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

New Series - Vol. 15 - No. 4 October-December 2012 Botany Profile Planted Evidence Found in Research Greenhouse By Gary A. Krupnick alking along a trail in an ever- further research is completed. Additional feet, and each maintains a different set of green forest in the foothills of Curcuma plants in the greenhouse collec- growing conditions—different seasonal Wthe Himalayas in north central tion have yet to flower—are they known temperatures and different humidity Myanmar in 2002, Botany Curator John species or are they new species awaiting levels. Kress came across a plant that appeared description? The living collections come from to be a species of Hitchenia (Zingiber- Gingers and other monsoonal plants six continents, with a majority from the aceae). The plant had no flowers, so he that go through a winter dormancy period tropics, and originate from both wild and collected a living specimen and brought can be challenge to the greenhouse staff. cultivated sources. The collections repre- it back to Washington, DC, for further Some of these plants have a much longer sent the research interests of the curators study. Placed in the hands of the Botany growing season in Asia than what the mid- who have the most active greenhouse Research Greenhouse manager, Mike Atlantic can offer. These longer-season research programs: Robert Faden’s Com- Bordelon, it took two years and plenty species flower at the end of the growing melinaceae, John Kress’ Zingiberales, of care for the plant to flower. During a season, but DC summers are not always Jun Wen’s Vitaceae, and Ken Wurdack’s hot summer day, while hand-watering long enough for these plants. By cranking Euphorbiaceae. Other curators with and soil-checking, Bordelon found at up the greenhouse heat in February, the plant material in the greenhouses include the base of the plant an inflorescence greenhouse staff is attempting to jumpstart Pedro Acevedo’s Sapindaceae, Paul with open flowers. While examining the the growing season, thus encouraging the Peterson’s Poaceae, Warren Wagner’s flowers, Kress decided that this was not plants to come out of dormancy earlier. Onagraceae, and Emeritus Research Hitchenia, but something new to sci- Time will tell if this approach will help Botanist Laurance Skog’s Gesneriaceae. ence instead. What was collected from encourage these nameless plants to flower. Most impressive are the collections Myanmar and growing in the greenhouse of Commelinaceae and Zingiberales, was a new genus, Larsenianthus. The he Botany Research Greenhouses, ranked as the largest living collection genus was named after Kai Larsen, a located in Suitland, Maryland, at under glass in the world of those two Danish botanist and expert on the flora of Tthe Smithsonian’s Museum Support families. Collections have been derived Thailand and Zingiberaceae. The species Center, plays a significant and supportive from field collections of department was named L. wardianus, in honor of the role for the National Museum of Natu- staff and donations from individuals famous British plant collector Francis ral History’s Department of Botany and and institutions from around the world. Kingdon-Ward who explored Upper the U.S. National Herbarium. While the Rarely plants can be grown from seeds Burma in the first half of the 20th century. well-known Herbarium has a collection of found on herbarium specimens or from It is not uncommon for plants to be over 5 million dried, pressed, dead plant fleshy bases of “dried” specimens that collected in the field and brought back to specimens, the greenhouses maintain an had resisted total desiccation. the Research Greenhouses to watch them impressive collection of just under 6,000 In its mission, the Botany Research grow. What is uncommon is for a new living plants. Greenhouses maintain a living collection genus or a new species to be discovered Constructed in 1994, the greenhouse which serves six primary purposes: (1) after the collected plant flowers. Cur- consist of five separate houses totaling identification, (2) preserved specimens rently growing in the greenhouses, for 6,000 square feet under glass, and another (vouchers), (3) chemical and genetic example, are an additional