Department of & the U.S. National Herbarium The Press

New Series - Vol. 13 - No. 1 January-March 2010 Botany Profile Are You Experienced? Interning in Botany By Gary A. Krupnick ducation plays a strong role in Internships have an element of educational serving an internship at the Museum has the Department of Botany. The training build into the appointment and increased over time and grown exponen- EDepartment’s mission and vision this training complements the education tially over the past few years; sometimes statement includes the aspiration “to and career goals of the intern. Internships even doubling from the previous year. become an international center for the at NMNH are administered centrally and In 2009 alone the Museum hosted 372 training of a new generation of botanical officially recorded with the Smithsonian internships with 46 of these in Botany. systematists, professional botanists and through the Center for Education and Interns have recently been involved paraprofessionals.” The resources avail- Museum Studies (SCEMS). in a broad range of projects: inventory- able within the museum, including staff, The Smithsonian is not a degree grant- ing herbarium specimens, creating digi- herbarium specimens, living greenhouse ing institution and therefore does not tal images of specimens, describing new specimens, and a molecular lab, make award academic credit. Interns can, how- species, managing databases of rare and the Department an attractive place for ever, receive academic credit from their endangered species, cataloguing historic students to further their training as young university or college for their internships collection maps, conducting laboratory botanists. and many U.S. colleges and universities research, and conducting field work in There are several ways that students will recognize academic work performed both terrestrial and marine locales. can gain botanical experience in the while interning at the museum. One program that hosted several Department. Volunteering is one way. Internship appointments are generally interns this past year was the Plant Con- Volunteers contribute their time to the at least six weeks in duration, although servation Unit (PCU). Headed by Gary benefit of the Institution. While the ser- special week-long opportunities during Krupnick, PCU is currently involved vice can be educational and of benefit to Winter Break and Spring Break are often in the preliminary conservation assess- the volunteer, the activities are deter- available. Students must be at least 16 ments of plant species. The Global Strat- mined solely by the sponsoring staff with years old to participate in an internship. egy for Plant Conservation (GSPC) calls the aim of contributing to the needs of The majority of students who serve an for a preliminary assessment list of the the Museum. A volunteer position is con- internship in the Department are from conservation status of all known plant sidered community service, not an aca- undergraduate colleges and universities, species by 2010. Unfortunately, only demic appointment, and is not recorded but high school students and graduate 4 percent of the world’s flora has been as such on the volunteers resume or CV. students have been appointed as interns as assessed. A model developed by Krup- The Visitor Information and Associates’ well. nick, with W. John Kress and Warren Reception Center (VIARC) manages and Wagner, uses data from herbarium speci- administers all behind-the-scenes volun- ating way back to the days when mens to speed up the global assessment, teer appointments Smithsonian-wide. Botany was housed in the SI identifying which plant species may be Internships are another way the DCastle and internships were an threatened and which species are com- Department actively engages students, informal and unrecorded appointment, mon based upon the number, timing, and providing hands-on education and train- the Department has maintained a long spacing of specimen collections. With ing in research, collections management tradition of educating students through the assistance of student interns, the and even administration. Unlike vol- internships. Many current and even retired plant specimen database of several plant unteering, an internship is an academic Botany staff started as an intern in the families from the U.S. National Her- appointment—a prearranged learning Department. Over the past 30 years, the barium has been checked for accuracy. experience with both the intern and National Museum of Natural History has Using floras and checklists, interns have Institution benefiting from the endeavor. hosted more than 3,000 interns including many in Botany. The number of students Continued on page 16 Travel Pedro Acevedo traveled to Tabasco, to forest of the Smithsonian Institu- – 10/28) to present the Darwin Lecture Mexico (10/4 – 10/14) to teach a 25-hour tion Global Earth Observatories (SIGEO) at the Smithsonian Tropical Research course on lianas and climbing of and the Center for Tropical Forest Science Institute; to Denver, Colorado and Santa the Neotropics at the Universidad Juarez (CTFS) network at the 3rd International Fe, New Mexico (11/6 – 11/10) and to Bir- Autonoma de Tabasco, visiting several Conference on DNA barcoding hosted by mingham, Alabama (11/18 – 11/19) as part localities and generally collecting lianas the Consortium for the Barcode of Life of a book tour for The Weeping Goldsmith and trees of interest, especially in the fam- (CBOL). and Botanica Magnifica; and to São Paulo, ily Sapindaceae. Robin Everly traveled to Seattle, Wash- Brazil (12/1 – 12/5) to participate in a Walter Adey traveled to Williamsburg, ington and to Chicago, Illinois (10/15 special workshop on DNA barcoding and Virginia (10/22; 12/10) to attend meet- – 10/21) to attend a Council on Botanical to give an invited lecture on plants. ings of the Chesapeake Algae Project; to and Horticultural Libraries board meet- Gary Krupnick traveled to Chicago, Fayetteville, ­­Arkansas and Kalamazoo, ing and to visit the Field Museum and the Illinois (9/30 – 10/3) to participate in the Michigan (11/2 – 11/6) to meet with col- Chicago Botanic Garden. North American regional meeting of the leagues at the University of Arkansas and Christian Feuillet travelled to St. Global Strategy for Plant Conservation the University of Western Michigan to Louis, Missouri (11/17 – 11/26) to work and a workshop on Botanical Capacity discuss results of the ATS Energy Proj- on West Indian Cordia (Boraginaceae) and Assessment, and to present a poster at ect; to Havre de Grace, Maryland (11/10) on Dilkea and Passiflora (Passifloraceae) the Janet Meakin Poor Research Sympo- to meet with Constellation Energy and at the Missouri Botanical Garden. sium—Global Plant Conservation Sci- Exelon staff to discuss the location of an Vicki Funk traveled to , ence and Outreach at the Chicago Botanic ATS pilot plant on Chesapeake Bay; and Argentina, and Chile (11/24/09 – 1/10/10) Garden. to Brooklyn, New York (11/15 – 11/16) to to meet with fellow synantherologists and Mark and Diane Littler traveled to meet with the Army Corps of Engineers to conduct field work; two former Smith- Ft. Pierce, Florida (12/25/09 – 2/19/10) directorate on the Susquehanna River sonian post-doctoral fellows, J. Marurico to conduct on-going field research on the Basin Commission. Bonifacino (Montevideo; MVFA) and functional-form, biosystematics and com- David Erickson traveled to Mexico Gisela Sancho (La Plata, LP), organized parative ecology of south Florida marine City, Mexico (11/7 – 11/11) to give a the events and participated in the field algae and seagrasses. presentation on applying DNA barcodes work. Paul Peterson traveled to Mexico City, W. John Kress traveled to London, Mexico (11/6 − 11/9) to attend a plan- The Plant Press England (10/12 – 10/16) to give an invited ning meeting for the Grass Barcoding of presentation at the 250th Anniversary Life Project (GrassBoL); and to San Jose, New Series - Vol. 13 - No. 1 Celebration of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Costa Rica (12/6 – 12/13) to give a semi- Kew; to Panama City, Panama (10/26 Continued on page 5 Chair of Botany Warren L. Wagner Visitors ([email protected]) Blanca Leon, Universidad Nacional zhou; Chloridoideae (Poaceae) (7/4/09- EDITORIAL STAFF Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, Peru; Peru- 7/4/10). Editor vian Tillandsia (Bromeliaceae) and flora Silvia Nicole, University of Padova, Italy; Gary Krupnick (10/18/07-10/18/09). ([email protected]) Plant DNA barcoding (7/10-10/31). Michael Martin, Johns Hopkins Uni- News Contacts versity; Ambrosia (Compositae) (1/1/09- Christine Bacon, Colorado State Univer- MaryAnn Apicelli, Robert Faden, Ellen 6/30/10). sity; Hawaiian Pritchardia (Arecaceae) Farr, Shirley Maina, Rusty Russell, Alice (9/8-12/8). Tangerini, and Elizabeth Zimmer Zhumei Ren, Shanxi University, China; Gallnut aphid/host plant coevolution based Emily Forse, Georgetown University; The Plant Press is a quarterly publication pro- Plant conservation internship (9/14-12/11). vided free of charge. To receive notification of on DNA sequences (2/1/09-1/31/10). when new pdf issues are posted to the web, please subscribe to the listserve by sending a message Pingting Chen, Central China Agri- Orlando Jara, Universidad Nacional de to [email protected] containing only the Colombia, Bogota; Colombian Erythroxy- following in the body of the text: SUBSCRIBE cultural University; Vitaceae (3/1/09- PLANTPRESS-NEWS Firstname Lastname. 2/28/10). lum (Erythroxylaceae) (9/17-10/18). Replace “Firstname Lastname” with your name. David Lorence, National Tropical Botani- If you would like to be added to the hard-copy Virginia Valcacel, Universidad Pablo mailing list, please contact Dr. Gary Krupnick at: de Olavide, Spain; Hedera (Araliaceae) cal Garden; Marquesas Islands flora (9/21- Department of Botany, Smithsonian Institution, 10/4). PO Box 37012, NMNH MRC-166, Washington, (4/19-10/20). DC 20013-7012, or by E-mail: krupnickg@ Andrea Leon, Universidad Nacional de si.edu. Qing Liu, South China Botanic Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guang- Colombia; Colombian ferns (Grammiti- Web site: http://botany.si.edu/ daceae) (9/28-10/25).

