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

New Series - Vol. 13 - No. 3 July-September 2010 Botany Profile A Fresh Perspective on a Botanical Puzzle Box By Jimmy Triplett amboo. The very name evokes a temperate (Arundinaria in North the leading collections of in the wealth of imagery: a symbol of America and their allies in , , world, with over 37,000 specimens and Bgrace and beauty, a feast fit for and , including , thousands of photographic images, plus a panda, or perhaps a villainous weed, , and ), New World tropi- an archive of rare literature and field breaching property lines. Whatever the cal bamboos (including Chusquea and notes. The legacy of these botanists can association, everyone knows bamboo. Guadua), Old World tropical bamboos also be found in living collections at the And yet, what is a bamboo? From a (including and ), U.S. National Arboretum and in private botanical perspective, few such “well- and an unusual, morphological throw- collections of friends and colleagues. For known” have harbored so much back: the so-called herbaceous bamboos example, a peak into Mary Sangrey’s mystery: How many are there? (including and ), represented office in the musuem reveals a healthy For that matter, how many genera? Why by some 110 primarily American species but rare bamboo, do they wait so long to flower? And that lack the obvious bamboo features monadelpha of Sri Lanka, a gift from where are they from, anyway? (woody culms, complex branching, long Thomas Soderstrom. In the years since molecular evi- flowering cycles, etc.). Each of these As a postdoctoral fellow in the dence entered the botanists’ toolbox, major groups contains striking diversity Department of Botany, I have had the phenomenal progress has been made in and present unique challenges for taxono- opportunity to explore these resources our understanding of bamboos, includ- mists. while aspiring to make my own con- ing their relationship with other grasses, tribution to bamboo systematics. My their diversity, and their natural history. he National Museum of Natural research is guided by Paul Peterson, for We now know that bamboos are in the History has fostered a rich legacy his expertise in grass evolution, and Jun core of the grass (), sister Tin bamboo research, both field and Wen, whose expertise includes biogeog- to rice and bluegrass, and not primitive descriptive. The great agrostologist Mary raphy and the flora of Asia. My project cousins as once thought. Molecular data Agnes Chase (1869-1963) made substan- focuses on the Arundinaria clade of have also revealed overlooked species, tial contributions to our understanding of the temperate bamboos. I am attempt- including one in the Southeastern U.S. these giant grasses, collecting specimens ing to pinpoint the underlying cause of (hill cane, Arundinaria appalachiana) in Central and South America and describ- taxonomic confusion in this group while and a multitude of taxa in Central and ing the intricacies of bamboo flowers exploring its fascinating biogeographic South America, Asia, and Africa. Yet in relation to other grasses. The Botany history (including a disjunction between despite this progress, countless puzzles Department was also home to Floyd East Asia and ). The remain, especially as we look closer at McClure (1897-1970), who turned his temperate bamboos encompass over 600 relationships among species. attention to bamboo diversity in the Amer- named species in approximately 32 gen- The true bamboos (Poaceae subfamily icas after a long career as a professor and era. However, their is highly Bambusoideae) are estimated to encom- field botanist in Southeast . More controversial; in many cases, a so-called pass upwards of 1,400 species in some recently, Smithsonian botanists Thomas species has moved in synonymy among 120 genera. Recent molecular studies Soderstrom (1936-1987) and Cleofé E. as many as five different genera. This suggest that four major lineages arose Calderón (1929-2007) made immense con- reflects the fact that features used to relatively early (in the mid-Oligocene, tributions to bamboo taxonomy, amassing define species and genera are neither ca. 30 mya), but apparently diversified a vast collection through field work and obvious nor indisputable. more recently (during the Miocene, ca. herbarium exchange. Consequently, the In the U.S., we have three endemic U.S. National Herbarium now has one of 15 mya). These lineages include the Continued on page 10 Travel Pedro Acevedo and Gary Krup- Malagasy plant specimens in the herbaria work on the Heliconias and hummingbirds nick traveled to San Juan, Puerto Rico in Antananarivo, and to conduct field work of Dominica. (4/6 – 4/12) to participate in a workshop in the Andringitra Mountains; to Ithaca, Diane and Mark Littler traveled to of endangered Puerto Rican plants at the New York (5/25 – 5/28) to participate in a Ft. Pierce, Florida (6/12 –7/30) to attend a Botanical Garden of the University of Ph.D. defense at Cornell University, pres- conference, present an invitational lecture, Puerto Rico. ent a lecture on Madagascar, and collabo- and perform field research on Cyanophyta Walter Adey traveled to Steuben, rate on a research project; and to Fairfax at the Smithsonian Marine Station, Ft. Maine (6/12 – 9/12) to do field work in City, Virginia (6/8) to participate in a M.S. Pierce. the Gulf of Maine to the Labrador Sea, defense at George Mason University. Rusty Russell traveled to San Fran- to make coralline collections for use in Robin Everly, traveled to Seattle, cisco, California (4/22 – 4/24) to speak establishing seawater temperatures and Washington (5/18 – 5/22) to attend the to the Board of Advisors for Earthwatch seawater proxies. 42nd Annual Meeting of the Council on Institute; to Riverside County, California Emanuela Appetiti and Alain Tou- Botanical and Horticultural Libraries (4/24 – 5/2) for continuing fieldwork in waide traveled to Rome, Italy (4/5 – 4/6) (CBHL). the San Jacinto Mountains; to Redlands, to conduct research in the libraries of Vicki Funk traveled to Chicago, California (5/3 – 5/4) to conduct a one-day Rome and Naples; to Venice, Italy (4/6 – Illinois (4/14) for an Encyclopedia of Life workshop at the Environmental Sciences 4/16) to attend a conference and conduct (EOL) synthesis group meeting to discuss Research Institute (ESRI) on developing research at the Marciana Library; to Sicily, incorporating the Compositae Virtual Key educational initiatives using historic speci- Italy (4/22 – 5/9) to deliver talks and teach project; to Wildwood, New Jersey (5/2 – men data; and to Boston, Massachusetts classes at the Universities of Messina; and 5/3) and Hampton, New Jersey (5/3 – 5/4) (5/15 – 5/21) to attend a Earthwatch meet- to Athens, Greece (6/24 – 6/29) to attend a for plant collecting in the southern New ing and training. series of scientific events and meetings . Jersey area; and to Las Vegas, Nevada Laurence Skog traveled to Storrs, Laurence Dorr traveled to Madagas- (5/18 – 5/26) to attend the iPlant 2010 Connecticut (5/3) to see the new collec- car (4/9 – 5/3) to