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

New Series - Vol. 17 - No. 1 January-March 2014 Botany Profile Research Scientist Spills the Beans By Gary A. Krupnick magine starting a new job by going population genetics to phylogenetics and rial of Psoraleeae and soybean (Glycine away on a three-month field excur- systematics. max). In 2007, Egan became a postdoc- sion to the remote forests of , n 2001 she began her graduate years toral research associate in Doyle’s lab, I studying the phylogenetic systematics Japan, and Thailand after only two weeks at Brigham Young University, initially on the job, before having a chance to set- working on a doctoral thesis in cancer of subtribe Glycininae (Leguminosae). tle into your new office and unpack your I Egan’s research has determined that research. Her preliminary studies utilized boxes. Continue imagining that while phylogenetics as a means of bioprospect- tribe Psoraleeae is nested within subtribe you are away on your Asian expedition, ing, looking at the chemopreventive ability Glycininae, and is a potential progenitor you find out that your employer, the U.S. and phenolic content of the mint family, genome of the polyploid soybean. federal government, has shut down for 16 Lamiaceae. Unsatisfied with the direc- During her postdoctoral research, days, forcing you into “furlough in place” tion of her thesis, Egan switched to Keith Egan began collaborating with several status (non-duty and non-pay). Such is Crandall’s invertebrate biology laboratory, scientists studying soybean genome evo- the life of Ashley N. Egan, the Depart- with the understanding that Egan would lution. She was among a large group of ment of Botany’s new Research Botanist continue on with plant research. co-authors who published several papers and Assistant Curator of Legumes. Crandall suggested that Egan choose on genome evolution and polypoidy in Egan grew up in Idaho, spending her a plant system close to home, so Egan soybean. As part of their research, they summers on the outskirts of Yellowstone focused on the rare and endangered plant sequenced an approximately 1 million- National Park where she cultivated her species of Utah. She settled on Pediome- base pair region in soybean and com- love for nature. Her undergraduate stud- lum (Leguminosae), a with around pared this region with its homoeologous ies were at Utah State University where 27 species across the United States and 70 region duplicated 10 to 14 million years she initially declared a major in Bio- percent listed as endangered or threatened. ago. Their research produced several logical Engineering, and then switched She explored the population history and papers that focused on the evolution of to Biology and focused on population conservation genetics of Pediomelum disease resistance genes (Plant Physi- genetics. As an undergraduate, she volun- pariense, a rare species endemic to two ology 148: 1740-1759; 2008), a large teered in Paul G. Wolf’s laboratory, under counties in southern Utah. She asked accumulation of retroelements (Plant the assistance of a Howard Hughes Medi- questions about the relationship between Physiology 148: 1760-1771), and a com- cal Institute Undergraduate Research the substrate in which P. pariense grows parison of retention or loss of disease Fellowship. She studied the genetic and its endemism in Utah. Her project resistance genes between the 20 million- differentiation between populations of then morphed into a species diversification year diverged soybean and Phaseolus Erythronium grandiflorum (Liliaceae). study of tribe Psoraleeae, to which Pedi- vulgaris, the common bean (Plant Physi- Egan’s honor’s thesis focused on the omelum and four other genera endemic to ology 159: 336-354). resolution of inter-simple sequence repeat the United States belong. Egan defended Egan and Doyle wrote a method- (ISSR) markers in Ipomopsis aggregata her dissertation, “Phylogenetics of North ological discourse regarding the origins and I. tenuituba (Polemoniaceae). American Psoraleeae (Leguminosae): of polyploidy events (New Phytologist After graduating in 1998 with a B.S. Rates and Dates in a Recent, Rapid Radia- 186: 73-85; 2010). The paper argued in Biology, she stayed in Utah working tion,” in December 2006. that most studies that measure the date as a laboratory technician under Lynn While conducting her doctoral of polyploidy are actually measuring Bohs at the University of Utah where her research, Egan was in contact with Jeff the date of divergence of progenitor work focused on the Solanaceae fam- Doyle at Cornell University. Egan and genomes. They conclude that, “esti- ily. Egan soon shifted her attention from Doyle were exchanging outgroup mate- Continued on page 12 Travel Pedro Acevedo traveled to San Juan, W. John Kress traveled to Kunming, – 10/6) to attend the meeting of the Inter- Puerto Rico (11/13 – 11/16) to collect China (10/24 – 11/6) to deliver an invited national Society for the History of Medi- and to meet with staff at the Univer- plenary lecture at the International Bar- cine and present papers; to Philadelphia, sity of Puerto Rico. code of Life conference and to work with Pennsylvania (10/17 – 10/19) to attend the Barrett Brooks traveled to Orlando, scientific colleagues and students at the symposium “Ancient drugs: pharmacology Florida (11/5 – 11/10) to undertake diving Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Gar- across the ancient world” at the University industry related training. den; to Chicago, Illinois (11/13 – 11/15) of