Page 2 Food For Thought: 21st Century Perspectives on Ethnobotany Chair eople are dependent upon plants for food, cloth- Hall of Human Origins will tell the epic story of ing, medicine, fuel and other necessities of life. human evolution and how this occurred over the With PHumans and plants have interacted as long as course of six million years in response to a chang- A humans have existed, but our relationship is not static. ing world. Since the advent of agriculture we have exerted evo- In addition, the José Cuatrecasas Medal in View lutionary pressure on plants that are of importance to Tropical Botany will be awarded at the Sympo- us. Indigenous and industrialized societies sium. This prestigious have interacted with plants in their envi- award is presented Warren ronments and influenced not only crop annually to an inter- plants, but also cultural landscapes. The national scholar L. 2010 Smithsonian Botanical Symposium, who has contributed Wagner hosted by the Departments of Botany and Anthropol- significantly to advancing the field of tropical ogy, will examine a number of different ways in which botany. The award is named in honor of Dr. José the field of ethnobotany is being transformed in the 21st Cuatrecasas, a pioneering botanist who spent century. many years working in the Department of Botany The Symposium, to be held 24-25 September 2010 at the Smithsonian and devoted his career to plant at the National Museum of Natural History in Wash- exploration in tropical . ington, D.C., will include a day of invited speakers, More information, including registration, will who will cover a wide range of topics: from the role be available soon on the Department of Botany molecular biology now has in elucidating crop domes- web page . tication to the ways in which peoples across myriad ecosystems interact with specific plants and landscapes. -- Laurence J. Dorr, Guest contributor The Symposium is being sponsored by the National Research Botanist & Curator Museum of Natural History and the United States Botanic Garden. The Symposium is one of many activities planned to help us celebrate the Centennial of the National Museum of Natural History. Participants in the Sympo- sium, who are not regular visitors to the Museum, will be privileged to see a major new exhibition that opens 17 March 2010 and is dedicated to the understanding of human origins. Based on decades of cutting-edge research by Smithsonian scientists, the David H. Koch

Amanda Saville, North Carolina State Charles Zartman, Instituto Nacional de Chun-Lin Huang, National Museum of University; Bamboo library and Dichan- Pesquisas da Amazônia, Brazil; Humiri- Natural Science, Taiwan; DNA barcoding thelium (Poaceae) (10/9). aceae (11/17-12/10). (11/30-12/24). Janelle Burke, Cornell University; Tropi- Alina Freire-Fierro, Philadelphia Acad- Grace Liu, University of West Georgia; cal Polygonaceae and Plumbaginaceae emy of Sciences; Colombian Monnina Plant conservation internship (12/14- (10/13-10/14). (Polygalaceae) (11/18). 12/18). Cesar Castellanos, Universidad Industrial Leigh Johnson, Brigham Young Univer- Dana Gadeken, University of Mary de Santander, Bucaramanga, Colombia; sity; Navarretia and Collomia (Polemoni- Washington; Plant conservation internship Colombian (10/19-10/23). aceae) (11/18). (12/14/09-1/8/10). Taina Price, ; Talinum Alexey Zinovjev, Independent researcher; Phil Dover, Babson College; Develop- (Portulacaceae) (10/20). Salix caprea (Salicaceae) (11/18). ment of the Institute for the Preservation of Medical Traditions (12/15). Nadia Roque, Universidade Federal da Volker Bremer, Lisa Cherepon, Mat- Bahia, Brazil; (10/20-11/6). thias Landthaler, Doris Linke, and Marie Balboa, University of North Katharina Roeseler, German Convention Carolina; Plant conservation internship Benoît Loeuille, University of São Paulo, Bureau; Ethnobotany and medicinal plants (12/21/09-1/8/10). Brazil; (Compositae) (11/15- (11/18). 12/14). Siddharth Rajagopalan, University of Daniel Atha, New York Botanical Garden; Virginia; Plant conservation internship Steven Torrey, Independent researcher; Persicaria (Polygonaceae) (11/30-12/2). (12/21/09-1/15/10). John Torrey papers and specimens (11/16).

Page 3 the ASBA Exhibit Chair. During her stay, Staff Tangerini toured the Garden, viewed the Rare Book Room, visited staff offices, and Research & met with archivist Doug Holland. Activities On 13-21October, Tangerini partici- pated in the ASBA annual meeting held at the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoe- Rusty Russell was selected as one of nix, Arizona. As a member of the ASBA seven featured scientists in the Coalition Board of Directors, Tangerini attended on the Public Understanding of Science a board meeting. She also taught a full (COPUS) Year of Science celebrating the day class in the technique of drawing theme “Biodiversity and Conservation,” on drafting film using polymer drafting . members and recipients of special awards, and the annual juried exhibit at the Phoe- On 7 October, Alice Tangerini attended nix Art Museum. Tangerini had drawings the opening of “Losing Paradise? Endan- in both exhibits – Ixora jourdaniensis and gered Plants Here and Around the World” Hernandia nukuhivensis at the Legacy, Maria Faust at the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. and Erato costaricensis in the Phoenix dinoflagellate algae in tropical, marine, Louis, Missouri. Her drawing of Morto- Museum. niodendron uxpanapense, illustrating a shallow water, mangrove and coral reef new species for Larry Dorr, was featured ecosystems, and to developing a premier in the exhibit along with 44 other paint- Staff U.S. Dinoflagellate Collection for research ings and drawings of endangered and Retirements and teaching based on modern informa- threatened plants. The traveling show was tion technology. Faust received her B.S. curated by the American Society of Botan- Maria Faust officially retired from the in Plant Physiology from the Agricultural ical Artists (ASBA) and developed in col- Smithsonian Institution in December. University, Budapest, Hungary, in 1951; laboration with the Smithsonian’s National Faust, a specialist in dinoflagellates, her M.S. in Soil Microbiology from Museum of Natural History. Twelve of the joined the Department of Botany in 1987 Rutgers University in 1962; and her Ph.D. participating artists attended the opening after 14 years at the Smithsonian Envi- in Microbial Physiology from the Univer- reception, featuring talks by Peter Raven, ronmental Research Center (SERC). Her sity of Maryland in 1970. Faust’s efforts President of Missouri Botanical Garden, research career has been dedicated to field at the Smithsonian have expanded our Kathryn Kennedy, President of the Center and laboratory research to understand knowledge of dinoflagellates considerably, for Plant Conservation, and Carol Woodin, microbial interactions and biodiversity of especially in the geographical area from Florida to Belize. During her more than two decades here she amassed a valuable collection of beautiful and detailed SEM images of these complex and interesting organisms. Faust will continue working in the Department under the title Emeritus Microbiologist. Ellen Farr retired from the Smithsonian Institution in December. A specialist in information management, Farr co-edited Index Nominum Genericorum (ING), developed specimen catalog databases, and published many web pages of Depart- ment research projects. Farr received her B.A. from Humboldt State College in 1963 and her M.S. from Virginia Polytech- nic Institute and State University in 1974. That same year, Farr joined the Depart- ment of Botany at the National Museum of Natural History. Under Farr’s expertise, the Department became a leader and major Alice Tangerini (fourth from left) attended the opening of “Losing Paradise? participant in the original Natural His- Endangered Plants Here and Around the World” with other participating artists at tory Gopher server (1994) with the U.S. the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis, Missouri. National Herbarium’s 88,000-record Type Page 4 Specimen Register. Farr developed the Earthwatch Institute supported field of his brothers. Ken Wurdack and Larry museum’s first visitor information and work in the San Jacinto Mountains; and Dorr were delighted to show them speci- staff publications databases with end-user to Medellin, Colombia (11/29 – 12/5) to mens in our collection that were collected data entry forms and search and display attend a partner meeting of the Global by their famous relative, including type functions. This resource was later adopted Plants Initiative and to visit the herbaria specimens of plants collected in California at the museum-level and the publica- of the Medellin Botanical Garden (JAUM) in 1865. tions database has now migrated to the and the University de Antioquia (HUA). Wurdack and Dorr explained to the SI Libraries Research Bibliography. She Alice Tangerini traveled to St. Louis, visitors the influence of Torrey and his created numerous database-driven web Missouri (10/6 – 10/9) to attend the open- pupil Asa Gray (1810-1888) on systematic sites for research projects (checklists, ing of the exhibition “Losing Paradise? botany, including Torrey’s adoption of a species accounts, etc.) as well as speci- Endangered Plants Here and Around the natural (as opposed to artificial) classifica- men presentations. Many now include an World” at the Missouri Botanical Garden; tion in his earliest published floras, Torrey internal interface for updating the informa- and to Phoenix, Arizona (10/13 – 10/21) and Gray’s joint and partially successful tion by members of the project team. Farr to participate in the American Society of attempt to write a flora of North America will continue working in the Department Botanical Artists annual meeting held at (A Flora of North America, 2 vols., 1838- under the title Information Management the Desert Botanical Garden. 