary research better? recognize that although we are not experts in all Kress In a recent editorial in Science (283: 642-643. 1999), aspects of science, we are willing to share our knowl- Norman Metzger and Richard Zare argue that the basic edge across disciplines. We can acknowledge that we history, culture and structure of science in America has know our own fields, but must risk the fact that we are developed to hinder interdisciplinary research. Special- ignorant outside these boundaries. It may likely require ization and disciplinary expertise is demanded from us an entire generation of scientists to make the transition from the time we are trained as graduate students, from a disciplinary to an interdisciplinary perspective. through tenure-track pursuits, and every time we apply It is clear that the transition has begun. As scientists to directed funding agencies for research support. at the end of the millenium, we must allow this Throughout our careers truly integrated science is perspective into our contemporary research programs discouraged. The editorial presents a cold view of the and promote integration as a fundamental part of the struggle that exists if one is to successfully accomplish training of our young scientists. anything that cuts across the disciplines, although some solutions to overcome these barriers are suggested, such as creating a Federal funding program owned by several disciplines together. Is the call for integrated science a realization that each of our disciplines has come to an end, that we have discovered all we can in each of these individual lines of research, and that our only future now is to cut across these boundaries? Obviously not; since clearly much remains to be observed, described and under- stood in nature, whether it is discovering a new beetle from Peru or a new subatomic particle. More impor-

Herbarium Compactorization Update Compactorization of the first two bays of the U.S. the west side of those finished) is well underway National Herbarium was officially completed at the regarding blueprints and contracts. Actually beginning of February 1999. This area represents about demolition and construction will not begin for one-tenth of the herbarium. Compactorization provided several months. space for an additional 128 specimen cabinets, increasing storage within those areas by 36%. This will allow for sorely needed decompression of existing collections and will provide expansion to take the herbarium into the 21st century. Progress on the next two bays (adjacent to

Page 3 Smithsonian research on Latin American of his recent work on the “Evolution and Staff and Latino themes. Diversification of Pollination Systems in the Monocotyledons”. Research Two post-doctoral students of Paula DePriest, M. Sikaroodi and M.D. Piercey- Alice Tangerini is currently entering the Normore, presented posters on, respec- drawings from Lyman B. Smith’s mono- Vicki Funk was recently elected a tively, “Phylogenetic Analyses of graphic treatment of the Bromeliaceae into member-at-large of the Board of Directors Lichenicolous Fungi” and “Molecular the Botanical Art Database. With the help (1999) of the American Institute of Markers for Virulent Species of Armillaria of volunteers Maxine Schein and Mariah Biological Sciences. in North America, and Primer/template Steinwinter, over 60 entries have been Dynamics”, at a meeting of the American made, out of an estimated 450 illustra- On December 2, 1998 Gene Rosenberg Phytopathological Society held March 10 tions. With each entry, the drawings must presented the President’s Address at the in Annapolis, Maryland. be mounted on archival boards, repaired if 1998 Annual Dinner of the Botanical necessary, and labeled. Difficulties can Society of Washington. The title of his talk Vicki Funk and W. John Kress fulfilled arise from the fact that none of the was “Cuban Reds (Rhodophyta) — Green their roles as adjunct professors of botany drawings are signed, and they have been and Brown Algae, Too”. On January 20 at Duke University by team teaching a cut and pasted from other original Rosenberg presented a talk about course on “Angiosperm Phylogeny and drawings dating back to Lyman Smith’s biodiversity of Cuban macroalgae to the Classification” this spring. Together with days at the Gray Herbarium (1940’s). staff of the Center for Marine Conserva- Dr. Paul Manos at Duke, they spent time in Many of the drawings are done either by tion (CMC) in Washington, D.C. The residence in Durham lecturing in this Smith (dating back to 1940), or his co- meeting at CMC provided the occasion for graduate level course. As part of the course author Robert Jack Downs, or by Alice a stimulating discussion about the status of they will be taking the students for a week Tangerini. Drawings done by other artists marine biodiversity studies in Cuba and the to the Fairchild Tropical Garden in Miami are included in the treatment and not role of U.S. conservation and research to experience some of the tropical plant named, and since almost every drawing institutions, including the CMC and the taxa first hand. The course is part of the was completed before Tangerini came on Smithsonian Institution. Duke-Smithsonian Program in Systematic staff, there is no record of artist or date. On March 9, Rosenberg, Mark and Biology. Funk, Kress, Paula DePriest, There are, as well, potentially several Diane Littler, Barrett Brooks, and A.M. Liz Zimmer, and David Swofford all are artists per plate, with only visual distinc- Suarez presented a talk entitled “Bio- involved in lecturing and advising students tion in style as a means to determine the diversity of Marine Algae in Cuba” to the enrolled in the Duke Graduate Program. identity of the artist. Add to this quandary conference on “Knowing Each Other the inclusion of up to 20 species per plate, Without Borders”, sponsored by the W. John Kress was an invited speaker at and each entry becomes a research project. Department of Anthropology, the Center both Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, Tangerini is now conferring with Jack for Latino Initiatives, and the Latino and George Washington University in Downs at North Carolina State University Working Group, which featured Washington, D.C. He presented the results on deciphering the artist identification problem.