present a paper at the Conference. tions facility and examine specimens XIXth Congress of AETFAT (“Association Linda Hollenberg traveled to Ottawa, of Gesneriaceae in the herbarium of the for the Taxonomic Study of the Flora of Canada (5/30 – 6/6) to attend the joint University of Connecticut. Tropical Africa”) in Antananarivo, to study conference of the Society for the Preserva- Alice Tangerini traveled to New York tion of Natural History Collections and City and Brooklyn, New York (5/6 – 5/9) The Plant Press the Canadian Botanical Association, and to attend the opening of the American co-chaired a special interest group discus- Society of Botanical Artists exhibit, New Series - Vol. 13 - No. 3 sion on collection management issues in “Losing Paradise: Endangered Plants botany. Here and Around the World,” at the New Chair of Botany W. John Kress traveled to Miami, York Botanical Garden; and to meet with Warren L. Wagner Florida (4/8 – 4/10) as an invited keynote Paul Harwood at the Brooklyn Botanical ([email protected]) speaker at the University of Miami; to Gardens. Omaha, Nebraska (5/5 – 5/6) to participate Alain Touwaide and Emanuela EDITORIAL STAFF in a workshop on “Gingers and Gorilla Appetiti traveled to Italy (4/5 – 5/9) Editor Health” at the Henry Doorly Zoo; and to to attend the annual conference of the Gary Krupnick Dominica (5/24 – 6/5) to continue field Continued on page 5 ([email protected])

News Contacts Visitors MaryAnn Apicelli, Robert Faden, Shirley Maina, Rusty Russell, Alice Tangerini, Mike Martin, Johns Hopkins University; Jianying Xiang, Kunming Institute of and Elizabeth Zimmer Ambrosia (Compositae) (1/1/09-6/30/11). Botany, China; Dryopteris (Dryopteri- daceae) (1/1-12/31). The Plant Press is a quarterly publication pro- Qing Liu, South China Botanic Garden, vided free of charge. To receive notification of when new pdf issues are posted to the web, please Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guang- Saroopa Samaradivakara, Genetech subscribe to the listserve by sending a message zhou; Chloridoideae (Poaceae) (7/4/09- Research Insitute, Colombo, Sri Lanka; to [email protected] containing only the following in the body of the text: SUBSCRIBE 7/4/10). Plant DNA barcoding (3/1-4/30). PLANTPRESS-NEWS Firstname Lastname. Replace “Firstname Lastname” with your name. Weidong Zhu, Kunming Institute of Frank Farruggia, Univeristy of Utah; If you would like to be added to the hard-copy Botany, China; Astilbe (Saxifragaceae) Solanum (Solanaceae) (3/30-4/2). mailing list, please contact Dr. Gary Krupnick at: and Aruncus (Rosaceae) (1/1-4/30). Department of Botany, Smithsonian Institution, Ze-long Nie, Kunming Institute of Botany, PO Box 37012, NMNH MRC-166, Washington, China; Phylogeny of Ampelopsis (Vita- DC 20013-7012, or by E-mail: krupnickg@ Jimmy Triplett, University of Missouri; si.edu. North American Arundinaria, and Asian ceae) (4/1-5/28). Pleioblastus, Sasa, and bam- Continued on page 7 Web site: http://botany.si.edu/ boos (Poaceae) (1/1-12/31).

Page 2 A Personal View of the Grand Challenges By V.A. Funk Chair ast year I had the wonderful experience of research process; that the independent researcher serving as the Co-Chair of the Smithsonian’s would be ignored in favor of special projects chosen With LStrategic Planning Committee. When I was by leaders of the Grand Challenges or some other first asked to take on this responsibility I found the individual. They feared that the already scarce whole concept to be a bit overwhelming. It did not help resources that are currently available to the SI A that we had two sets of consultants and a committee research and collections staff (i.e., Scholarly Stud- of over 20 people, many of whom were Directors or ies, Fellowships, Restricted Endowment) would be View Assistant Directors or other experienced high-ranking diverted to the new Grand Challenges. However, it administrators. I was fortunate to have as my Co-Chair was always my impression from my meetings with Kevin Gover, the Director of the National Museum of the Secretary that he was firmly against this con- Warren the American Indian, who had a great deal of experi- cept. He was, and is, a big supporter of independent ence with committees and managing large groups of research frequently stating that it is what makes the L. sometimes independent minded individuals; indeed Smithsonian such an amazing resource; that without Wagner he was far better than I was at dealing with some of such “excellence in research” we would not have the the problems that arose. We were ably assisted by ideas and resources to draw upon to meet the Grand Pherabe Kolb, from the Office of the Under Secretary Challenges. My interpretation of what he said was for Finance and Administration. In fact, Pherabe saved that all money (except for some start up funds) for the day many times during the process. We quickly the Grand Challenges would come from New Money realized that one meeting per month would not move us only and I repeated this many times in my meeting along very fast so we started a Monday “lunch bunch” with concerned staff. As soon as the Grand Chal- that anyone on the Steering Committee could attend lenges were identified and approved by the Board and it was there that much of the work was done. After of Regents the Secretary began to seek funding and the Committee finished their work the actual Strategic I believe he will be successful in his efforts to raise Plan document was written by Carole Nevis and the the money needed. staff of the Office of Policy and Analysis along with Many possible topics were considered for the the unit directors, the Under Secretaries, and, of course, Grand Challenges and we eventually settled on four it was all carefully watched and commented on by the concepts: Unlocking the Mysteries of the Universe; Secretary. There were many stages to the process but Understanding and Sustaining a Biodiverse Planet; this article is not about the process but about the vision, Valuing World Cultures; Understanding the Ameri- or at least my view of the vision. can Experience. These quickly became known by So you might ask, what did the committee do? We shortened versions of their names: The Universe, developed the four Grand Challenges. The idea was Biodiversity, World Cultures, American! They that the Smithsonian Institution was not living up to were selected because the Smithsonian has expertise its full potential. It had previously been noted that the in each of these areas from more than one Unit and synergy among the various units was lower than it because they cross the barrier between Science and could be and we decided that if we could come up with Art-History-Culture; a task that many thought was overarching themes that would bridge the gaps among unbreachable. One of the most fun things we did in the units then we could more powerfully address issues the Committee was to come up of great concern. Each Grand Challenge was seen as a with ideas that would fit under “tent” that members of various units could work under one of the Grand Challenges but to