Pennsylvania, where Touwaide pre- Laurence Dorr traveled to Paris, to receive the Parker Gentry Award from sented a paper; to Portland, Oregon (10/29 France and London, England (11/23 – the Field Museum; and to Oak Ridge, – 11/3) to deliver lectures and classes at 12/15) to study herbarium specimens at Tennessee (12/3 – 12/4) to discuss further the National College of Natural Medicine, the National Museum of Natural History collaboration in genomics and biodiversity Reed College, Leach Botanic Gardens, (France) and the Royal Botanic Gardens at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. and the Hellenic-American Cultural Kew for treatment of the Malvaceae for Sylvia Orli traveled to Gainesville, Center and Museum; and to Boston, Mas- the Flora of the Guianas. Florida (12/16 – 12/20) to attend the iDig- sachusetts (11/21 – 11/24) to attend the Christian Feuillet traveled to Saint Bio Crowdsourcing Hackathon. meeting of the History of Science Society, Louis, Missouri (10/10 – 10/18) to Christopher Puttock traveled to where Touwaide presented two papers in study specimens of Passiflora subgenus Honolulu, Hawaii (11/29 – 12/15) to different sessions and Appetiti attended Decaloba on loan at the Missouri Botani- collect plants at the University of Hawaii the meeting of the ISIS-Current Bibliogra- cal Garden from many European and Lyon Arboretum and, as a board member, phy editorial board. North and South American herbaria. to attend the Annual Retreat of the Hawaii Jun Wen traveled to Tulsa, Oklahoma Vicki Funk traveled to Lawrence, Conservation Alliance (HCA) and HCA (11/5 – 11/8) to give a seminar at Okla- Kansas (10/7 – 10/9) to meet with staff at Foundation (HCAF). homa State University and participate in a the University of Kansas. Alain Touwaide and Emanuela graduate student’s graduate exam. Appetiti traveled to Merida, Mexico (9/30

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New Series - Vol. 17 - No. 1 Carlos García-Robledo, Smithsonian Jonathan Price, University of Hawaii at Fellow; Plant-herbivore interaction Hilo; Pacific flora (9/23-10/23; 11/1-11/4). Chair of Botany (7/20/10-7/20/14). Warren L. Wagner Alison Shapcott, University of the Sun- ([email protected]) Janelle Burke, New York Botanical Gar- shine Coast, Australia; DNA barcoding of den; Tropical Polygonaceae and Plumbag- Queensland plants (10/1-11/15). EDITORIAL STAFF inaceae (8/1/12-12/31/14). Forrest Freund, Rancho Santa Ana Editor Jianqiang Zhang, Peking University, Botanical Garden; Isoetes (Isoetaceae) Gary Krupnick China; Rhodiola () (10/8/12- (10/6-10/8). ([email protected]) 10/7/13). Zachary Rogers, Missouri Botanical Gar- Copy Editors Genevieve Croft, Washington University; den; Thymelaeaceae (10/7-10/11). Robin Everly, Bernadette Gibbons, Rose Gulledge, Dail Laughinghouse Byrsonima crassifolia (Malpighiaceae) (10/16/12-10/16/13). Raquel Stauffer Viveros, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil; Ctenitis News Contacts Ning Zhang, Pennsylvania State Univer- (Dryopteridaceae) (10/8-10/17). MaryAnn Apicelli, Robert Faden, Rusty sity; Vitaceae (1/7/13-6/30/15). Russell, Alice Tangerini, and Elizabeth Noema Cano Flores, Knight Piésold Con- Zimmer Jesus Valdez R., Universidad Autónoma sulting, Peru; Bromeliaceae (10/28-10/29). The Plant Press is a quarterly publication pro- Agraria Antonio Narro, Mexico; vided free of charge. To receive notification of Nuri Benet Pierce, San Diego State Uni- when new pdf issues are posted to the web, please (2/7-12/7). subscribe to the listserve by sending a message versity; Chenopodium (Chenopodiaceae) to [email protected] containing only the Asmaa Muneer, University of Maryland; (10/28). following in the body of the text: SUBSCRIBE DNA barcoding (4/22-10/31). PLANTPRESS-NEWS Firstname Lastname. Patrick Herendeen, Chicago Botanic Replace “Firstname Lastname” with your name. Amy Wang, Maryland; Silene (Caryo- Garden; Leguminoseae (11/1-11/6). If you would like to be added to the hard-copy phyllaceae) (7/1-12/31) mailing list, please contact Dr. Gary Krupnick at: John Wood, Oxford University; Convol- Department of Botany, Smithsonian Institution, PO Box 37012, NMNH MRC-166, Washington, Elena Roman Jordan, Catedra de Tech- vulaceae (11/4-11/8). DC 20013-7012, or by E-mail: krupnickg@ nologia de la Madera, Spain; Cupressaceae si.edu. (8/30-12/13). Steve Darwin, Tulane University; Timo- nius (Rubiaceae) (11/6-11/7). Web site: http://botany.si.edu/

Page 2 Honoring 170 Years of Service ver the past couple of decades the Department of the department I extend our sincere gratitude to Chair of Botany has maintained a relatively stable them for their dedicated service to the museum and Ostaff, all working together for many years. On greater botanical community. We wish them years occasion, we have been able to add additional staff of happy, fulfilling retirement. With while even more have retired. A significant change While the Department of Botany is fortunate began in 2011 when the Smithsonian Institution offered that most of this group has graciously chosen to a buyout opportunity to staff who were thinking about serve in an emeritus or volunteer capacity, we retirement. Six staff in Botany retired in 2011 (see recognize that we are faced with significant gaps A Plant Press 14(4): 3; 2011). Since research departments created in collection management, research, and were able to replace these positions at a lower pay collection digitization. Fortunately, our 2011 plan scale, the Department of Botany has embarked on staff for filling