1843) and its current multi-authored multi- Emeritus. Alain Touwaide and Emanuela volume on-going incarnation (Flora of Appetiti traveled to Messina, Italy (10/15 North America: North of Mexico, 29 vols., Awards & – 10/29) to deliver a paper at the sym- 1993-x), Gray’s advocacy of Darwin’s posium Ancient Scientific Lexicology theory of evolution, and Torrey’s relation- Grants organized at the University of Messina, ship to the Smithsonian Institution and its where Touwaide also presented a series of botanical collections. Mike, an architec- Diane Littler was selected for inclusion­ seminars and lectures; and to New York tural photographer, was in Washington, in the Women Divers Hall of Fame City (11/19 – 11/20) where Appetiti pre- D.C., to speak at the National Museum of (WDHOF) Class of 2010. WDHOF is an sented an invited lecture at the Arnold & the American Indian (NMAI) about his international non-profit professional honor Marie Schwartz College of Pharmacy and new book, Stone Offerings: Machu Pic- society whose member contributions span Health Sciences, Long Island University, chu’s Terraces of Enlightenment (2009). a wide variety of fields. Created in 1999, Brooklyn Campus. WDHOF’s two-part mission is to (1) Warren Wagner traveled to St. Louis, recognize women divers who have made Missouri (10/8) for the symposium Angio- Botany Website outstanding contributions to the explora- sperm Phylogeny and Biotic Evolution Update tion, understanding, safety and enjoyment at the Missouri Botanical Garden; and to of our underwater world, and (2) support London, England (10/11 – 10/16) to attend The Botanical Illustrations website the underwater world and its associ- the International Association for Plant has recently ated careers by promoting opportunities meeting and the conference been updated. About 935 plates have been for women and men in diving through “Plant Conservation for the Next Decade: scanned for the database. A new feature is scholarships, internships and mentorship A Celebration of Kew’s 250th Anniver- the added capability of linking the illustra- opportunities, and a worldwide network of sary” at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. tion to the type specimen if the drawing is industry contacts. WDHOF members are Jun Wen traveled to London, England of a type, and linking back from the Type the pioneers, leaders, innovators and world (10/11 – 10/17) to attend the International Register to the illustration. record holders throughout the international Association for Plant Taxonomy council diving community. meeting at the Royal Botanic Gardens, The Plant Image Collection (PIC) Kew; to China (10/18 – 10/30) to give a website has been selected as a valuable Travel talk on Darwin and biogeography at the Darwin 200 meeting in Peking University, educational resource by the education Continued from page 2 and to work in the herbaria of Beijing portal FUSE . FUSE is an Australian not-for- nar, “Una Filogenia de la Chloridoideae Institute of Botany and Kunming Institute profit web portal managed by the Victorian (Poaceae) Basados en Secuencias de ADN of Botany; and to Chicago, Illinois (12/16 Government’s Department of Education Plastidial y Nuclear,” and to review the – 12/27) to do herbarium work at the Field and Early Childhood Development, and grass collections at the Museo Nacional de Museum. is designed to share quality educational Costa Rica (CR) and Instituto Nacional de resources across Australian schools. Biodiversidad (INB) herbaria. Torrey Relatives Rusty Russell traveled to Ft. Worth, The Biological Diversity of the Guiana Texas (10/9 – 10/10) to discuss an exten- Visit USNH Shield Program (BDG) website has a new option for visitors to Texas Director Sy Sohmer and Collections the U.S. National Herbarium. They are explore. It is now possible to search the Manager Amanda Neill; to Riverside, related to the American botanist John plant collections by species, , or California (10/10 – 10/18) to continue Torrey (1796-1873), descended from one family as well as by collector. Page 5 The Smithsonian species of Cestrum. During his visit, Canal consulted about a hundred type specimens Institution’s 2010 at the U.S. National Herbarium. As a result, he confirmed the taxonomical status José Cuatrecasas of about 32 species present in Colombia. Fellowship Award He placed five names into synonymy and confirmed the placement of 14 synonyms The Smithsonian Institution’s Depart- previously proposed by other workers. ment of Botany announces the Cuatrecasas The study of Central and South Ameri- Award. This annual competition will usu- can collections allowed him to confirm ally result in 1-2 awards, each one not to the taxonomic identity of 49 species of exceed $3,000 (US). The award is to sup- Cestrum, four of which turned out to be port work in the spirit of the research of new to science for Colombia. In addition, the late Dr. José Cuatrecasas, a long time Canal identified three new records ofCes - associate of the U.S. National Herbarium. trum for Colombia, as well as defining the Priority will be given to scientists from distribution patterns and morphological Latin America or elsewhere who work Orlando Jara variation of several species. As a result, on tropical plants. Funds are to be used Bogotá, Colombia, spent four weeks from he generated descriptions for 29 species to study specimens housed in the U.S. 17 September to 18 October, at the U.S. and completed the descriptions of 16 National Herbarium. Anyone interested National Herbarium where he studied other species. The Cuatrecasas fellowship in applying for the award should submit collections of Erythroxylum (Erythroxy- allowed Canal to further understand the their curriculum vitae, a proposal and two laceae) from Colombia and neighboring status of the Colombian species of Ces- letters of support; it is suggested, but not countries in order to complete a taxonomic trum and to establish the basis for further required, that one of the letters be from revision of the genus Erythroxylum. Jara studies of Andean species of the genus. a scientist at the Smithsonian. Proposals registered 40 species of Erythroxylum and Benoît Francis Patrice Loeuille, from should not exceed two pages in length four varieties from Colombia. One impor- the Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil, and should include the following: Name tant achievement during his visit was that visited the U.S. National Herbarium from and address of applicant, date submitted, he studied the holotype of Erythroxylum 15 November to 14 December, to perform specific objective of trip, overall research acrobeles, one of the five Colombian phylogenetic studies based on morpho- project, date of trip, budget. Complete endemic species, collected only one time logical and molecular characteristics of applications should be sent via email, fax, by J. Cuatrecasas in 1952 in the Pacific the subtribe Lychnophorinae (Asteraceae: or airmail to Dr. Pedro Acevedo at the region of Colombia. Jara also studied ) and of the genus Eremanthus address listed below. Email is preferred collections of the Erythroxylum macro- Less., in order to understand the relation- and you should receive a reply confirming phyllum complex—a group of species ships between the genera of the Lychno- that we have received your application. with difficult taxonomy and very broad phorinae and the rest of the tribe Vernon- Applications should arrive no later than 30 distribution. Muñoz is studying the mor- ieae, as well as to clarify the circumscrip- April and applicants will be notified of the phological variation to discover how many tion of the genus. The subtribe Lychno- committee decision no later than 15 May. species can be differentiated. Additionally, phorinae, endemic to Brazil, contains 11 Anyone wishing to make a contribu- he found some specimens of a species that genera and ca. 110 species. Most species tion to the José Cuatrecasas Award Fund he is currently describing from northwest are restricted to campo rupestre areas of should send a check to the Chairman, Peru. He also determined some specimens southeastern and northeastern Brazil and Department of Botany, using the address: that had incorrect names or were only Department of Botany determined to genus level. Smithsonian Institution Dubán Canal Gallego, from the Uni- P.O. Box 37012 versidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, NMNH MRC 166 Colombia, visited the U.S. National Her- Washington DC 20013-7012 USA barium from 5 August to 10 September, to FAX: 202-786-2563 identify and evaluate Colombian species E-mail: [email protected] of Cestrum L., the second largest genus of Solanaceae, with about 180 species distributed in the Neotropics. In spite of Recipients of the the 250 year of history, the genus is still not well understood. The only available José Cuatrecasas systematic treatment for the genus was published by Francey in 1935 and 1936, Award Visit NMNH where he registered 257 species. Countries José Cuatrecasas Travel Award Fellow such as Brazil, Colombia and Ecuador