address broad issues along with colleagues from that also would cross between outside the Smithsonian. Each of the Challenges was two or possibly more of them. viewed as a home for ideas that could involve many For instance, one that is dear to units, make a major contribution to knowledge, and be my heart is life on Earth and our of interest to the public. It was acknowledged that mak- interest in sustaining it. This is ing this work would involve all parts of the Smithso- perhaps the most difficult and nian, the knowledge gatherers, the disseminators, and time sensitive challenge. To the infrastructure that allows all of it to take place. This accomplish this we must under- idea was ably reflected in the SI 2010 Folklife Festivle stand life and how it changes. when we were all invited to have tables in any of the We must also understand the pro- four tents that represented the Grand Challenges. One of the versions of the graphic cesses of Earth that allowed life During the process we held several meetings for drawn by the “Lunch Bunch” of the to evolve. We must understand the staff and several of us visited individual museums Strategic Planning Committee. The human culture to work to develop and met with concerned individuals. Based on recent names of some of Grand Challenges methods to preserve life, includ- history, many members of the SI staff thought that such were constantly changing and some ing what is happening in our Grand Challenges would be a threat to the creative are not the same as the final version. Continued on page 10

Page 3 Survey, the Endangered Species Coalition, acters created by Bangiolo and Ogurtsova Staff the Smithsonian’s National Museum of highlighted details that visitors used to Natural History and other agencies and identify the species. Visitors then drew and Research & non-profit organizations. Krupnick and colored the samples or photographed Activities Braum displayed herbarium specimens of and identified the leaf using the iPhone endangered plant species and publications LeafID application. from Botany. Gary Hevel from NMNH’s Gabe Johnson participated in Planting Department of Entomology displayed rare On May 6-9, Alice Tangerini traveled to Science as a Planting Science Mentor dur- ing Paradise: Endangered Plants Here and ing the spring semester with the Botani- The Smithsonian Institution, the National Around the World,” an exhibit of selected cal Society of America. Johnson grew Science Foundation, and the Ocean botanical art from the members of the Ceratopteris richardii (the C-Fern, a Studies Board of the National Research American Society of Botanical Artists. specially derived cultivar of the tropical Council sponsored a two-day symposium The exhibit is on display at the New York homosporous fern) along with high school May 24-25, to celebrate the scientific Botanical Garden through the end of students in Louisiana (Louisiana Academy contributions and value of scuba as a July when it moves to NMNH and opens of Math, Science, and the Arts). Johnson research methodology. Mark and Diane August 14. The reception at NYBG was discussed fern reproductive biology with Littler were invited to present their attended by 20 artists and members of the students through the online mentoring research findings (“Crustose Corallines NYBG staff and donors. Opening remarks program. He also worked with curriculum Revealed”) along with over 50 other top were made by Robin Jess, ASBA presi- developers Renee Lopez-Smith and Teresa U.S. scholars and international collabo- dent, and Carol Woodin, ASBA Exhibits Woods and the students’ teacher Allison rators. The focus was on the scientific Coordinator. The reception was preceded Landry, who are creating a C-Fern module contributions accomplished by placing the by a tour of the Rare Book Room at The for Planting Science so that other teachers trained scientific eye into the underwater LuEsther T. Mertz Library given by Steve can use C-Fern to teach plant reproduction environment on self-contained compressed Sinon, Head of Information Services in the classroom. This important program gas. Oral presentations included research and Archives at NYBG. Bobbi Angell, will help students become interested in from around the world on coral reefs, NYBG botanical artist, narrated a view- botany and encourage them to think about blue-water environments, under-ice polar ing of selected works from their extensive plants. habitats, temperate kelp forests and other collection of botanical art. Tangerini sites of interest. Results will be dissemi- attended the reception with her former SI Gary Krupnick and summer intern Anna nated to scholars through publication of Art Research Fellow, Nancy Friedemann. Braum participated in Endangered Spe- the symposium proceedings as a volume Alice also visited the Brooklyn Botanical cies Day and the United States Botanic in the Smithsonian Contributions to the Garden along with other ASBA artists as Garden on May 21. Sponsored by USBG, Marine Sciences series by Smithsonian guests of the Herbarium Supervisor Paul the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Institution Scholarly Press. Harwood, who gave the artists a tour of the Endangered Species Coalition, the Mark and Diane Littler presented the BBG gardens and facilities. festival included tours of the U.S. Botanic an invitational public lecture entitled Garden’s endangered and native plants, “’s Undersea Realm: Fascinating lunchtime talks on federal endangered Findings and Phenomena”, for the Ocean Awards & species programs, and presentations and Science Lecture series at Harbor Branch Grants displays by the USFWS, NOAA Fisher- Oceanographic Institute/Florida Atlantic ies, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Geological University on June 23. Mark Littler received the 2010 Dis- tinguished Alumni Award from Ohio On June 25, Ida Lopez and Alice Tanger- University’s College of Arts and Sciences. ini and two Botany interns, Lois Bangiolo The award ceremony will take place Sep- and Aleksandra Ogurtsova, held a one tember 24, 2010. Preceding the ceremony, day program on the National Mall as part Littler will mentor and advise students of the Smithsonian Inside Out venue at in the Department of Environmental and the 2010 Smithsonian Folklife Festival. Plant Sciences. Their presentation, “Leaf ID-What Tree Is This?” featured Tangerini showing her Vicki Funk, as lead editor of the book samples of leaf drawings as part of the old Systematics, Evolution, and Biogeography technology of identification by botani- of Compositae, was selected to receive cal illustration and Lopez demonstrating the Stebbins Medal for 2007-2009 from new identification technology using the the International Association for Plant Gary Krupnick displays herbarium Instant Identification System’s soon-to-be- Taxonomy (IAPT). The medal is given for specimens of endangered species at released Apple iPhone application called “an outstanding article or book on plant Endangered Species Day at the US LeafID. Visitors were asked to choose systematics and/or plant evolution.” Funk