the remaining positions and the pos- View secession planning. This plan called for eight positions sibility of adding another research scientist and in the department and included recruits for Research digitization position will build a solid department Scientists (Plant Press 16(3): 3; 2013), collections for the future. We have a strong core of staff, management (Plant Press 16(1): 4; 2013), and informa- including several recent hires, enabling us to fill tion technology (Plant Press 15(4): 4; 2012). Federal some gaps through staff reorganization and the Warren budget issues have slowed the completion of these spreading out of responsibilities. Over the years hires and three more are currently on hold in collec- Linda and Debbie have been responsible for a L. tions management, IT support, and research/collections number of critical core functions within the depart- Wagner support, but should move forward to be filled in 2014. ment, including overseeing all Botany collections Last year the Smithsonian Institution again offered at the Museum Support Center, collections space in a buyout opportunity for staff who might be consider- the herbarium, administrative, budget preparation, ing retirement. The Department of Botany once more fund allocation, collections conservation issues, had the largest number of retirees at the National and special projects. We are currently working on a Museum of Natural History. The five staff members plan to spread many of these responsibilities to our who are retiring represent 170 combined total years of recently hired core collections staff, Andrew Clark, service to the department and museum, and all have Meghann Toner, and Melinda Peters. Although the made significant contributions for many years to the three have been here for a relative short period of research, collections management, and digitization of time they have all demonstrated the ability, inter- collections. Retirees from the department include (with est, and enthusiasm for transitioning into having year joining the Department of Botany in parentheses): more responsibilities in the functioning of the Debbie Bell (1975), Linda Hollenberg (1979), Bob department. Faden (1980), Margaret Gardner (1985), and Elaine Haug (1987). Bob, Margaret and Elaine retired between October and January; Linda and Debbie will retire in February. In this issue (page 4) we highlight and celebrate the contributions, accomplishments, and lead- ership during their many years of service of the three who recently retired. In the next issue of the Plant Press we will recognize the contributions by Linda and Debbie. We will certainly miss them all and on behalf

Beverly Thomsen, Independent scholar; Solutions, Inc., Virginia; Mediterranean Opuntia (Cactaceae) (11/22-11/25). Mediterranean medicinal plants (11/6). medicinal plants databases (11/19). W. Mark Whitten, Florida Museum of Bruno David, Institut de Recherche Pierre Laura Mazow, East Carolina University; Natural History; Orchidaceae and DNA Fabre, France; Ancient Greek botany and Near East/Eastern Mediterranean Archaeo- barcoding (11/22-11/23). pharmacology (11/13). botany (11/20). Kevin Burgess, Columbus State Uni- Eric Yarnell, Bastyr University; Medici- Wyatt Sharber, University of Miami; versity, Thomas Givnish, University of nal plants (11/12-11/18). Ayenia (Sterculiaceae) (11/20-11/21). Wisconsin-Madison, Simon Malcomber, National Science Foundation, Jenny Martin Burd, Monash University, Austra- Kurt Neubig, Florida Museum of Natural Sanders, Atlanta Botanical Garden, Evg- lia; Selaginella (Selaginellaceae) (11/15- History; Orchidaceae, Malvaceae, Aster- eny Zakharov, Biodiversity Institute of 11/22). aceae, and DNA barcoding (11/22-11/23). Ontario, Canada; DNA barcoding (11/23). Calvin Stone, IFS-Integrated Federal Raul Puente, Desert Botanical Garden; Continued on page 7

Page 3 which occur naturally, in the Department of Botany and will be Staff but the large majority has been from happy to continue receiving Commeli- . Faden’s published floristic works naceae for naming. Research & include treatments of Commelinaceae for Activities checklists for , Angola and Ecuador, Margaret Gardner began working for and floras of North America, Costa Rica, the National Museum of Natural History Ethiopia and Eritrea, Somalia, Tropi- in May 1985, with the Office of Facilities th Gary Krupnick attended the 13 Annual cal East Africa, Southern Africa, and Sri Management. In March 1992, the Depart- North American Pollinator Protection Lanka. He has treated the Commelinaceae ment of Botany was fortunate to be able Campaign (NAPPC), a brainstorming and pteridophytes for all three editions to hire her as a Plant Mounter. She was and technology transfer session between (1974, 1994 & 2013) of Upland Kenya stationed at the Museum Support Center in leading pollinator scientists and other Wild Flowers by A.D.Q. Agnew. His treat- Suitland, Maryland, where she joined two stakeholders aimed at stemming pollinator ment of Commelinaceae for the Revised other plant mounters – one on staff and declines. Scientists, regulators, gov- Handbook to the Flora of Ceylon (2000), one on contract. Gardner retired in Octo- ernmental and industry representatives, which recognized three new species and ber 2013, having worked at the Smithso- Native American and First Nation Tribes, several new infraspecific taxa, precipitated nian Institution a total of 28 years. During and global non-government organizations a gold rush by local botanists to discover her 21 years in Botany, Gardner