Orlando Adolfo Jara Muñoz, from the only have preliminary checklist for the Herbario Nacional Colombiano (COL), Dubán Canal Page 6 to the cerrado. Eremanthus, a genus of ca. 20 species, is a typical element of the cerrado and campo rupestre. The U.S. collection contains nearly 1,000 speci- mens of Lychnophorinae. During his visit, Loueuille furnished distribution data for several taxa, discovered unidentified type material, and found a new species of the genus Minasia, which will be published in collaboration with Harold Robinson. Loueuille also studied several Vernonieae taxa for which no specimens are avail- able in Brazil: Critoniopsis huaricajana, Critoniopsis sodiroi, polyga- laefolia, Lepidonia jonesii, Stokesia laevis, Stramentopappus poolae, Strobocalyx arborea, Tarlmounia elliptica, Vernonia fasciculata and Vernonia noveboracen- sis. For each taxon, 70 characters were analyzed to fill the morphological data matrix. The chloroplastic region matK was sequenced for five Lychnophorinae taxa to detect the amount of variation in the sequences and the resulting usefulness for phylogenetic reconstruction. These Vicki Funk receives the First Annual Secretary’s Award for Excellence in Collab- sequences are currently being analyzed. orative Spirit from Smithsonian Secretary Wayne Clough. (Photo by the Office of The gathered data during Loueuille’s visit the Secretary) helped solve several taxonomic problems, time and energy to this process, taking deep appreciation of nature and biodiver- produced a broader phylogeny by includ- time out of her rigorous research schedule sity and in her belief that through cross- ing extra Brazilian taxa, and represented to personally meet with dozens of people unit partnership the Smithsonian can meet an important step in the understanding of outside of her regular circles to hear their and overcome the grandest of challenges. the Lychnophorinae. views and ideas. Funk’s most enduring Her love of the Institution is infectious contribution to the strategic plan was in and she has unbounded enthusiasm for this the development of the “mission themes,” place and the great things it can do, all of the comprehensive, cross-cutting topics which is evident in her work on the strate- that span across disciplines and demon- gic plan, a document which will shape the strate how the whole of the Smithsonian future of the Smithsonian. is greater than the sum of its parts. She hosted weekly lunches with a rotating group of committee members and other assorted folks to develop and refine these Funk Receives ideas, and personally oversaw the draft- ing of dozens of versions of these themes Collaborative Spirit which are now the centerpiece of the new strategic plan. Award Funk held true to her belief that the Vicki Funk is the recipient of the First future of the Smithsonian is dependent on Annual Secretary’s Award for Excellence an interdisciplinary, rather than insular, in Collaborative Spirit. In October 2008, approach to scholarship. She showed a Funk was selected to serve as a Co-Chair willingness to change her own opinions of the Smithsonian Strategic Planning and embrace new perspectives, setting Steering Committee, a 24-member group an example for how compromise can be appointed by the Secretary to provide reached in a way that still results in for- guidance during the first-ever pan-Institu- ward progress. This example of collabora- tional strategic planning process. tive effort will serve as a model for how Funk demonstrated a willingness to everyone can work together across units in collaborate with others to develop a col- the future to achieve common goals. lective vision for the Smithsonian’s future. Funk’s zealous commitment to the She dedicated a tremendous amount of Smithsonian mission is embodied in her

Page 7 Biological Field original journal or field book can be a Original source documents are so lengthy and frustrating exercise. fundamental to our understanding and Book Project In the same manner in which biologi- appreciation of exploration and discovery cal specimens are the original source for within biology, that we expect a project to Receives CLIR information related to species, so too identify, expose and deliver these materi- Funding are these field books, journals, notes and als will be met with great interest and sketches the original source for informa- enthusiastic involvement by other reposi- A collaboration between the United tion related to the events during which tories of similar objects. States National Herbarium and the Smith- biological specimens were acquired. For more information, contact Rusty sonian Institution Archives has received Scholars, therefore, invest greater intellec- Russell at [email protected]. a grant of $500K from the Council on tual value in these materials than anything Library Information Resources (CLIR). that has been subsequently interpreted or The purpose of this project is to develop transcribed. a cataloging standard for an overlooked In their attempt to better understand the resource – original field books housed increasingly important issues surrounding in the Smithsonian that document the global biodiversity, taxonomists are more Bat Pollination in collection of biological organisms. This frequently revisiting these original sources metadata schema will be coordinated with in order to resolve species delimitations Review the Natural Collections Description Group and analyze change over time. Science A new invited review paper, just (NCD; http://www.tdwg.org/activities/ historians are accessing these materials published in the Annals of Botany by Ted ncd) and the Biodiversity Heritage Library to reconstruct and more accurately report Fleming, Cullen Geiselman, and W. John (BHL; http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/) the events surrounding scientific discov- Kress, provides a new perspective on the and will provide a framework for catalog- ery. Public and private land managers are ecology and evolution of the pollination of ing the tens of thousands of original field using the information obtained from origi- by bats. Fleming, a specialist on books in the numerous science bureaus nal accounts of the landscape to design bat pollination and dispersal; Geiselman, a within the Smithsonian. strategies for habitat reconstruction, and graduate student in plant systematic at the Representatives from major natural set-asides for preservation and recreation. New York Botanical Garden; and Kress history organizations are participating Managers of systematics collections are summarize the literature and synthesize in the development of this data standard using the more detailed locality descrip- new insights into the evolution of which will result in an online Registry of tions in personal journals to accurately visiting by bats using a phylogenetic field books to which any other repository resolve the precise collecting location approach. This paper is a prelude to a of field books may contribute. This central of plant and animal specimens in their forthcoming book by Fleming and Kress Registry will also facilitate research- care. Ecologists are retrieving the original (in preparation) entitled The Ornaments of ers’ attempts to locate original field note records of field work, which oftentimes Life – Ecology, Evolution, and Conserva- books and original related material which includes data not present on specimen tion of Tropical - and Fruit-eating sometimes can be distributed in multiple labels, to help them integrate species Vertebrates and their Food Plants to be organizations, or even multiple locations information into their analytical models. published by University of Chicago Press. within the same organization. As an example, the many thousands of biological field books at the Smithso- nian are maintained in no fewer than 22 different offices, programs, departments, research stations and museums, not to mention those that are controlled by the library and archives units. Over the years, our experience in the U.S. National Her- barium suggests that there is a tremendous need for access to field book data. Biology relies on the original lit- erature and original sources of species information more than any other science discipline. Critical among these resources are the personal field books, journals and notes of the collectors of plant and animal species, as well as the actual specimens acquired. The development of finding aids and digitization of the latter has been underway for decades. However, what Nectar-feeding bat Glossophaga soricina visiting flowers of Mabea occidentalis should be the simple task of locating an (). (Photo by Merlin D. Tuttle, Bat Conservation International) Page 8 Celebrating 100 Years at the National Museum of Natural History The Natural History Building first 1965 opened its doors to the public on 17 March 1910. The Museum will celebrate its 100th birthday with a special exhibition featuring archival and modern photo- graphs highlighting many facets of this building—its people, collections, exhibi- tions, and outreach throughout the years. Photographs both old and new will give snapshots of life and work at the Museum over the past 100 years. The staff, research associates, contractors, volunteers, fel- lows, and visitors of the Department of Botany came together in January to cel- ebrate the centennial with a group picture. Two previous staff photographs appear here. On the following page is the 2010 Botany photograph, taken by Smithsonian photographer, Chip Clark.