Botanic Garden (Photo by Yuri Huta/ a leaf from a bouquet of fresh specimen will receive the award on August 3, 2010, Endangered Species Coalition) branches. A poster and chart of leaf char- at the American Society of Plant Taxono- Page 4 mists (ASPT) banquet at the Botany 2010 masse. She will also record observations Travel meeting in Providence, Rhode Island. of plants textural record of survival evi- Continued from page 2 denced through scarring, insect predation and wind influence. Renaissance Society of America in Venice, conduct research at the National Library in This summer, the National Museum of Venice, meet with collaborators in Milan Natural History launched a new internship and Naples, and make presentations in program, the Natural History Research Messina, Sicily; and to Toruń, Poland Experiences (NHRE). Hundreds of (6/17 – 6/20) to attend the meeting of the applications were received and 18 were International Association for the History selected by an ad hoc committee. Maddie of Nephrology. Brown, freshly graduated in Anthropol- Jimmy Triplett traveled to Beijing , ogy at Brown University, is one recipient. China (4/17 – 4/20) to visit the Chinese Interested in ethnobotany and classical National Herbarium; and to southeastern culture, Brown is working with Alain China (, and Guangxi Touwaide and Emanuela Appetiti on a Provinces), Hong Kong, and Hokkaido, program concerning the diet of ancient Japan (4/20 – 5/13) for field research on Rome. The hypothesis is that the Romans the temperate bamboos. of classical antiquity chose their diets Jun Wen traveled to Beijing, China based on identifiable nutritional principles (4/17 – 4/20) and Hangzhou, China (4/20 and guidelines. Brown will examine – 5/1) to conduct research and field work Classical texts for literary references to on Dendropanax (Araliaceae). important agricultural and food plants, Jamie Whitacre traveled to Panama New Faces in order to attain a solid foundation on City, Panama (4/13 – 4/16) to participate which sorts of plants the Romans of the in the Laboratories of Analytical Biology 1st century AD were interested. She will The Smithsonian Institution has awarded “Information Technology Road Show” combine this textual evidence with botani- fellowships to twelve accomplished art- at the Smithsonian Tropical Research cal data from both regional flora guides ists from the United States and abroad to Institute; and to Las Vegas, Nevada (5/24 and the herbarium’s collections in order conduct research at Smithsonian museums – 5/26) to attend the iPlant 2010 Confer- to determine with greater certainty which and research facilities as part of the 2010 ence. plant species the Romans were probably Smithsonian’s Artist Research Fellowship Kenneth Wurdack traveled to St. consuming. This information will allow (SARF) Program. This pan-Institutional Louis, Missouri (5/7) to conduct her- her to reconstruct how ancient Roman program provides artists with financial barium research at the Missouri Botanical diets changed throughout the seasons as support to conduct research for a two- Garden; and to (6/20 – 8/4) to well as to ascertain the nutritional proper- month residency period, offering them collect plants. ties of their diets as a whole. access to special collections and to the Another NHRE intern is Heidi Wol- diverse areas of expertise at the Smith- laeger, a Biology major with a minor in sonian. The awarded recipients for 2010 Studio Art at Wittenburg University in include Jocelyn Chateauvert, an artist Ohio. While working with Liz Zimmer who expresses the natural world through For the Record this summer, Wollaeger will examine her jewelry, sculpture and installation genetic variation among populations of the The History of the US National Herbarium: artworks from the plant-based papers she cucumber magnolia, Magnolia acuminata. The following footnote for authors Conrad V. makes by hand. Chateauvert is intrigued There have been previous suggestions that Morton and William L. Stern was missing in by the physical adaptability of plants: their the species includes subspecies found in the April-June 2010 issue of The Plant Press ability to dominate their environment, different geographic regions in the eastern (13(2): 1,16-19): † Conrad V. Morton (1905 – exploiting and expanding around obstacles United States. She will be amplifying and 1972) was Curator , Division of Ferns in the like water, rocks and even other plants. sequencing DNA from over 80 samples Department of Biology from 1926 to 1972. She is participating in field research at for three to four chloroplast DNA spacer William L. Stern (1926 – ) was Curator, Divi- the NMNH’s Biological Diversity of the regions that have been useful in differen- sion of Woods in the Department of Biology Guiana Shield and then consulting the tiating populations of other plant species. from 1960 to 1968, and is now retired, living in specimen and botanical illustration col- Wollaeger is interested in doing graduate Florida, and working to complete a volume on lections at NMNH, working with Vicki work in Botany and possibly in Museum orchid anatomy. Funk, Alice Tangerini, and Curator of Art Studies. She previously has done volun- Jane Milosch from the Office of the Under teer work at the Cleveland and Hollandia United States National Herbarium – Secretary for History, Art, and Culture. Botanical Gardens and the Cleveland ­Centennial Milestones: The article in The On her travels to the Guianas Chateauvert Museum of Natural History; at the latter Plant Press (13(2): 10-11) incorrectly states will document, through sound, drawings she used anatomical techniques to study that the herbarium began compactorization in and photography, plant life for its sculp- plants. 1999. Compactorization began in 1995. The tural qualities and organic architecture en first two bays were completed in 1999. Page 5 The 2010 Smithsonian Botanical treatment of the grasses from the Mexi- can state of Zacatecas. Published in Sida, ­Symposium to Explore ­Ethnobotany on Botanical Miscellany, this treatment includes 284 species in 91 genera with six 24-25 September subspecies, 30 varieties, and four forms. The Department of Botany will The José Cuatrecasas Medal in Tropi- Written entirely in Spanish, this publica- convene the 2010 Smithsonian Botanical cal Botany will be awarded at the Sympo- tion contains keys for determining the Symposium, “Food For Thought: 21st sium. This prestigious award is presented taxa, descriptions, illustrations (at least Century Perspectives on Ethnobotany,” annually to an international scholar who one per ), distribution maps, and to be held at the National Museum of has contributed significantly to advancing specimens examined. Zacatecas is cen- Natural History in Washington, D.C., the field of tropical botany. The award is trally placed in México (bisected by the on 24 – 25 September 2010. People are named in honor of Dr. José Cuatrecasas, a Tropic of Cancer), located primarily east dependent upon plants for food, clothing, pioneering botanist who spent many years of the Sierra Madre Occidental and