The Pteridophyte Collection: A Century of Progress A milestone in the history of the U.S. and Antillean flowering plants. Ater the hemisphere. National Herbarium was passed on January Maxon’s heart attack, Morton devoted the At present, the collection is estimated to 9, 1999. It marked a century of continuous greatest part of his time to the pterido- exceed 250,000 specimens, and it curation of the pteridophyte collection. phytes, although he continued research in occupies 151 herbarium cabinets, including William R. Maxon was appointed an aid in tropical American Gesneriaceae and six cabinets containing type specimens; cryptogamic botany and entered on duty Solanaceae. He had a series of heart more cabinet space is needed. In addition on January 9, 1899. He had been a student attacks beginning in 1961 and died in 1972, to herbarium duties, Dr. Maxon served for at Syracuse University and had spent a while still an active member of the staff. many years as head curator of what is now post-graduate year at the New York David B. Lellinger spent two summers the Department of Botany. All three Botanical Garden with their pteridologist, as a aid in botany in 1960 and 1961 and curators of the pteridophytes held posi- Lucien M. Underwood. Unfortunately, he was made a permanent member of the staff tions in the American Fern Society for suffered a heart attack in 1931 and was in in 1963. Since 1998, he has been assisted long periods, notably as editor-in-chief of declining health until his retirement in by Gregory S. McKee. All three curators the American Fern Journal, and variously 1946. He died in 1948. were variously active in identification, as president, secretary, membership Conrad V. Morton came to the curation, and field work. This constant secretary, or associate editor of the Smithsonian in 1926 to be in charge of attention built the collection into the largest journal. western United States, Central American, and most diverse pteridophyte herbarium in [By David Lellinger]

Page 4 South Africa Report Vicki Funk recently returned from a species and around 85 endemic genera including the “big five” (rhino, elephant, month in South Africa. During the first six occurring throughout a vast area. While buffalo, leopard, lion), and even collected days (January 17-22) she attended the many tribes of the have a Vernonia for Harold Robinson a few Inaugural Meeting of the Southern African radiations in South Africa, there are two feet from a sleeping lion (when lions are Society of Systematic Biology at the that have their major diversification there, full they are a lot like plants). Meanwhile University of Stellenbosch outside of Cape Arctoteae and Calenduleae. she saw four of the “little five” species Town. The meeting was important for After the conference, Funk went into the (leopard tortoise, rhino beetle, elephant several reasons. Firstly, as president of the field for six days on a trip organized by the shrew, spotted antlion), though failed to Society of Systematic Biologists (based in herbarium at the University of Cape Town. observe the buffalo weaver. She even saw the USA), Funk was interested in helping The trip covered most of the Western an aardwolf, but failed to find an aardvark. to launch the new “sister society.” Sec- Cape. She spent time in five nature During the entire trip, Funk saw nearly ondly, there is a move underway to reserves, namely Cape of Good Hope; 200 species of birds (all new to her), most organize all interested systematic organiza- Fernkloof; De Hoop; Grootvadersbosch; of them having the scientific epithet tions into an “International Federation of and Table Mountain, and also visited the “capensis”. Systematic Societies”, and this topic was Karoo Botanic Garden and the West Coast Returning to Cape Town, Funk stayed a on the agenda of the meeting. Thirdly, National Park. Hundreds of plants new to few days to represent the Smithsonian at Funk presented a paper using the the traveler were examined and photo- the Species Plantarum meeting hosted by Smithsonian’s Biological Diversity of the graphed, and five of the seven endemic the Kirstenbosch Botanic Garden, and then Guianas Program as an example of an families were located. returned home on February 12, having interaction between systematics and Following the extensive field trip, Funk made the acquaintance of many new conservation. took ten days off and visited several private colleagues, and full of plans for new The final reason for the South African game reserves to look at animals. She went projects and collaborations. trip was that the country is a wonderland to Pelansberg, Mt. Anderson, and near of composites (“comps”), with over 2000 Kruger Park, and saw all sorts of mammals