12 December 1990

Page 9 The Department of Botany

1. Jamie Whitacre (contractor) 22. Stanwyn Shetler (emeritus scientist) 42. James Norris (staff) 2. Eduardo Garcia Milagros (contractor) 23. Stanley Yankowski (staff) 43. Carol Kelloff (staff) 3. Hilary Cochard (volunteer) 24. Chris Tuccinardi (staff) 44. Mark Strong (staff) 4. Vicki Funk (staff) 25. Jim Harle (volunteer) 45. Robert Sims (staff) 5. Stephen Smith (staff) 26. Katherine Rankin (staff) 46. Andrew Clark (staff) 6. Warren Wagner (staff) 27. William Cavan Allen (contractor) 47. Natalya Crump (term appointment) 7. Gregory McKee (staff) 28. Pedro Acevedo (staff) 48. Mike Bordelon (staff) 8. Laurence Dorr (staff) 29. J. Mauricio Bonifacino (visiting 49. Aaron Goldberg (research associate) 9. Paul Peterson (staff) scientist) 50. Lynn Russo (volunteer) 10. Robert Soreng (research associate) 30. Jim Estes (visiting scientist) 51. Florence “Pat” Jones (contractor) 11. Barrett Brooks (staff) 31. Weidong Zhu (visiting scientist) 52. Jimmy Triplett (post-doctoral fellow) 12. Walter Adey (staff) 32. Mary Ann Apicelli (staff) 53. Emanuela Appetiti (staff) 13. Laurence Skog (emeritus scientist) 33. Roz Elliott (volunteer) 54. Sue Lutz (staff) 14. Christian Feuillet (research associate) 34. Jane Reich (volunteer) 55. Sylvia Orli (staff) 15. Dan Nicolson (emeritus scientist) 35. Linda Hollenberg (staff) 56. Ellen Farr (emeritus scientist) 16. Rusty Russell (staff) 36. Deborah Bell (staff) 57. Elaine Haug (staff) 17. Robert Ireland (research associate) 37. Leslie Brothers (staff) 58. Maria Faust (emeritus scientist) 18. Dieter Wasshausen (emeritus scientist) 38. Alain Touwaide (staff) 59. Shruti Dube (term appointment) 19. Kenneth Wurdack (staff) 39. Gary Krupnick (staff) 60. Rose Gulledge (staff) 20. W. John Kress (staff) 40. Jun Wen (staff) 61. Ida Lopez (staff) 21. Robert Faden (staff) 41. Susan Rechen (staff) 62. Alice Tangerini (staff) Page 10 21 January 2010

63. Patricia Davis (staff) 64. Margaret Gardner (staff) 65. Rong Li (post-doctoral fellow) 66. Jianying Xiang (post-doctoral fellow) 67. Neal Berg (volunteer) 68. Robin Everly (staff) 69. Sara Alexander (contractor) 70. Haywood Dail Laughinghouse (contractor) 71. Carla Miller (contractor) Not Present 72. Fiona Wilkinson (contractor) • John Boggan (staff) • Daniel Layton (contractor) 73. Jennifer Hill (contractor) • Jay Bolin (post-doctoral fellow) • Qing Lin (visiting scientist) 74. Jenny Datiles (intern) • Sarah “Sally” Eichhorn (staff) • Diane Littler (research associate) 75. Sabrina Crane (contractor) • David Erickson (research associate) • Mark Littler (staff) 76. Patricia Groome (contractor) • Bernadette Gibbons (staff) • Shirley Maina (staff) 77. Ingrid Pol-yin Lin (contractor) • Vinita Gowda (contractor) • Silvana Martén-Rodríguez 78. Jim Short (volunteer) • James Horn (post-doctoral fellow) (post-doctoral fellow) 79. Celia Chen (visiting scientist) • Gabriel Johnson (staff) • Harold Robinson (staff) 80. Zhumei Ren (visiting scientist) • Anurita Krishnan (contractor) • Elizabeth Zimmer (staff) Page 11 Adventures in After the conference in Montevideo, Funk, Sancho and Bonifacino went on an Patagonia extended botanical expedition to Patagonia in Argentina. They took the ferry to Bue- In December 2009 and January 2010, nos Aires and flew to El Calafate where Vicki Funk and two former postdoctoral they started a journey that took them fellows, J. Mauricio Bonifacino (MVFA) through more than 3000 km of rugged and Gisela Sancho (LP), participated in a terrain. About half the time they traveled three-day conference and conducted field through the Patagonian steppe and then work in South America. The conference alongside the jagged peaks of the southern had two parts: a public symposium, Sys- Andes. tematics, Evolution and Biogeography of An extended 3-year drought was in the Compositae, and a small meeting for place along the steppe; the drought and Compositae scientists. The conference was and an unusually cold and late spring hosted by the Facultad de Agronomía in made the collecting spots fewer and harder Montevideo, Uruguay, thanks to the gener- to find. Notwithstanding these weather- ous support of Facultad de Agronomía, related challenges, more than 100 collec- Comisión Sectorial de Investigación tions of Compositae were obtained. These Cien­­tífica de Uruguay (CSIC), ­Programa collections served primarily as an updated de Desarrollo de Ciencias Básicas input to the ongoing project for a revisited (PEDECIBA), and the Smithsonian Insti- Flora Patagonica, and will also foster Map showing locations corresponding tution. further advance on the understanding of with collecting sites. 1) El Calafate; 2) At the public symposium, Funk, Boni- the basal lineages of the Compositae and Sunken crater northeast from Cardiel facino, and Sancho were among those who provide modern collections with molecular Lake; 3) Estancia Sierras Blancas; presented talks. In the afternoon meetings, material for many important taxa. 4) Chubut; 5) Between Los Antiguos there were discussions of the ongoing First in a series of rewarding collecting and Paso Roballos; 6) Between Lago project on the systematics of Gochnatieae, spots was a sunken crater in the middle Pueyrredon and Chile; 7) Los Glaciares a critical basal lineage in the Compositae. of a plateau northeast from Cardiel Lake National Park. On the final day they went for a field trip in Santa Cruz, Argentina. Among several to the southern end of Cuchilla Grande interesting collections there was a species that everyone agreed should be investi- hill range in southern Uruguay where they of (Calyceraceae) which was gated further. observed and collected several strict and rather prolific on the upper rim of the cra- Second, in northeast Santa Cruz, in regional endemic species such as Schlech- ter. Bonifacino found this location using Estancia Sierras Blancas, they found an tendalia luzulifolia Less. Google Earth and it is definitely a place area dominated by rather dramatic white sandstone formations and several collec- tions where obtained. Third, after many stops without results the collectors were please to findEria - chaenium magellanicum Sch. Bip. The small muddy lake alongside route 24 in Chubut produced the first collection of this monotypic genus which has not been sequenced. The species, with fleshy, shiny, dark green and minute heads, grows totally appressed to the ground. Shortly after this collection Sancho had to return home and Funk and Bonifacino continued to western Patagonia. Fourth, along the border with Chile between Los Antiguos and Paso Roballos (on a road not yet open for the season) they found a rocky outcrop that was a veri- table rock garden of interesting plants all small and appressed to the ground, includ- ing (Compositae), Violaceae, Calyceraceae, and Valerianaceae. Fifth, at the end of a very bad road Speakers at the conference during a fieldtrip to southern end of Cuchilla Grande between Lago Pueyrredon and Chile, hill range in southern Uruguay (Standing, from left to right: Gisela Sancho, Liliana among a vast area dominated by Mulinum Katinas, and Vicki Funk; kneeling, Nadia Roque and J. Mauricio Bonifacino. Page 12 J. Mauricio Bonifacino and Vicki Funk in Los Glaciares Nacional Park with Laguna Capri and Cerro Fitz Roy on the background.