west medicine, fuel and other necessities of life. working in the Department of Botany at of the Sierra Madre Oriental with nearly Humans and plants the Smithsonian and 75% of the state between 6000−8000 have interacted for devoted his career feet in elevation (10,501 ft on the tallest as long as humans to plant exploration mountain). have existed, but in tropical South In 1546, the Basque, Juan de Tolosa, our relationship is America. made a major silver strike in Zacatecas in not static. Since Sponsors of the the rough, arid mountains deep in Chi- the advent of agriculture we have exerted Symposium are the Department of Botany, chimec territory. Ciudad Zacatecas still evolutionary pressure on plants that are of the Office of the Associate Director for harbors Mina El Edén, an active silver importance to us. Indigenous and industri- Research and Collections, the United mine on top of Cerro del Grillo. Today alized societies have interacted with plants States Botanic Garden, and the Cuatreca- much of the high plateau between the in their environments and influenced sas Family Foundation. two Sierras is covered with C4 grass- not only crop plants, but also cultural Visit http://botany.si.edu/sbs/ for reg- lands that include xerophilous shrubs, landscapes. The Smithsonian Botanical istration and additional information about pinyon−juniper, and oak woodlands. Symposium, hosted by the Departments of the 2010 Smithsonian Botanical Sympo- This important study, supported by Botany and Anthropology, will examine sium. You may also call 202-633-0920 or CONABIO (Comisión Nacional para el the 21st century transformation of the study email [email protected] for more information. Conocimiento y Uso de la Biodiversidad) of interactions between plants and people. and the Smithsonian, will be used by land Invited speakers will cover a wide range Gramíneas de managers, ranchers, ecologists, scientists, of topics: from the role molecular biology and plant enthusiasts who need to identify now has in elucidating crop domestica- Zacatecas, México grasses throughout Zacatecas and sur- tion to the ways in which peoples across Paul Peterson and fellow scientists rounding states. Peterson will be traveling myriad ecosystems interact with specific Yolanda Herrera Arrieta and Armando with Jeffery Saarela (Canadian Museum of plants and landscapes. Cortés Ortiz have produced a taxonomic Nature and former Smithsonian Research The speakers at the Symposium will Training Intern) this fall, and together be Ruth Defries (Columbia University), with Herrera Arrieta and Cortés Ortiz, will Eve Emshwiller (University of Wiscon- begin working on a grass flora of San Luis sin), Cameron McNeil (Lehman College), Potosí. Allison Miller (St. Louis University), Kenneth M. Olsen (Washington Univer- sity in St. Louis), Torben Rick (Smith- Smithsonian Staff sonian Institution), and Julie Velásquez Create First-Ever Runk (University of Georgia). The Botanical Symposium is one of Human Sunburst many activities planned to celebrate the Standing in the shape of the Smithso- Centennial of the National Museum of nian Institution sunburst, close to 4,000 Natural History. Symposium participants Smithsonian staff, interns, fellows and are invited to visit the new David H. Koch volunteers gathered on the National Mall Hall of Human Origins, which is dedicated in front of the Smithsonian Castle on to the understanding of human origins. Thursday, July 1, for a group portrait. This major exhibition is based on decades This was the first-ever attempt to of cutting-edge research by Smithsonian gather the employees and others for a scientists, and it tells the epic story of group shot in the Smithsonian’s 164-year human evolution and how this occurred history and was the largest gathering of over the course of six million years in Smithsonian employees, fellows, interns, response to a changing world. volunteers and retirees to date. Page 6 Garden; Molecular research (5/17-5/21). Lois Bangiolo, Smith College; Internship (5/17-8/13). Marjorie Shropshire, University of Flor- ida; Information technology (5/17-6/25). Anna Braum, George Mason University; Plant conservation internship (5/17-8/20). Michael Calonje, Montgomery Botanical Garden; Zamia and Ceratozamia (Zami- aceae) (5/20-5/21). Rhiannon Knol, Randolph College, and Robert MacInnis, George Mason Univer- sity; Map internship (5/23-8/13). Matthew Johnson, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; Plant con- servation internship (5/24-8/12). Kelsey Branch, College of William and Mary; United States grasses (5/24-8/20). Megan Ondricek, Southern Virginia Uni- versity; San Jacinto project (5/24-8/20). Abbi Simons, Rochester Institute of Technology; Micro-imaging project (5/24- Smithsonian staff create a sunburt (Photo by Dane Penland, Smithsonian 8/20). ­Institution) Lillian Waller, William and Mary Col- The photo was organized by the Smith- Fernando Alzate, Instituto de Biologia lege; Botanical Expeditions research sonian Community Committee and was Universidad de Antioquia, Medellin, (5/24-8/20). taken during the Smithsonian Staff Picnic, ; Bomarea () held annually on the National Mall. (4/27-5/17). Fred Short, Director Seagrass Net, University of New Hampshire; Seagrass Visitors Bertrand Ndzelen, University of the research (5/27). Continued from page 2 District of Colombia; DNA research (5/1- 8/30). Jyoti Gajurel, Tribhuvan University Chin Siew-wai, University of Calfornia- Central Herbarium, Kathmandu, Nepal; Davis, Singapore; Prunus arborea (Rosa- Torke Benjamin, New York Botanical Herbarium management, Commelinaceae ceae) species complex (4/1-6/30). Garden; Swartzia (Fabaceae) (5/5-5/7). (6/1-6/21). Zhou Zhuo, Kunming Institute of Botany, Brian Sidoti, University of Wisconsin; Yovanna Kolitsopoulos, Fordham Uni- China; Cyanthus (Campanulaceae) Tillandsia (Bromeliaceae) (5/5-5/7). versity; Internship (6/1-7/30). (4/1/10-3/29/11). Rafael Pinto, New York Botanical Gar- Heidi Wollaeger, Wittenberg College; Li-min Lu, Chinese Academy of Sci- den; Swartzia (Fabaceae) (5/5-5/8). Magnolia acuminata (Sapindaceae) (6/1- ences; Parthenocissus (Vitaceae) (4/1/10- Kerry Carfagno, University of Mary 8/8). 