expertly representing more than 140 stakeholders new species in , which is still ongo- mounted over 80,000 plant specimens, met October 23 and 24 in Washington ing. Faden has done field work in Mexico, making them available to the scientific D.C. to develop action plans that address Costa Rica, Thailand, Pakistan, India, Sri community. critical and current pollinator issues. Krup- Lanka and numerous African countries Elaine Haug retires after 25 years in the nick chaired the orchid-pollinator task ranging from Ghana to Somalia and South Department of Botany. Haug began her force, which focused on improving the Africa. On many of his trips he has been career computerizing the U.S. National scientific accuracy of the 2014 Pollinator accompanied by his wife Audrey Faden, Herbarium’s orchid collection. As a Week poster, “Native Orchids Need Their after whom he named the new species member of the IT/inventory team, Haug’s Pollinators.” The conference was co- Murdannia audreyae for a plant that she duties included data managing, training, hosted by the Department of the Interior at first spotted in Sri Lanka. retrieving data, inventorying, and fixing the American Farm Bureau Federation. Faden’s other published papers on computers and laptops. Over the years On December 5, Alain Touwaide gave Commelinaceae have included revisions of she enjoyed helping staff, interns, visi- a class on Mediterranean Archaeobotany , Polyspatha, Plowmanianthus, tors, and contractors. She was involved and Ethnobotany at the French Lycee and Tricarpelema, studies of leaf anatomy, in several Department team projects like “Rochambeau” in Bethesda, Maryland. On reproductive biology, cytology, phylogeny, the Earthwatch ethnobotany inventory December 11 he presented a lecture on the and the ultrastructure of the fruit wall in project, the bulky project, and the DNA analysis of ancient medicines found Pollia, the most shiny structure in nature. dinoflagellates collection database. Haug’s in a shipwreck at the Biblical Archaeology His extensive collections of cultivated photography skills were at use at several Forum in Rockville, Maryland. Commelinaceae, maintained in the Smithsonian Botanical Symposia, and she Botany Research Greenhouse, have been contributed over 300 images to the botani- Staff the basis for studies of floral morphol- cal image database. In her spare time she Retirements ogy, phenology patterns in species with enjoyed volunteering at special events at dimorphic flowers, chromosome counts, the museum. She also helped set up many Robert B. Faden retired from the Smith- DNA sequencing, seed germination, and local field trips. In 1982, she co-founded sonian Institution in January 2014, after as parent material for hybrid crosses. the Prince William Wildflower Society in nearly 33 years as a curator in the Depart- He has hosted numerous undergraduate Virginia. In her retirement, she will acces- ment of Botany and almost 40 years of interns over the years, mainly on projects sion her 25-year-old personal voucher col- federal service, including six years as a of comparative leaf anatomy in Commeli- lections and serve as a volunteer in Q?rius. Peace Corps Volunteer. His work at the naceae, using the living plant collections Smithsonian has focused on the evolu- and previously preserved materials. Faden tion, systematics, floristics, reproductive has built up large collections of liquid Departures biology, anatomy, and cytology of Com- preserved flowers of Commelinaceae melinaceae, the dayflower family. Faden and also Commelinaceae seeds. Besides Coming from the Herbaria of the Museum has described 57 new species and many Commelinaceae, Faden has published on d’Histoire Naturelle de Paris (1981–1982) infraspecific taxa of Commelinaceae in pteridophytes, cycads and Verbenaceae. and of the Centre ORSTOM (now IRD) de 12 genera, including 19 species each in Seventeen species of plants—all but Cayenne (1982–1988), Christian Feuil- Commelina and Aneilema. He has also one from East Africa—ranging from a let has been a Research Collaborator and described the new genus Plowmanian- crustose lichen to a forest understory tree, Associate in the Department of Botany for thus, named in honor of Faden’s former and including species of Coffea and Kal- over 25 years. During his career he has colleague at Field Museum Tim Plowman. anchoe, plus five ferns, were named for published almost 150 mostly systematic The new species that Faden described him, as was the genus Fadenia (Chenopo- and floristic papers and described or com- have come from all five continents in diaceae). Faden has become an emeritus bined approximately 120 taxa. His main Page 4 Recent retirees and departures (from left): Robert Faden, Margaret Gardner, Elaine Haug, and Christian Feuillet. interests are in the Passifloraceae, the Neo- had a significant impact on preserving the ment of Botany. Award recipients are indi- tropical Gesneriaceae, the Guiana Shield world’s rich natural heritage and whose viduals who have given their time and tal- floristics, and the Aristolochiaceae and the actions can serve as a model to others.” ent to the museum above and beyond what Boraginaceae of that region, and Ceram- The award is named after Theodore A. their job calls for and to those who have bycidae. Feuillet has worked on a number Parker III, an ornithologist, and Alwyn done something that makes a difference in of Floras and checklists and he continues Gentry, a botanist, who were killed in the outside community, for the museum, to take on new