Nassauvia sp., Santa Cruz, ­Argentina. On 19 December, having success- Chile, she could not refrain from making a fully completed the first two parts of the few collections of interesting plants. spinosum (Apiaceae), they found another expedition, Bonifacino flew home. Funk The U.S. National Herbarium has Compositae “garden” with Hypocha- flew to Bariloche , where she met with around 500,000 sheets of Compositae with eris, Erigeron, Perezia, two species of Cecilia Ezcurra (BCRU), the Director of a strong representation from the western Leucheria along with Quinchemalium of the Herbarium at Universidad Nacional hemisphere, but there are few collections the Santalaceae and Calyceraceae. del Comahue. Ezcurra loaned Funk a plant from Patagonia so the results of these trips Finally, at Los Glaciares National Park press and offered to mail any additional will be a welcome addition. near Cerro Fitz Roy, along and above collections to LP. Also in Bariloche was the Rio Blanco, several climbs up the Jim Nix, Funk’s husband, who was fly steep slopes produced all three species of fishing. Funk collected east of Bariloche Naussavia that were known from the park. and near Junin de Los Andes. On 1 Janu- Before leaving the Fitz Roy area, Funk ary, Funk and Nix took a bus to Esquel and Bonifacino each gave presentations and then a driver took them to near La to a group of park rangers. In El Calafate Junta, Chile where Funk collected in the they mailed all of their collections to San- temperate wet forests of Chilean Patago- cho in La Plata. nia. Although Funk was on leave while in

Eriachaenium magellanicum Sch. Bip., Nastanthus sp. (Calyceraceae) at the upper rim of a crater, Santa Cruz, Argentina. central Chubut, Argentina. Page 13 Focus on Research Associates There is No on This Rolling Stone! Robert R. Ireland Curates the US Bryophyte Herbarium By Vicki A. Funk Robert R. Ireland was born in the small the common in the field. While lected mosses, mainly in Washington, town of Kingman, Kansas in 1932 but he was attending the Biological Station, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and British soon left with his parents to be raised and Elva Lawton, a specialist on mosses at the Columbia; made pencil drawings for the educated in several other larger towns in University of Washington in Seattle, wrote artists to ink of numerous mosses for the Kansas. His parents eventually moved to Jack Sharp that she had just received flora; and did many chromosome counts to Topeka, the capital of Kansas, which a National Science Foundation grant to of mosses in the region. He received his is near the University of Kansas where write a book on the Moss Flora of the Ph.D. in 1966 with a thesis entitled, A Ireland graduated from high school. He Pacific Northwest and needed a student Taxonomic Revision of the Genus Pla- received his B.A. (1956) and M.A. (1957) Research Assistant to help her with the giothecium in North America, North of from the University of Kansas majoring in work. Ireland left the Smithsonian and Mexico. Upon graduation he was offered a Botany, probably because his middle name accepted the research position since he had position at the National Museum of Natu- is Root, which was his grandmother’s always wanted to see Pacific Northwest ral Sciences (now known as the Canadian maiden name. He studied vascular plants and the numerous interesting mosses that Museum of Nature) in Ottawa, Ontario at the university, with his thesis being on occurred there. where he served from 1966-1994, first as a biosystematics study of two Kansas spe- As a Research Assistant Ireland col- the Curator of Bryophytes (1966-1991) cies of the genus Erythronium (Liliaceae). Shortly before Ireland’s graduation in 1957, Conrad V. Morton sent a letter to the Botany Department of the University of Kansas saying that he wanted someone to come to the Smithsonian to learn the bryophytes. Ireland decided to switch botanical fields. He then started his career at the Smithsonian in the summer of 1957 by accepting the position as an Herbarium Aid in Cryptogams where he worked in one of the towers of the old sandstone Smithsonian Castle Building with the lichenologist Mason E. Hale. A year later he became an Assistant Curator of Bryophytes. Since there was no one at the Smithsonian to teach him the bryophytes, he learned them on his own from books and herbarium specimens. He also did field work to collect bryophytes mostly in the Shenandoah National Park, the Dismal Swamp region in southern Virginia, Ice Mountain in West Virginia and Roan Mountain in North Carolina. He sent the specimens he identified for verification as well as those that he could not identify to other well known bryologists, especially Howard Crum at the University of Michi- gan. Ireland soon decided that he preferred the mosses to the other two groups of bryophytes, namely the hornworts and the liverworts. Ireland attended the University of Michigan Biological Station (known as the “Bug Camp”) in the summer of 1961, where A.J. Sharp (University of Tennes- see) was teaching the bryophytes. It was Ireland, R.R. 1985. A new species of Cynodontium from Mexico. The Bryologist here that he learned to recognize many of 88(4): 372-373. Page 14 continued his studies on the mosses at the U.S. National Herbarium, sometimes working with Harold Robinson on a few publications. He also traveled to the Missouri Botanical Garden for a couple of months for several summers to study their moss collections and work with the bryologists there. In 2001 he received a National Geographic Research Grant (NGRG) to study the moss flora of the Bío-Bío Region in south-central Chile. The following year he received another NGRG to continue his study of the mosses in this large and interesting region. During the two expeditions, over 6,000 speci- mens of mosses were collected, including duplicate specimens which he has supplied the Smithsonian for exchange with other institutions. Ireland is still identifying many of the specimens, as well as trying to find specialists in some difficult families of mosses to assist him with naming those in their field of expertise. In addition to his present interest in the mosses of Chile, he has authored or coauthored treatments of two families and several genera of mosses in the book Moss Flora of Mexico (Sharp, Crum and Eckel; 1994) and is currently publishing several genera and families in the Bryophytes: Mosses, parts 1 and 2, of the Flora of North America series. His main interest has always been in the pleurocarpous, or

Continued on page 16 Ireland, R.R. 2004. Dacryophyllum falcifolium, a new North American genus and species (Musci: ) from California. Novon 14(1): 70-74. and then as Research Scientist of Bryo- region of Quebec along the western coast phytes (1991-1994). of the Hudson Bay; in many regions of During his research in Canada, Ireland Ontario; and in the northern part of British worked mainly in the Maritime prov- Columbia, accessible only by sea planes. inces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia In 1994 his position was terminated after and Prince Edward Island; he eventually the Canadian Museum of Nature had published a book on the moss flora of financial problems and 34 employees, the region in 1982. While in Canada he including eight scientists, were released. also published 1) Checklist of the Mosses Ireland has two sons, the oldest is of Canada (1980, revised in 1987), with a civil engineer and the youngest is a four other bryologists; 2) an Illustrated computer software designer. Both live in Guide to Some Hornworts, Liverworts Ottawa, Canada. Ireland’s wife of 39 years and Mosses of Eastern Canada, with a passed away in 1996. In 1998 Ireland student bryologist; 3) a number of meiotic decided to move back to northern Virginia chromosome counts of mosses; and 4) to escape the cold weather of Canada SEM studies on the morphology of spores and also be near his oldest son who was of species in three genera of mosses. working in Virginia at the time. In 1999 Besides collecting several years in the Ireland returned to his bryological origins Maritime provinces for his book, Ireland and became a Research Associate in the also collected in the Arctic on Bathurst Department of Botany at the National Robert Ireland at age 40 at work in the Island where the Canadian Museum of Museum of Natural History. herbarium at the Canadian Museum of Nature had a field station; in the subarctic Over the past ten years, Ireland has Nature in 1972. Page 15 Ireland ibn Butlan that deals with the factors Profile Continued from page 15 influencing human health – from the air, Continued from page 1 the environment, and food, to physical prostrate mosses, of the families Plagioth- been assisting in identifying synonymy exercise and sexual activity. In contrast to eciaceae and Hypnaceae, in addition to problems and resolving gaps in specimen the Arabic original, several copies of the his interest in the acrocarpous, or erect data records, such as identifying missing Latin version are illustrated. Characteristi- mosses, of the family Dicranaceae. geographic data at the state, province, and cally, these illustrated Tacuinum sanitatis His outside interests are travelling island level. come from northern Italy and date to the to different countries, watching sports Further, of the approximately 5 million 14th century. Their illustrations are not (he also coached little league baseball specimens in the collection at the U.S. just scientific representations of the plants in Canada for 25 years) and collecting National Herbarium, roughly 1 million and other substances used as medicines; stamps, both U.S. and Canadian. specimens (20%) have been inventoried. instead, they include all the factors that He hopes to continue working at the Interns are helping to