3/31/11). Washington; Cyanolichen Index (5/14- Madeline Brown, Brown University; German Carnevali, Centro de Investiga- 8/30). Natural History Research Experiences cion Cientifica de Yucatán A.C., Mérida, Genna Fleming, University of Maryland; internship, Historia Plantarum (6/1-8/10). ; Orchidaceae, Flora of Guarama- Plant Image Collection (5/14-8/20). Allen Thomas, Cabrini College; Map cal (4/5-4/18). Dario Bonacorsi and Paolo Moraz- internship (6/1-8/13). James Bryant, Riverside Metropolitan zoni, INDENA, Milan, Italy; Fundraising Dylan Brown, Dickinson College, Sarah Museum; Edmund Jaeger collections (5/17). Miller, St. John’s College, and Robert (4/9). Suman Neupane, Old Dominion Univer- Pettit, University of Maryland; U.S. Nadia Roque, Universidade Federal da sity; Asian () (5/17). Exploring Expedition (6/1-8/20). , Salvado, ; Brazilian Aster- aceae (4/19-4/30). Linda Prince, Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Continued on page 9 Page 7 Ruth F. ­Schallert, MacBride and Robert Farrall. A memorial fund is being set up to in 90, Botany & Ruth’s name to honor her many years of service as the Botany Branch Librarian. ­Horticulture A check can be made out to “Smithso- Branch Librarian nian Institution Libraries” and mailed to Rachelle Hardy, National Museum of Born in Whitehall, Wisconsin to Roy Natural History, Smithsonian Institution A. and Leila Fortun, Ruth Schallert Libraries, NHB Room 26mz, MRC 154, developed her interest in the sciences at PO Box 37012, Washington DC 20013- an early age helping her father around the 7012, or donated online through the family pharmacy after school and during SIL website at http://donate.sil.si.edu/v/ holidays. A favorite recollection of those Donate.asp. Please indicate in your corre- times was scooping orange-pineapple ice spondence that you are remembering Ruth cream for customers, oranges and pine- Schallert. apples being a rare treat in those Northern climes. She received her bachelor’s degree Planting a Garden at Luther College, Decorah, Iowa. After obtaining her library degree at the Uni- with the First Lady versity of Michigan, Ann Arbor, she took Smithsonian Research Associate a position at the Art Library, University Christopher Puttock met with the First of Iowa, Iowa City. Her next two library Ruth Schallert in 2007 (Photo by Chip Lady of the United States Michelle Obama positions were with the Pacific Salmon Clark) several dozen Congressional spouses, Investigations Library of the U.S. Fish and and students to plant of a native butterfly Wildlife Services in Seattle, Washington Schallert’s publications included two garden at the Marie H. Reed Commu- and with the Naval Oceanographic Office articles in professional journals: nity Learning Center on April 29, 2010. Library in Washington, D.C. While living • Churgin, S. and R.F. Schallert. 1980. The Monarch Biodiversity Garden was in Seattle, she and husband William Schal- History of the Smithsonian Librar- designed by Puttock, who is also Execu- lert had two daughters, Karla and Lisa. ies, with special emphasis on natural tive Director of Chesapeake Natives, Inc., After a brief period at the Smith- history. Journal of the Society of the Chief Botanist for the Natural Partners sonian’s National Museum of Natural Bibliography of Natural History 9(4): Monarch Sister Schools Program, and History Entomology Branch Library, in 593-606. leader of the Rotary District 7620 Envi- 1966 she became the Smithsonian Botany • White, J.J. and R.F. Schallert. 1986. ronmental Conservation Committee. Branch Librarian and in March 2003 the Illustrations in the Contributions from These three organizations were integrally Smithsonian’s Botany/Horticulture Branch the U.S. National Herbarium, 1890- involved with the supply, preparation, and Librarian. In June of 2003, the Council 1974. Huntia 6(2): 147-163. delivery of this outdoor classroom. of Botanical and Horticultural Libraries After living in the woods of Accokeek, Chesapeake Natives, Inc. is a Maryland- Long Award of Extraordinary Merit. passing of her husband Bill, Schallert based non-profit organization that strives Schallert received the CBHL Award in moved to Arlington, Virginia to be closer to preserve, propagate and promote plants honor of her professional library service to work and family. With great reluctance, that are native to the Chesapeake water- since 1966 in the Natural History Museum Schallert retired from the Botany/Horticul- shed. By protecting and restoring native as well as in recognition of her many col- ture Branch Library in 2007, after 41 years plants, Chesapeake Natives is helping to laborative activities with members of the of service. Later in 2007 she moved to sustain the regions local fauna, including American Library Association, the Special Philadelphia to The Watermark at Logan its pollinators (including butterflies), and Libraries Association, the Society for the Square retirement community in Center in sustaining the local flora aesthetic that History of Natural History, the European City to be near her younger daughter. makes the Chesapeake watershed unique. Botanical and Horticultural Librar- Once settled, she volunteered two days a Chesapeake Natives’ activities make ies group, and CBHL. She was a past- week at the Free Library of Philadelphia native plants available to school and com- president of CBHL and was instrumental almost next door. A born librarian, she also munity projects in the DC, Baltimore and in designing the original bylaws for this took over voluntary management of the Annapolis area. Council. Some of Schallert’s other honors Watermark Library. Chesapeake Natives works closely include an alumni award in 2002 by While on vacation in Cape May with with the Monarch Sister Schools Program Luther College and the naming of a new her daughter Lisa, she fell, fracturing her plant species in 1982 by Christine Burton, hip. She subsequently had several strokes which is an initiative of the nonprofit Hoya schallertiae, in recognition that the and lapsed into a coma, dying in her sleep Natural Partners to involve school children library research assistance Schallert gave on June 2, 2010. Schallert is survived by across North America in the protection and her was “far beyond the call of duty.” her daughter Lisa, and sons-in-law Alan restoration of the habitat of the Monarch Page 8 Nancy Ogden, Florida Institute of Ocean- ography; Herbarium research (6/7-6/11). Austin Campbell, St. Albans School for Boys; Internship (6/7-7/30). Steven Chong, San Jose State University; Cyanolichen Index (6/7-8/20). Caitlin Graney, Catholic University of America; U.S. Exploring Expedition (6/7- 8/20). Ashley Hlebinsky, University of Dela- ware, and Kristin Krammer, Gettysburg College; Botanical Expeditions project (6/7-8/20). Holly Markley, University of Maryland; Plant conservation internship (6/7-8/20). Rachel Barclay, Luther College; Katzen- berger Art History internship, Cactaceae Christopher Puttock planted a native butterfly garden with first lady Michelle (6/7-8/25). Obama at the Marie H. Reed Community Learning Center on April 29, 2010. Adriana Mendoza, University of Mary- butterfly, including its threatened winter Center for the Arts. The event was coordi- land; Medicinal plant barcoding (6/7- habitat in the highlands of central Mexico nated for the first lady by Lynsey Jeffries 12/31). and its disappearing milkweed habitat of Higher Achievement. along its migratory flyway from Mexico John Bly, American University; Plant to Canada. The Program provides the sup- conservation internship (6/14-8/20). port that schools need to plant and sustain Lauren Kass, University of California- a Monarch Biodiversity Garden in their Santa Barbara; Frozen tissue collection schoolyard (habitat restoration), create Visitors (6/14-8/20). an outdoor classroom (STEM education) Continued from page 7 and establish a relationship with a sister Phil Gibson, University of Oklahoma; school in Mexico (cultural exchange). The Brittany Roger, Maryland