Publications

Borgen, L., W. Greuter, D. H. Dorr, L. J. 1998. John J. Wurdack (1921- George Forster and/or his father, Johann Hawksworth, D. H. Nicolson and B. 1998). Taxon 47(4): 971-973. [Obituary] Reinhold Forster. Pp. 193-200. In: Zimmer. 1998. Proposals to implement Mathew, P. and M. Sivadasan (eds.). mandatory registration of new names. Faust, M. A. and K.A. Steidinger. 1998. Diversity and Taxonomy of Tropical Taxon 47: 899-904. Bysmatrum gen. nov. (Dinophyaceae) and Flowering Plants. Mentor Books, Calicut, three combinations for benthic scrippsiel- India. Chaloner, W. G., W. Greuter, D. H. loid species. Phycologia 37: 47-52. Nicolson and A. Traverse. 1998. Proposals Nowicke, J. W. , M. Takahashi and G. L. regarding the nomenclature of fossil Jenny, M., C. Bayer and L. J. Dorr. 1999. Webster. 1998. Pollen morphology, exine plants. Taxon 47: 907-910. Aethiocarpa reduced to Harmsia structure and systematics of (Malvaceae, Dombeyoideae). Taxon 48(1): (), Part 1. DeFilipps, R.A. 1998. A digression upon 3-6. Tribes Clutieae (Clutia), Pogonophoreae James Taplin, Nepenthes hybridizer (Pogonophora), Chaetocarpeae (Nepenthaceae). Carnivorous Plant Kelloff, C.L. and V.A. Funk. 1998. (Chaetocarpus, Trigonopleura). Review of Newsletter 27(4): 104-107. Preliminary Checklist of the Plants of Palaeobotany and Palynology 102: 115- Kaieteur National Park, Guyana. 99 pp. 152. DePriest, P. T. and B. W. Hale. 1998. Smithsonian Institution and University of New combinations in the parmelioid Guyana, Washington, D.C. Nowicke, J. W., M. Takahashi and G. L. genera (Ascomycotina: Parmeliaceae). Webster. 1999. Pollen morphology, exine Mycotaxon 67: 201-206. Kelloff, C.L. and G.S. McKee. 1998. A structure and systematics of new species of Hecistopteris from Guyana, Acalyphoideae (Euphorbiaceae), Part 2. DePriest, P. T. and B. W. Hale. 1998. A South America. American Fern Journal Tribes Agrostistachydeae (Agrostistachys, validation and a nomenclatoral change in 88(4): 155-157. Pseudagrostistachys, Cyttaranthus, Parmotrema (Ascomycotina: Parmelia- Chondrostylis). Review of Paleobotany ceae). Mycotaxon 67: 207-209. Nicolson, D. H. 1998. Plants named for Continued on page 6

Page 5 Art by Alice Tangerini Publications Continued from page 4 and Palynology 105: 1-62.

Perry, G. and D. H. Nicolson. 1998. Nine proposals to amend Art. 60 of the Code. Taxon 47: 933-934.

Pruski, J. F. 1998. Compositae of the Guayana Highland-XIII. New combina- tions in Conyza (Astereae), Praxelis (Eupatorieae), and () based on names proposed by L.C.M. Richard. Brittonia 50: 473-482.

Robinson, H. 1998. Two new species of Lepidaploa (Vernonieae: Asteraceae). Phytologia 84(1): 40-42.

Stenroos, S. and P. T. DePriest. 1998. Small insertions at a shared position in the SSU rDNA of Lecanorales (lichen-forming Ascomycetes). Current Genetics 33: 124- 130.

Stenroos, S. and P. T. DePriest. 1998. SSU phylogeny of the cladoniiform lichens. American Journal of Botany 85: 1548-1559.

Plant Corrector Continued from page 1 the adroit master of technicalities that he is, Nicolson seemed disinclined to register any speculations about the ultimate fate of the major issues before the Congress, and in deference to his office I refrained from asking. In a curious twist of fate, as the unoffi- Stifftia chrysantha H. Robinson (Figs. 1, 2) and S. racemosa H. cial necrologist of the department, sooner Robinson (Figs. 3-6) (Asteraceae) were published in Systematic or later the meticulous talents of Dr. Botany (1991). Discovery of S. racemosa as a distinct species was Nicolson may be summoned to prepare the made by Alice Tangerini upon examining the racemose form of last written statements concerning the the inflorescence. S. racemosa is probably extinct in its native careers of some of us who at this moment Minas Gerais state of Brazil, where the holotype was collected by are reading the details of his accomplish- Mendes Magalhaes in 1941. The illustration is currently on display ments. at the Botanical Illustrators Art Exhibit at the Blandy Experimen- tal Farm of the State Arboretum of Virginia located in Boyce, Virginia, which runs from March 12 -April 7.

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