responsibilities in those August 3, 1993, when the light plane they or for the larger Smithsonian community. areas: Catalogue of the Vascular Plants of were using to survey an Ecuadorian cloud The Peer Recognition Award Committee Guaramacal National Park, Portuguesa forest crashed into a mountainside. The is composed of 19 NMNH staff members and Trujillo States, Venezuela; Checklist of Field Museum established the award in representing a cross-section of the entire the Plants of the Guiana Shield; Check- their name and presents it annually. museum community. list of the Plants of the Guianas; Flora Aaron Goldberg received the Career of the Venezuelan Guayana; Catalog of Botanists Presented Contributions to Science Award. Goldberg Seed Plants of the West Indies; Flowering discovered his fascination with the natural Plants of the Neotropics; Guide to the Vas- with Museum Peer world through the Boy Scouts, which cular Plants of Central French Guiana; Recognition Awards brought him “off of the streets and into the and Liste des Espèces de Phanérogames countryside.” When he left, he was one et de Ptéridophytes de Guyane Française The National Museum of Natural His- merit badge away from the rank of Life d’après l’Herbier du Centre Orstom de tory presented the 2013 Peer Recognition Scout. In 1972, after retiring from a career Cayenne. In the U.S. National Herbarium, Award to several members of the Depart- Continued on page 6 he has curated the collections of Aristo- lochiaceae, Boraginaceae and Passiflo- raceae, and has worked on integrating new collections in about 20 families. Five species from French Guiana have been named after him, a tiny orchid Specklinia feuilletii Luer 2005; and four longhorn (Cerambycidae): Ischasia feuilleti Peñaherrera-Leiva & Tavakilian 2003, Punctozotroctes feuilleti Tavakilian & Néouze 2007, Oreodera feuilleti Néouze & Tavakilian 2010, Dufauxia feuilleti Tavakilian & Néouze 2013. Awards & Grants The Chicago Field Museum awarded its 2013 Parker/Gentry Award for Excellence and Innovation in Conservation/Envi- ronmental Biology to W. John Kress on Botany Chair Warren Wagner and Kirk Johnson, Sant Director of the National November 14, 2013. Created in 1996, “the Museum of Natural History, present Aaron Goldberg (center) with the Career award honors an outstanding individual, Contributions to Science Award. The plaque contains a piece of stone from the team or organization whose efforts have building of Natural History. (photo by Brittany M. Hance, Smithsonian) Page 5 Peer Recognition Awards have spent 3,500 hours mounting 4,952 there are still over 7,000 specimens that Continued from page 5 specimens. This tenacious Plant Mount- need to be sorted, mounted and cataloged. ing Volunteer team have truly given their These collections span the career of in parasitology at the U.S. Department of all and are the recipients of the Fantastic Cuatrecasas and, while they are primarily Agriculture, this love of nature led him to Flora Award. The team arrives early in the from the Andean regions of Colombia and the Department of Botany. For the next morning enthusiastic and ready to preserve Venezuela, they include a great diversity 40 years Goldberg dedicated his life to and protect new specimens acquired by the of plant families. the study of plants, producing numerous U.S. National Herbarium. With their drive Additionally there are over 150 publications and identifying thousands of and zeal, the volunteers are responsible for unmounted isotypes in the Cuatreca- plant specimens from all over the world. mounting approximately 25 percent of the sas collection that are not represented He continues to show his passion for program’s total workflow each year. They in the U.S. National Herbarium’s Type learning by actively attending seminars must be having a good time because there Collection. Unfortunately, many of the throughout NMNH and never fails to ask are two members who have been lending a specimens are highly contaminated with thought-provoking questions. He is more leaf to the program for over 20 years, and mercuric chloride, a widely used biocide than happy to assist fellow researchers, many of them have been there for 8 years and specimen preservative prior to the especially in the Department of Entomol- or more. mid-20th century that readily sublimates ogy, where he helps to identify particular at room temperature. With the help of the food sources. Goldberg has been a resourceful Linda Hollenberg and Deb- major contributor of data to the Depart- bie Bell, this should create only a minor ment of Botany’s phenological study of Graduate Student delay and Radosavljevic should be able the spring flora of the Washington, D.C. to complete the project with very little area, which has been cited as demonstrat- Sorts through danger. The completion of this project will ing global warming trends. Goldberg’s Cuatrecasas Plant result in the creation of thousands of new long, esteemed career in Botany earns him and important digital records of Cuatreca- the Career Contributions to Science Award Material sas’ work that will complement the already for excellence in service. impressive informal archive housed in the The Making Safety Fun Award was By Vicki Funk Department of Botany. presented to Gabriel Johnson, an enthu- In 2013 the National Museum of Radosavljevic received his undergradu- siastic and passionate technician in the Natural History’s Collections Program ate degree from Marymount University Laboratories of Analytical Biology (LAB). initiated a new initiative