build the database influence health. For all the subjects, the Smithsonian, mainly in the winter, and by inventorying specimens from tar- images represent all the elements in their spend part of his time in Canada dur- geted plant families (e.g., Fabaceae and context, thus offering a series of snapshots ing their summer. Certainly his efforts in Poaceae) and geographic regions (e.g., the of medieval daily environment, life, and curating our somewhat neglected Bryo- West Indies) for conservation assessments. activities. phyte collection here at the U.S. National The Collections Management, headed Such images constitute a source of Herbarium are most appreciated and we by Rusty Russell, hosted the most interns particular importance for the history of hope to see him around in the winters for this past year, focusing on projects ranging botanical knowledge and illustration. some time to come. from the plant image collection to organiz- Plants are not only represented in great ing the historic map collection. The Plant detail, but also inserted into their envi- A Medieval Book Image Collection project is a continua- ronment, be it natural or human. Many tion of the longstanding work to build for a Healthy Life of these representations include human and make available tens of thousands of figures, which illustrate the way plants Among its many treasures, the Bib- plant images on the Botany website. In were collected, treated, used, or loaded liothèque de France in Paris holds a great 2010, in addition to adding images from with cultural meanings. They constitute a many medieval herbals and medical books Mary Stensvold (U.S. Forest Service), the material of great interest for a study of the splendidly illustrated. One of these is the West Virginia University herbarium, and interaction between men and plants. manuscript latinus 9333, which has been other donated collections, Russell and his As Touwaide shows, the manuscript reproduced in facsimile with a volume of interns plan to conserve the Soderstrom encapsulates a knowledge and wisdom study by the Spanish publisher Moleiro. slide collection, archive backup images, gained by trial and error over centuries, In the volume of study, Alain Touwaide and upload selected images to both the often going back to a much earlier period. has contributed three chapters in which Encyclopedia of Life (EOL) and Smithso- The archeology of its text brings to light he highlights the history, importance, and nian Flickr sites. the odyssey of medicine and science in the originality of this manuscript. Another project focuses on the botany Mediterranean area and beyond, as latinus Latinus 9333 is a copy of the so- of the United States Exploring Expedi- 9333 moved from Italy further north, called Tacuinum sanitatis. It is the Latin tion: 1838-1842. In the U.S. National where its Latin text was translated into translation of a treatise originally written Herbarium there are potentially 10,000 German. in Arabic by the 11th-century physician U.S. Exploring Expedition specimens from around the world. It is estimated that a total of 50,000 botanical specimens exist at a variety of herbaria across the country and around the globe. A compre- hensive narrative discussing the Botany of the U.S. Exploring Expedition has not yet been done. This project focuses on the botanical story of the expedition from its historical and scientific perspectives. The project’s goals include enumerating the entire collection, conserving each speci- men, and producing a web presentation that integrates specimens and historical documents, such as publications, corre- spondence, manuscripts, field notes, and journal entries, into a precise resource on the Botany of the U.S. Exploring Expedi- tion. Interns have been working in the The manuscript of Paris, Bibliothe`que nationale de France, latinus 9333: f. 36 herbarium to extract specimens collected verso: Ocimum basilicum L.; and f. 37 recto: Mandragora officinarum L. on the U.S. Exploring Expedition as well Page 16 as conducting research online, and in libraries and archives to resolve gaps in the specimen data record. Additionally, interns have been managing the growing Wilkes collection and transcribing histori- cal documents. Russell also leads a study to examine the floristic changes in the Santa Rosa/San Jacinto National Monument. The Depart- ment of Botany has a cooperative project between the U.S. National Herbarium, the Riverside Municipal Museum, the University of Redlands and the University of California-Riverside mapping changes in the flora of the Santa Rosa/San Jacinto National Monument area in Riverside County using thousands of historic specimen records and modern botanical collections. Interns have been assembling herbarium specimens from this locality and collecting data in electronic form. Digital images have been created. Most importantly, interns have been translating the general locality information in geo-ref- erence points in order for it to be interpre- Gary Krupnick (R) and his Plant Conservation Unit winter-break interns (L-R): table by GIS. Information obtained from Dana Gadeken, Marie Balboa, Siddharth Rajagopalan, and Eleanor Moran. (Photo this project will contribute to improved by Elaine Haug) public education as well as to decisions made by the Bureau of Land Management interns in the Eastern Caribbean islands, interned with Faden in 1994 and 1995, and regarding designation of certain land in where they have an on-going investigation Jeffery Saarela who interned with Paul the area of the National Monument. on the relationship between the genus Hel- Peterson in 2001. Beyond herbarium work, the Depart- iconia and their hummingbird pollinators. Below is a partial list of the 2009 ment has hosted interns in a laboratory The students learned how to set up an eco- interns hosted by the Department of setting and in the field. Liz Zimmer has logical study, record observations, dissect Botany (listed by supervisor and project). had interns isolate plant DNAs from vari- flowers, and collect and analyze nectar. W. John Kress ous forms of tissue samples, check the Mark and Diane Littler have mentored Evolutionary history of Heliconia amount and integrity of the DNAs and interns in the Bahamas, where they taught • Laura Lagomarsino, University of amplify and sequence DNAs with specific methods of SCUBA-based field collecting California, Berkeley barcoding gene primers. Bob Faden hosted and pressing techniques for various algal interns who learned about plant anatomy species, plus molecular, preservation and Isolation and barcoding plant DNA and microtechnique using living plants identification techniques. samples grown in the Botany Department Research Many interns have presented their • Tarja de Soysa, Smith College Greenhouse. The techniques used include Smithsonian internship research at • Nandita Fernandes, St. George’s Uni- paraffin-embedded sections, whole scientific meetings and conferences. For versity clearings, epidermal scrapes, and scan- instance, Laura Lagomarsino, an under- • Silvia Nicole, University of Padona ning electron microscopy. Other research- graduate student from the University of • Ci Xiuqin, Chinese Academy of Sci- ers in Botany, such as Pedro Acevedo, California – Berkeley, now in the graduate ence Laurence Dorr, Vicki Funk, John Kress, program at Harvard University, presented • Zhang Yongjians, China Agricultural Mark Littler, James Norris, Paul Peterson, an oral paper, “Phylogeny and Floral Evo- University Harold Robinson, Laurence Skog, and lution of Heliconia section Heliconia,” at • Zhuo Zhang, University of Michigan Warren Wagner have hosted interns in an the joint Botany and Mycology 2009 Soci- Molecular phylogeny of the Strelitziaceae organized 10-week hypothesis-driven, eties meetings held in Snowbird, Utah, this • Cary Pirone, Florida International in-residence summer research and study past July. Like Lagomarsino, many interns University curriculum for undergraduate students. have gone on to graduate school to further For the ultimate botanical experience, their education in botany. Several interns Gary Krupnick interns have participated in field research. who have completed their doctorates are Conservation assessment of plant species Over the past six years, through funding now Research Associates in the depart- • Marie Balboa, University of North from Smith College, Kress and his gradu- ment and are active collaborators with Carolina Chapel Hill ate student Vinita Gowda have mentored Botany staff, such as Chris Hardy who Continued on page 18 Page 17 Profile • Chutimon Sindhuprama, University of ies and in the winter discounts on skat- Continued from page 17 Michigan ing and equipment rental at the National • Amanda Swango, University of North Gallery Sculpture Garden Ice Skating • Kelsey Brooks, Princeton University Carolina, Chapel Hill Rink, located next to the Natural History • Hannah Brown, Averett University Filing plant specimens Museum. • Emily Forse, Georgetown University • Eric Caine, Phillips Exeter Academy • Dana Gadeken, University of Mary High School Washington Publications • Michael Ely, Winston Churchill High • Joo Hyun Lee, George Washington School Clark, J.L. and L.E. Skog. 2009. Novae University Gesneriaceae Neotropicarum XVI: Pear- • Grace Liu, University of West Georgia Floristic changes in the Santa Rosa/San cea pileifolia, a new species of Gesneri- • Melissa Marshall, Smith College Jacinto National Monument aceae from South America. Novon 19(4): • Eleanor Moran, University of Virginia • Steven Chong, San Jose State Univer- 439-443. • Mayda Nathan, Dartmouth College sity • Julie Szymakzek, American University • Siddharth Rajagopalan, University of Clark, J.R., W.L. Wagner and E.H. Virginia Linguistic analysis of ethnobotanical data Roalson. 