Institute Col- Alnus (Betulaceae) (6/16). program is currently working with more lege of Art, and Marielle Saums, Carne- than 20 schools in the Washington, D.C. gie Mellon University; Plant conservation Kelda David, Shawn Francis, and Edgar metropolitan area. internship (6/1-8/20). Hunter, Dominica State College, Roseau; The Environmental Conservation West Indian plant specimens (6/21-6/25). Alice Zicht, Oberlin College; Arizona Program of Maryland/DC Rotary Dis- Flora project (6/1-8/20). Jose Zuñiga, Rancho Santa Ana Botanic trict 7620 is a part of the Rotary Preserve Garden; Meliosma (Meliosmaceae) (6/21- Planet Earth Program that started in 1990. Christine Milne, Holy Cross; Cyanobac- 7/15). Rotarians of Rotary Clubs in District 7620 teria (6/1-8/27). are actively engaged in supporting ele- Michael and William Dix, Universidad mentary schools both financially and with Alexey Zinovjev, Private, Randolph, Mas- del Valle de , Guatemala City; volunteer service hours to sustain Mon- sachusetts; Salicaceae (6/2-6/3). Bromeliaceae (6/23-6/29). arch Biodiversity Gardens. In addition Hayley Hamilton and Tseday Zewdu Myron Kimnach, Cactus and Succulent to the Monarch Sister School Program, Tegegn, University of the District of Journal, Editor; Crassulaceae and Cacta- almost all 70 Rotary clubs in the D.C. Columbia; Compositae (6/2-8/15). ceae (6/24-6/25). and Maryland area engage in numerous environmental activities in the District and Lorah Patterson, Western Michigan Riccardo Baldini, Università degli Studi, across the world. University; Botanical Expeditions research Dipartimento di Biologia Evoluzionistica, In addition to taking an active role in (6/3-8/30). Firenze, Italy; Lasiacis (Poaceae) (6/28- planting the garden Obama and the Con- 7/9). Christiane Staiger, MERCK Pharmaceu- gressional spouses painted butterflies on ticals, Neu-Isenburg, ; Fundrais- the mural during this community service Alejandra Jaramillo, University of Icesi, ing (6/4). afternoon. The butterfly murals that now Cali, Colombia; Piperaceae (6/28-7/23). surround Monarch Biodiversity Garden Francisco Morales, Instituto Nacional Andrew Woo, Washington University; at Marie H. Reed Learning Center were de Biodiversidad, Heredia, ; Bibliography of the U.S. Exploring Expe- designed by Loretta Thompson of the Sitar Apocynaceae (6/7- 6/11). dition (6/30-7/26). Page 9 Grand Challenges Continued from page 3 own back yard, America. Such a topic is not restricted to Science but rather crosses all four Grand Challenges. New insights will come from new ways of approach- ing the challenge. I hope it is clear that these four challenges were not viewed as independent from one another nor were they viewed as belonging to either Science or Art-History-Culture, but rather as an integrated whole. We developed a graphic that showed how we viewed the Grand Challenges and it shows that, in our view, they should all overlap and that the real power will be in those that cross over the traditional boundaries we have in the Smithsonian. When I first agreed to take on this responsibility I was told by a colleague that the first rule of Strategic Planning (really of all administrative jobs) is to “do no harm.” I took this admonition seriously Sasamorpha borealis, a temperate bamboo native to Japan, and one of the because the last thing any of us wanted putative parents of japonica, a well-known and widely-cultivated was to make our colleagues working lives bamboo recently revealed to be an intergeneric hybrid. (Photo by Jimmy Triplett; more difficult. I believe the Grand Chal- Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan) lenges have the potential to bring together diverse groups of Smithsonian staff and Central and South America. Instead, our became a mosaic, so too did morphology. their colleagues around the world to native canes are close relatives of East This surprising result contrasts with the address interesting and important ques- Asian bamboos (the Arundinaria clade, rare occurrence of flowering in bamboos, tions that will result in exciting forums including Pleioblastus, Pseudosasa, Sasa, and demands careful scrutiny with other and publications, exhibits, websites and and Sasamorpha); however, their clos- lines of evidence. education materials and contribute to solu- est relative within this group remains a In my current project I am using DNA tions to important issues we face today. mystery. China and Japan both have a sequence data from nuclear genes to They also have the potential to develop vast diversity of temperate bamboos, and evaluate the role of hybridization while into an additional layer of administration the taxonomy is quite complex. The trend also seeking a better understanding of and to divert core funding if new funds are of increasing taxonomic confusion from phylogeny and biogeography. Nuclear not found. As one of the proponents of the North America to China by way of Japan data are valuable because they can track Grand Challenges I hope for the former matches the increase in species rich- genetic contributions from both parents. and I urge all of you, if you agree with the ness: where more taxa overlap, taxonomy My preliminary data strongly support vision, to do what you can to see that it is becomes less clear-cut. And nowhere is hybridization as the culprit for taxonomic turned into reality. bamboo taxonomy more perplexing than confusion, and also revealed hybrids in China, the center of bamboo diversity, where none were suspected. For example, where the current classification is a rough all available data confirm thatPseudosasa approximation at best. japonica, a well-known plant in cultiva- Recent molecular research on the tion world-wide (and the type species of Arundinaria clade has brought a certain the genus Pseudosasa), is in fact a hybrid degree of clarity to this group, setting between two divergent bamboos in Japan! Profile the stage for taxonomic revisions. One My postdoctoral project has already Continued from page 1 revelation from my dissertation research, provided valuable information about species of temperate bamboo: Arundinaria using chloroplast sequence data and species in Japan and the U.S., and I hope gigantea (river cane) in the Southeast and whole-genomic DNA fingerprinting to use these methods to shed light on the west to Illinois and Texas, Arundinaria (AFLPs), was an apparent undercurrent of complex situation among their relatives tecta (switch cane) in the Atlantic coastal hybridization and reticulate evolution. My in China. Towards this end, I recently had plain, and Arundinaria appalachiana molecular experiments hinted that many the opportunity to conduct field work in (hill cane) in the mountains of Alabama, of the boundary-blurring taxa in Japan Southeastern China with Jun Wen and Georgia, North Carolina and Tennes- (including , , colleagues from various regional univer- see. Somewhat surprisingly, these three and Hibanobambusa) were products of sities and gardens, including Zhejiang are only distantly related to bamboos in intergeneric hybridization. And as genetics University and the South China Botanical Page 10 Gardens in Guangzhou. In April and May, highlighting reticulate evolution and Littler, M.M., D.S. Littler and B.L. we traveled throughout Zhejiang, Guang- peeling away its complexity like the layers Brooks. 