that provides and his Master’s degree from City College He takes his duties as the LAB safety funding for graduate students. The goal of New York, where he worked with Rob- coordinator seriously, recognizing the is to provide financial support to graduate ert Anderson on ecological niche model- importance of up-to-date health and safety students while at the same time achieving ing methodology. He is currently a Ph.D. guidelines. Perceptive to the dangers of collections management goals, particularly candidate in the joint Program in Plant improper use of shared lab facilities, he the generation of new collections catalog Biology and Conservation at Northwest- ensures that all users are trained in correct (EMu) records. Funding is competitive. ern University and the Chicago Botanic procedures; this is especially important Proposals must be initiated by NMNH Garden, where he is advised by Patrick now that the LAB is experiencing a staff members who are advisors or co- Herendeen. high turnover of visiting scientists and advisors to the student that would benefit interns. Johnson manages to make his from the funding. Funding is not avail- safety presentations both informative and able to continue the student’s or advisor’s enjoyable. He keeps the users entertained work; rather, these awards are to work and engaged whilst delivering his crucial on high priority collections condition or safety messages, so much so that folks information projects that meet the muse- actually look forward to his presentations! um’s needs while providing training and In the past year, 27 volunteers (Pat experience in curatorial techniques. Alfredson, Joan Blake, Ruth Burg, For the 2013-2014 academic year, Traute Bushley, Ann Cardoni, Joan Aleks Radosavljevic is working with Carpenter, Palmira Chairez, Terrie Vicki Funk to sort and digitize a large Chan, Susan Cowles, Anne Datko, backlog of the unprocessed material left Alice DeBeau, Roz Elliott, Cynthia behind by José Cuatrecasas. At the time of Ford, Kathleen Griffin, Kathy Kowal- his passing in 1996, the prolific Cua- czyk, Joan Lorr, Susan Lepow, Jo Ann trecasas had nearly 60 herbarium cases of McCann, Jerome McDonald, Larry partially processed plant material that he Owens, Gwen Petitjean, Mike Reynolds, had (at one point or another in his long Marcia Rodwin, Margaret Schweitzer, career) been actively working on. While Jan Smart, Kathleen Smith, and Aleks Radosavljevic collecting a new the Department of Botany has made great Bayla White) and two SI staff members species of Raveniopsis (Rutaceae) on Mt. progress in processing this material over (Melinda Peters, Katherine Rankin) Kamakusa in Guyana. (photo by Ken the nearly two decades since his death, Wurdack) Page 6 Radosavljevic’s dissertation research The 2014 Smithsonian Botanical focuses on the systematics, biogeogra- phy and of a large pantropical Symposium, 24-25 April, to Explore legume genus, Cynometra. He is broadly interested in the evolution and biogeog- Biogeography raphy of legumes and the synthesis of The Department of Botany and named in honor of Dr. José Cuatrecasas, a ecological niche modeling and phylo- the United States Botanic Garden will pioneering botanist who spent many years genetics to ask evolutionary questions. convene the 2014 Smithsonian Botanical working in the Department of Botany at Radosavljevic has conducted field work in Symposium, “Location, Location, Loca- the Smithsonian and devoted his career Guyana, and will be travelling to Mexico tion…New Advances in the Science of to plant exploration in tropical South and Brazil in 2014 to conduct field work Biogeography,” to be held at the National America. in support of his dissertation. Fittingly, Museum of Natural History in Washing- Abstracts for poster presentations may Radosavljevic’s first science related job ton, D.C., on 24-25 April 2014. be submitted online at botany.si.edu/sbs/. after completing his bachelor’s degree The distribution of the earth’s biodi- The deadline for abstract submission is was with the Biological Diversity of the versity is not random in space and time. March 18. Guianas Shield program in 2005. In the Individual species ranges and entire eco- Sponsors of the Symposium are the interim between that first job and begin- systems are uniquely shaped by the inter- Department of Botany, the Office of the ning his Master’s degree, he spent a year section of ecologi- Associate Direc- backpacking through South America with cal and geographic tor for Research his future wife and worked at the New constraints, and Collections, York Botanical Garden as a herbarium and opportunity, and the United States database assistant. evolutionary his- Botanic Garden, tory. Scientists and the Cuatreca- have long sought to recognize these dis- sas Family Foundation. Visitors tribution patterns and to understand their There will be no registration fee this Continued from page 3 underlying processes. Significant advances year, but attendees must register online at Maria Kaye, University of Aberdeen, have been made in the science of biogeog- botany.si.edu/sbs/. Visit the website, call United Kingdom; DNA barcoding raphy, which weaves together biology and 202-633-0920, or email [email protected] for (11/25/13-3/25/14). geosciences, as knowledge of our planet’s more information. geologic history has improved and as new Paulo Windisch, Universidade do Vale analytical tools and sources of data have do Rio dos Sinos, Brazil; Brazilian ferns become available. We anticipate even (11/25-12/6). greater discoveries