2009. Patterns of diversifica- • Ashley Sullivan, American University from herbarium collections tion and ancestral range reconstruction in • Linda Yi, Towson University • Aaron Freeman, University of Mary- the Southeast Asian-Pacific angiosperm land lineage Cyrtandra (Gesneriaceae). Mol. Mark Littler Phylogenet. Evol. 53(3): 982-994. Collecting expedition in Bahamas Plant Image Collection • Genna Fleming, University of Mary- • Kristal Ambrose, Caribbean Marine Demes, K.W., M.M. Littler and D.S. land Research Center Littler. 2010. Comparative phosphate • Caitlin O’Brian, Caribbean Marine Liz Zimmer acquisition in giant-celled rhizophytic Research Center Isolation and barcoding plant DNA algae (Bryopsidales, Chlorophyta): Fleshy • Jean Pearson, Caribbean Marine samples vs. calcified forms.Aquat. Bot. 92(2): Research Center • Reilley Keane, The Potomac High 157-160. School Rusty Russell Dick, C.W. and W.J. Kress. 2009. Dis- • Elizabeth Lyons, George Washington Arizona flora secting tropical plant diversity with forest University • Sarah Molinari, College of William plots and a molecular toolkit. Bioscience • Lara Mittereder, George Mason Uni- and Mary 59(9): 745-755. • Alice Zicht, Oberlin College versity • Shannon Peters, Michigan State Uni- Dorr, L.J. 2009. Chiranthomontodendron: Biological field books versity the correct nothogeneric name for the • Claire Grunes, Winston Churchill High • Angela Turner, Virginia Tech artificial hybridChiranthodendron × Fre- School • Radhika Wikramanayake, George montodendron (: ). Botany of the United States Exploring Washington University Taxon 58(4): 1357-1358. Expedition: 1838-1842 • Lorah Patterson, Western Michigan Educational experiences offered Dorr, L.J. 2009. Xylococcus (Ericaceae) , University to the interns can often go beyond the p. 404. In Flora of North America Edito- • Caroline Young, Kenyon College assigned tasks and duties. The Museum rial Committee. Flora of North America, also provides a suite of behind-the-scenes Vol. 8. Magnoliophyta: Paeoniaceae to Catalogue of Botany maps tours, lunch discussions and even special Ericaceae. Oxford University Press, New • Sarah Beaver, Appalachian State Uni- lectures for interns to participate in. In York. versity addition, students can explore the sights • Jarrod Fredericks, Florida State Uni- of DC and join special activities arranged Dorr, L.J. 2009. Zenobia (Ericaceae), pp. versity just for students participating in Smith- 506-507. In Flora of North America Edito- • Kaylin Gaal, College of Wooster sonian academic appointments. This past rial Committee. Flora of North America, • Eamonn Hayes, University of North summer, a Smithsonian-wide Museum Vol. 8. Magnoliophyta: Paeoniaceae to Carolina, Greensboro Careers Seminar Series featured topics Ericaceae. Oxford University Press, New • Jasper Holleman, Christelyk Lyceum such as career planning, choosing a gradu- York. Zeist High School ate school, and filling out a government • Kyle Lincoln, Kalamazoo College Dorr, L.J. and B. Stergios. 2009. A new job application. • Paige Looney, University of Georgia species of Schefflera (Araliaceae) from the Registered interns have also enjoyed • Amanda Manahan, Heidelberg Uni- Venezuelan Andes. J. Bot. Res. Inst. Texas other benefits. They have received dis- versity 3(2): 605-608. counts at the Smithsonian’s gift shops • Hitesh Pant, American University and one free IMAX ticket each week. Feuillet, C.P. 2009. Checklist of the • Alex Peimer, State University of New They have also received discounts at the Plants of the Guiana Shield. 1. An update York, New Paltz National Gallery gift shops and eater- to the Angiosperms. J. Bot. Res. Inst. • James Shoemaker, Kalamazoo College Texas 3(2): 799-814. Page 18 Feuillet, C.P. 2009. Folia Taxonomica 13. and recommendations. Smithson. Contrib. Vernonieae) and neotypification ofVer - Passiflora Curva (Passifloraceae), a new Mar. Sci. 38: 401-414. nonia teitensis Hoffm. Phytologia 91(3): species from French Guiana in subgenus 483-493. Passiflora supersection Coccinea. J. Bot. Lobato, A.K.S., L.M. Luz, R.C.L. Costa, Res. Inst. Texas 3(2): 577-580. B.G. Santos Filho, A.C.S. Meirelles, C.F. Robinson, H.E. 2009. The generic dis- Oliveira Neto, H.D. Laughinghouse, position of the African Vernonia biafrae Feuillet, C.P. 2009. Folia Taxonomica M.A.M. Neto, G.A.R. Alves, M.J.S. Lopes Oliv. & Hiern (Vernonieae: Asteraceae). 15. Five new species of Paradrymonia and H.K.B. Neves. 2009. Silicon exercises Phytologia 91(3): 534-536. subgenus Paradrymonia (Gesneriaceae: influence on nitrogen components in pep- Episcieae) from the Venezuelan Guayana. per subjected to water deficit.Res. J. Biol. Roque, N., A.A. Conceição and H.E. Rob- J. Bot. Res. Inst. Texas 3(2): 583-592. Sci. 4(9): 1048-1055. inson. 2009. A new species of Catolesia (Asteraceae, Eupatorieae) from Bahia, Feuillet, C.P. 2009. Folia Taxonomica 16. Macintyre, I.G., M.A. Toscano, I.C. Feller Brazil. Novon 19: 507-510. Dilkea 1. Epkia, a new subgenus and five and M.A. Faust. 2009. Decimating man- new species from western Amazonia and grove forests for commercial development Soreng, R.J. 2009. 8.10 Poa L., pp. 108- the Guianas. J. Bot. Res. Inst. Texas 3(2): in the Pelican Cays, Belize: Long-term 135. In L.K. Anderton and M.E. Bark- 593-604. ecological loss for short-term gain? Smith- worth, eds. Grasses of the Intermountain son. Contrib. Mar. Sci. 38: 281-290. Region. Intermountain Herbarium, Logan, Feuillet, C.P. and J. Vanderplank. 2009. Utah. Folia Taxonomica 14. Notes on Passiflora Ochyra, R. and R.R. Ireland. 2009. supersection Coccinea (Passifloraceae) A new species of Taxiphyllum (Musci: Soreng, R.J., L.J. Gillespie and S.W.L. from the Guiana Shield. J. Bot. Res. Inst. Hypnaceae) from Sri Lanka. Novon 19(4): Jacobs. 2009. Saxipoa and Sylvipoa – two Texas 3(2): 581-582. 485-489. new genera and a new classification for Australian Poa (Poaceae: Poinae). Aust. Fleming, T.H., C. Geiselman and W.J. Panero, J.L. and V.A. Funk. 2009. New Syst. Bot. 22(6): 401-412. Kress. 2009. The evolution of bat pollina- tribes in Asteraceae. Phytologia 91(3): tion: a phylogenetic perspective. Ann. Bot. 568-570. Sun, B.L., C.-. Zhang, P.P. Lowry and J. 104(6): 1017-1043. Wen. 2009. Cryptic dioecy in Nyssa yun- Peterson, P.M. 2009. 10.12 Eragrostis nanensis (Nyssaceae), a critically endan- Giraldo-Canas, D. and P.M. Peterson. Wolf, pp. 184-189, 416−420, 506. In gered species from tropical eastern Asia. 2009. El genero Muhlenbergia (Poaceae: L.K. Anderton and M.E. Barkworth, eds. Ann. Mo. Bot. Gard. 96: 672-684. Chloridoideae: Cynodonteae: Muhlen- Grasses of the Intermountain Region. bergiinae) in Colombia. Caldasia 31(2): Intermountain Herbarium, Logan, Utah. Terrell, E.E. and P.M. Peterson. 2009. 269-302. Annotated list of Maryland grasses Peterson, P.M. 2009. 10.17 Muhlenbergia (Poaceae). J. Bot. Res. Inst. Texas 3(2): Gillespie, L.J., R.J. Soreng and S.W.L. Schreb, pp. 196-210, 427−442, 507−509. 905-919. Jacobs. 2009. Phylogenetic relationships In L.K. Anderton and M.E. Barkworth, of Australian Poa (Poaceae: Poinae), eds. Grasses of the Intermountain Region. Touwaide, A., ed. 2009. Indigenous vs. including molecular evidence for two new Intermountain Herbarium, Logan, Utah. Foreign: Early-Modern Materia Medica genera, Saxipoa and Sylvipoa. Aust. Syst. in Comparative Perspective. Early Sci. Bot. 22(6): 413-436. Peterson, P.M. and C.R. Annable. 2009. Med., Vol. 14. Brill, Leiden. 10.08 Blepharoneuron Nash, pp. 181, 413, Krayesky, D.M., J.N. Norris, P.W. Gabri- 506. In L.K. Anderton and M.E. Bark- Touwaide, A. 2009. Introduction to the elson, D. Gabriel and S. Fredericq. 2009. worth, eds. Grasses of the Intermountain special fascicle “Indigenous vs. Foreign: A new order of red algae based on the Region. Intermountain Herbarium, Logan, Early-Modern Materia Medica in Compar- Peyssonneliaceae, with an evaluation of Utah. ative Perspective.” Early Sci. Med. 14(6): the ordinal classification of the Florideo- 677-679. Peterson, P.M. and J.T. Columbus. 2009. phyceae (Rhodophyta). Proc. Biol. Soc. Wurdack, K.L. and L.J. Dorr. 2009. The Wash. 122(3): 364-391. Muhlenbergia tarahumara (Poaceae: Choridoideae: Cynodonteae: Muhlenber- South American genera of Hemerocal- Kress, W.J., D.L. Erickson, F. Andrew giinae), a new species from Chihuahua, lidaceae (Eccremis and Pasithea): two Jones, N.G. Swenson, R. Perez, O. Sanjur Mexico. J. Bot. Res. Inst. Texas 3(2): introductions to the New World. Taxon and E. Bermingham. 2009. Plant DNA 527-534. 58(4): 1122-1132. barcodes and a community phylogeny of Xie, L., W.L. Wagner, R.H. Rhee, P.E. a tropical forest dynamics plot in Panama. Peterson, P.M., S.L. Hatch and A.S. Weakley. 2009. 10.14 Sporobolus R. Berry and J. Wen. 2009. Molecular Proc. Natl. Acad. 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Commelina polhillii Faden & Alford At times, the Smithsonian internship program results in a co-authored publication in a scientific journal. Robert Faden mentored Smithsonian intern Mac Alford in 1997. Their collaboration resulted in the description of a new species Commelina polhillii Faden & Alford (Commelinaceae) (Novon 11:16-21; 2001). Collections made by Faden in Tanzania in 1996 turned up a new species of Commelina that was very similar to Commelina subulata. Plants were grown for study in the Botany Department Research Greenhouse from seeds collected in the field. From these plants and herbarium collections, the characters of the two different species were investigated. The primary difference between the two species proved to be seed shape and surface pattern. Differentiation of species was also investigated by Alford using cytological and anatomical techniques. The anatomical studies of leaves revealed additional information necessary for a complete understanding of the two species.

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