2010. Marine macroalgal diver- dong, and Guangxi Provinces in search of an onion, we should be in a better posi- sity assessment of Saba Bank, Netherlands of relatives of Arundinaria. The trip was tion to characterize diversity in these giant Antilles. PLoS One 5(5): e10677. a huge success, and we collected material grasses (or else, to abuse my own simile, from over 200 wild populations, several we may find tears in our eyes!). With an Liu, Q. and P.M. Peterson. 2010. providing new tests of reticulate evolution. improved understanding of speciation Advances in systematics of adaptively For example, in Zhejiang Province we col- amidst ongoing lineage reticulation, it radiated Eleusine Gaertn. (Poaceae). J. lected Sasa qingyuanensis and should be possible to construct a more Trop. Subtrop. Bot. 18(3): 335-342. baishanzuensis, two rare endemics. Where accurate taxonomy and to revisit puzzles Liu, Q., D.X. Zhang and P.M. Peter- these plants have overlapping distribu- in bamboo natural history within an evo- son. 2010. Lemma micromorphological tions, we also discovered another bam- lutionary framework. The golden age of characters in the Chloridoideae (Poaceae) boo that was not readily identifiable, but bamboo taxonomy is still very much in the optimized on a molecular phylogeny. S. intermediate between Sasa and Yushania: present, and the U.S. National Herbarium Afr. J. Bot. 76(2): 196-209. perhaps, a recent hybrid? will continue to provide fresh perspectives Complementing field work in China about these plants that are mysterious, but Lorence, D.H., W.L. Wagner and W.G. and my previous work in Central and not incomprehensible. Laidlaw. 2010. Kadua haupuensis (Rubi- Southern Japan, I also visited Hok- aceae: ), a new endemic kaido this past May, and hiked through Publications species from Kaua’i, Hawaiian Islands. mountains where Sasa, Sasamorpha, and Brittonia 62(2): 137-144. Pleioblastus have their northern-most dis- Baird, K.E., V.A. Funk, J. Wen and A. Menezes Neto, M.A., A.K.S. Lobato, J.D. tributions. Here, among the melting snow Alves, P.F.P. Goulart and H.D. Laughing- of late spring, it was easy to locate forests Weeks. 2010. Molecular phylogenetic analysis of Leibnitzia Cass. (Asteraceae: house. 2010. Seed and seedling anatomy with a dense understory of evergreen in Euterpe oleracea Mart. during the ger- bamboo. In some localities, I was able to Mutisieae: Gerbera-complex), an Asian– North American disjunct genus. J. Syst. mination process. J. Food Agric. Environ. find striking examples of intergradation 8(2): 1147-1152. among sympatric species. Field collections Evol. 48(3): 161-174. from these sites in Japan and China are Baldwin, B.G. and W.L. Wagner. 2010. Temeles, E.J. and W.J. Kress. 2010. Mate now a permanent part of the U.S. National Hawaiian angiosperm radiations of North choice and mate competition by a tropical Herbarium, and will provide ample mate- American origin. Ann. Bot. 105(6): 849- hummingbird at a floral resource.Proc. rial for ongoing investigations of bamboo 879. Royal Soc. B Biol. Sci. 277: 1607-1613. diversity and evolution. The implications of reticulate evolution Davis, J.I. and R.J. Soreng. 2010. Migra- Xie, L., T. Yi, R. Li, D. Li and J. Wen. in the bamboos may extend to very deep tion of endpoints of two genes relative to 2010. Evolution and biogeographic levels in this group, with some excit- boundaries between regions of the plastid diversification of the witch-hazel genus ing implications for plant diversification genome in the grass family (Poaceae). Am. (Hamamelis L., Hamamelidaceae) in the in general. One of the more interesting J. Bot. 97(5): 874-892. Northern Hemisphere. Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 56(2): 675-689. preliminary findings is that polyploidy Dorr, L.J. 2009. Chimaphila, Orthilia, (genome doubling) appears to have and Pyrola (Ericaceae), pp. 414-416. In Xu, X., C. Walters, M.F. Antolin, M.L. occurred prior to the diversification of the G. Davidse, M. Sousa S., S. Knapp and Alexander, S. Lutz, S. Ge and J. Wen. temperate bamboos. In this group, every F. Chiang, eds. Flora Mesoamericana. 2010. Phylogeny and biogeography of the species examined to date is tetraploid Vol. 4, Pt. 1. Cucurbitaceae a Polemoni- eastern Asian-North American disjunct (having four sets of chromosomes). My aceae. Universidad Nacional Autonoma de wild-rice genus (Zizania L., Poaceae). recent molecular evidence reveals that Mexico (UNAM), Ciudad Universitaria, Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 55(3): 1008-1017. for any given gene, temperate bamboos Mexico. have two very different copies of that Zeng, C., Y. Zhang, J.K. Triplett, J. Yang gene – a tale-tell sign of hybridization. Dorr, L.J. 2010. In memoriam Armand and D. Li. 2010. Large multi-locus plastid The fascinating thing is that this particular Rakotozafy (1932-2009): Malagasy bota- phylogeny of the tribe genetic merger appears to have occurred nist and herbarium curator. Taxon 59(2): (Poaceae: Bambusoideae) reveals ten very early in the history of the temperate 670-671. major lineages and low rate of molecular bamboos. In other words, the common divergence. Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 56(2): ancestor of the temperate bamboos was Herrera Arrieta, Y., P.M. Peterson and A. 821-839. itself a hybrid! Cortes Ortiz. 2010. Gramineas de Zacate- cas, Mexico. Sida, Bot. Misc. 32: 1-239. Zhang, X., J. Wen, Z. Dao, T.J. Motley It is my hope that this work at the and C. Long. 2010. Genetic variation Smithsonian will provide a starting point Littler, M.M. and D.S. Littler. 2010. and conservation assessment of Chinese for new lines of investigation, specifically, Algae of Australia: Marine benthic algae populations of Magnolia cathcartii (Mag- factoring hybridization, lineage reticula- of Lord Howe Island and the Southern noliaceae), a rare evergreen tree from the tion, and polyploidy into our understand- Great Barrier Reef, 2. Brown algae. J. South-Central China hotspot in the Eastern ing of biodiversity and evolution. By Phycol. 46(3): 626-627. Himalayas. J. Plant Res. 123(3): 321-331. Page 11 Art by Alice Tangerini

Sinarundinaria walkeriana (Munro) CS Chao & Renvoize

The temperate bamboos are a complex group in Asia, Africa, Madagascar and North America. The bamboo illustrated here (from Soderstrom and Ellis 1988, Smithson. Contrib. Botany 72: 1-75) is from Sri Lanka and was originally described in Arundinaria (now a North American endemic), but its closest relatives remain a mystery. “Sinarundinaria,” like so many bamboo names, is something of a taxonomic way station. New molecular evidence is providing an improved understanding of bamboo evolution, including their phylogeography and the recurring role of lineage reticulation, as described in this issue of The Plant Press.

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