and major syntheses Marika Simon, Independent scholar; in the future and this exciting scientific Historical crafting of pressed seaweeds discipline is more relevant today than ever, (11/26). especially in the face of global climate change that will drastically reshape the Tyler Kartzinel, Princeton University; biogeography of life on earth. DNA barcoding (12/2-12/4). The Symposium will celebrate the past contributions of biogeography and look Ted Fleming, University of Miami and toward future ones that bring a deeper University of Arizona; Seminar and book understanding of the relationship between signing (12/5-12/6). our planet and its biota. The invited speak- Craig Costion, James Cook University, ers will address why “location” matters Australia; DNA barcoding (12/11/13- with a wide range of modern studies and 1/11/14). applications on the geography of life. The event will kick-off with a recep- Efraim Lev, University of Haifa, Israel; tion and poster session at the U.S. Botanic Archaeobotany and Mediterranean ethno- Garden on the evening of Thursday, botany (12/13). April 24. A full lineup of speakers will Robynn Shannon, Wesleyen University; present their talks on Friday, April 25 at Sequoia is prominently featured in Asa Aquatic angiosperms (12/16). the National Museum of Natural His- Gray’s 1872 theory about the relation- tory’s Baird Auditorium. In addition, the ship between the similar floras of North Cedric Baker and Tsedey Cassaye-Betre, 12th José Cuatrecasas Medal in Tropical America and Asia (Am. Nat. 6: 577- Mercer University, Hiwot Kassaye-Betre, Botany will be awarded at the Sympo- 596). This chromolithograph from E.J. Independent scholar; Mediterranean eth- sium. This prestigious award is presented Ravenscroft’s Pinetum Britannicum nobotany, (12/18-12/19). annually to an international scholar who (1884) depicts the California endemic has contributed significantly to advancing “giant sequoia” (Sequoiadendron Susan Lutz, Zester Daily online maga- the field of tropical botany. The award is ­giganteum). zine; Mediterranean ethnobotany (12/20). Page 7 orchidcenter.org/>, a searchable database where users can see which ones are in danger, find the orchids nearest them... or just look at lots of pretty pictures. Go Orchids is a tool to explore orchids native to the U.S. and Canada. Go Orchids will initially focus on orchids in New England and the mid-Atlantic region. Orchids of the southeast and Alaska will be added early in 2014. This site will be similar to Go Botany, developed by our partners at the New England Wild Flower Society and will eventually include all of the orchid species in the U.S. and Canada. NAOCC is a coalition of organizations dedicated to conserving the diverse orchid heritage of the U.S. and Canada. Based at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, it also includes the National Zoological Park, the National Museum of Natural History, and Smithsonian Gardens. The U.S. Botanic Garden is the other founding partner. The initial group The inflorescence of Coespeletia palustris, a newly discovered species. The plant of public and private organizations that grows in marshy habitats in the Venezuelan Andes. (photo by Luis “Kike” Gámez) support NAOCC have joined forces with a common goal: to ensure the survival of New Daisy Species Andes. Páramo can refer to a variety of alpine tundra ecosystems, and is often native orchids for future generations. Discovered in described with its geographical confine- Go Orchids has been developed to ments in the Andes. The páramo is the interact across a variety of platforms, Venezuela ecosystem of the regions above the con- including smart phones and tablets. We encourage you to explore the site. A joint research initiative carried tinuous forest line, yet below the perma- out by scientists from the Smithsonian nent snowline. Institution, Saint Louis University and the “Even after decades of studies and col- Universidad de Los Andes in Venezuela, lections in the paramos, numerous locali- has resulted in the discovery of an exciting ties remain unstudied,” explains Mauricio new species from the daisy family. Two Diazgranados, a post-doctoral researcher expeditions in the paramos high up in the working under the supervision of Vicki Venezuelan Andes were crowned by the Funk. “The new species described in this discovery of the beautiful and extraor- paper is called “palustris” because of the dinary, Coespeletia palustris. The study marshy habitat in which it grows. High was published in the open access journal elevation marshes and wetlands are among Phytokeys. the ecosystems which are most impacted The species of the genus Coespeletia by climate change. Therefore this species are typical for high elevations and six may be at a certain risk of extinction as of seven described species in total are well.” endemic to the heights of the Venezuelan –Source: Pensoft Publishers Andes; the seventh species comes from northern Colombia, but needs further revi- Platanthera leucophaea, commonly sion according to the authors of the study. Go Orchids called Eastern Prairie Fringed Orchid, Most of the species are restricted to very Interactive Website is primarily distributed in the mid- high elevations, in a range between 3,800 - western United States and Canada, 4,800 meters. The specifics of such habitat Has Launched from Oklahoma to Ontario, with a limited distribution in the northern are believed to be the reason behind the More than half of North America’s peculiar and unrepeated pollen character- mid-Atlantic and New England regions. orchids are threatened or endangered The species is considered globally istics of the genus. somewhere in their native range. The This new species Coespeletia palus- imperiled and is listed as federally North American Orchid Conservation threatened; it is rare or presumed tris, is found in a few marshy areas of the Center (NAOCC) just launched Go páramo, and is endemic to the Venezuelan extirpated throughout most of its range. Orchids

Page 14 Diazgranados, M. and G. Morillo. 2013. Littler, M.M. and D.S. Littler. 2013. The Valcárcel, V., O. Fiz-Palacios and J. Wen. A new species of Coespeletia (Asteraceae, nature of crustose coralline algae and their 2013. The origin of the early differentia- Millerieae) from Venezuela. Phytok- interactions on reefs. Smithson. Contrib. tion of Ivies (Hedera L.) and the radiation eys 28: 9-18. http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/ Mar. Sci. 39: 199-212. of the Asian Palmate group (Araliaceae). phytokeys.28.6378 Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 70: 492-503. http:// Littler, M.M. and D.S. Littler. 2013. The dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2013.10.016 Diazgranados, M. and L.R. Sanchez. nature of macroalgae and their interactions 2013. A new species of Espeletiopsis on reefs. Smithson. Contrib. Mar. Sci. 39: Wagner, W.L. and P.C. Hoch. 2013. (Millerieae, Asteraceae) from Colom- 187-198. Onagraceae, pp. 509-553. In G. Yatski- bia. Phytokeys 32: 37-48. http://dx.doi. evych. Steyermark’s Flora of Missouri. org/10.3897/phytokeys.32.6387 Litler, M.M. and D.S. Littler. 2013. The Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St. nature of turf and boring algae and their Louis. Funk, V., H. Robinson and A. Tangerini. interactions on reefs. Smithson. Contrib. 2013. Whatever happened to Bishopan- Mar. Sci. 39: 213-217. Wagner, W.L. and P.C. Hoch. 2013. thus (Compositae, Liabeae)? Phytokeys Onagraceae, pp. 659-677. In K. Heil, S.L. 30: 65-73. http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/ Liu, Q., B. Jiang, J. Wen and P.M. O’Kane, L.M. Reeves and A. Clifford. phytokeys.30.6652 Peterson. 2014. Low-copy nuclear gene Flora of the Four Corners Region. Mis- and McGISH resolves polyploid history souri Botanical Garden Press, St. Louis. Halfar, J., W.H. Adey, A. Kronz, S. of Eleusine coracana and morphological Hetzinger, E. Edinger and W.W. Fitzhugh. character evolution in Eleusine. Turk. J. Wagner, W.L., K.N. Krakos and P.C. 2013. Arctic sea-ice decline archived Bot. 38: 1-12. http://dx.doi.org/10.3906/ Hoch. 2013. Taxonomic changes in by multicentury annual-resolution bot-1305-12 Oenothera sections Gaura and Calylophus record from crustose coralline algal (Onagraceae). Phytokeys 28: 61-72. http:// proxy. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 110(49): Miller, J.S., G.A. Krupnick, H. Ste- dx.doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.28.6143 19653-19654. http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/ vens, H. Porter-Morgan, B. Boom, P. pnas.1313775110 Acevedo-Rodríguez, J. Ackerman, D. Wagner, W., A. Wagner and D. Lorence. Kolterman, E. Santiago, C. Torres and 2013. Revision of Cyrtandra (Gesneri- Herrera, Y. and P.M. Peterson. 2013. J. Velez. 2013. Toward Target 2 of the aceae) in the Marquesas Islands. Phytok- Poaceae, pp. 255-305. In A. Lot, R. Global Strategy for Plant Conservation: an eys 30: 33-64. http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/ Medina Lemos and F. Chiang, eds. Plantas expert analysis of the Puerto Rican flora phytokeys.30.6147 Acuáticas Mexicanas: Una Contribucion a to validate new streamlined methods for La Flora De México. Instituto de Biolo- assessing conservation status. Ann. Mo. Wasshausen, D.C. 2013. New species gia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Bot. Gard. 99(2): 199-205. http://dx.doi. of Aphelandra (Acanthaceae) from Peru México. org/10.3417/2011121 and Ecuador. J. Bot. Res. Inst. Texas 7(1): 109-120. Ickert-Bond, S. and J. Wen. 2013. A Robinson, H.E. and R.R. Ireland. 2013. taxonomic synopsis of Altingiaceae Correct use of the generic name Bryoduse- Wen, J., R.H. Ree, S. Ickert-Bond, Z. with nine new combinations. Phytokeys nia (Hookeriales). Mem. New York Bot. Nie and V. Funk. 2013. Biogeography: 31: 21-61. http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/ Gard. 108: 245-249. Where do we go from here? Taxon 62(5): phytokeys.31.6251 912-927. Sancho, G., V.A. Funk and N. Roque. Krupnick, G.A., M.K. McCormick, T. 2013. 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Page 15 Art by Alice Tangerini

Brodriguesia santosii Cowan

Endemic to Brazil and occurring in the coastal forests of Bahia and Sergipe states, Brodriguesia santosii was published as a new species in 1981 by Richard S. Cowan (Brittonia 33: 9-14). Brodriguesia, named for J. Barbosa Rodrigues, one of Brazil’s most illustrious botanists, is similar to Intsia and Afzelia but it differs from both genera in the five subequal petals, the ten fertile stamens, and the minuscule annular aril around the hilum. The detail in the drawing made it a good example for showing techniques of shading leaves and the floral characters in botanical illustration classes that Alice Tangerini has since taught. The drawing was used in the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators’ “Technique Sheets” for the botanical pen and ink model which was distributed to members during the 1980s (pre- digital illustration days).

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