eight different 4,000 square feet of outdoor, above ground analyses, (4) documentation of biologi- flowering plants of Curcuma (Zingiber- growing space. The tallest house reaches cal processes, (5) scientific illustration, aceae) from Southeast Asia that may turn a height of 28 feet and contains a 25-foot and (6) photography. out to be species new to science after Ravenala madagascariensis (Strelitzi- aceae). The four other houses peak at 15 Continued on page 8 Travel Pedro Acevedo traveled to Grenada meeting for the Association of Education Romaschenko to collect plants. (9/12 – 9/14) with Julissa Rojas-San- and Research Greenhouse Curators. Alice Tangerini traveled to Savannah, doval to attend a workshop on Caribbean Robert Faden traveled to London, Georgia (7/8 – 7/14) to attend the 2012 invasive species (CABI-Invasive Species England (9/8 – 9/15) to attend a sympo- annual conference of the Guild of Natural Compendium). sium at the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew Science Illustrators; and to Denver, Colo- Walter Adey travelled to Newfound- celebrating the completion of the Flora of rado (8/3 – 8/5) to teach a three-day class land, Canada (7/16 – 9/7) to establish a Tropical East Africa. at the Denver Botanic Gardens as part of a year-long experiment on the control of Vicki Funk traveled to Columbus, guest workshop in conjunction with their temperature and light on coralline climate Ohio (7/7 – 7/12) to the Botany 2012 Botanical Illustration Program. archive species Clathromorphum compac- meetings where she presented a paper in a Alain Touwaide and Emanuela tum. colloquium honoring the accomplishments Appetiti traveled to Graz, Austria (9/2 Marc Appelhaus traveled to Colum- of Tod Stuessy & Dan Crawford, moder- – 9/6) to attend the meeting of the Inter- bus, Ohio (7/7 – 7/11) to attend the Botany ated a colloquium for the second retire- national Society for Ethnopharmacology, 2012 meetings; and to Bronx, New York ment of John McNeill, and presided over where Touwaide delivered the keynote lec- (9/12) to use the herbarium and library at the annual Council meeting of the Inter- ture; to Padua, Italy (9/12 - 9/16) to attend the New York Botanical Garden. national Association for Plant Taxonomy the meeting of the International Society Barrett Brooks traveled to Miami, the as current president; to Montreal, Canada for the History of Medicine, where each Keys, and Ft. Meyers, Florida (9/7 – 9/ 14) (7/14 – 7/21) to present a paper at The of them chaired a session and Touwaide with Cavan Allen to collect plants; and International Compositae Alliance meet- delivered a paper and plenary lecture. to Monterey, California (9/23 – 10/10) to ing; to Raleigh and Durham, North Caro- Warren Wagner traveled to Colum- attend the American Academy of Under- lina (9/11 – 9/14) to give a talk at North bus, Ohio (7/7 – 7/12) to attend the Botany water Scientists conference. Carolina State University and to attend the 2012 meetings; and to St. Louis, Missouri Leslie Brothers traveled to Toronto, fall meeting of the Science Board of the (7/15 - 7/19) to attend the World Flora Canada (7/23 – 7/26) to attend the annual National Evolutionary Synthesis Center. Online meeting at the Missouri Botanical Gabriel Johnson traveled to Colum- Garden. The Plant Press bus, Ohio (7/6 – 7/11) to attend the Botany Jun Wen traveled to Columbus, 2012 meetings and to take part a molecu- Ohio (7/8 – 7/12) to give a presentation New Series - Vol. 15 - No. 4 lar cytogenetics workshop and volunteer at the Botany 2012 meetings; to Canada Chair of Botany with the PLANTS program. throughout New England (8/7 – 8/11) to Warren L. Wagner W. John Kress traveled to Seattle, conduct Vitaceae research with colleagues ([email protected]) Washington and Portland, Oregon (7/31 – and collect plants in Quebec, Montreal, 8/19) to attend a SIGEO/CTFS workshop New York, Vermont, Massachusetts, Con- EDITORIAL STAFF and to present a talk at the Ecological necticut, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Editor Society of America meeting with David Virginia. Gary Krupnick Erickson; and to Calicut, India (9/6 – Kenneth Wurdack traveled to Colum- ([email protected]) 9/16) to deliver an invited plenary lecture bus, Ohio (7/7 – 7/12) with Jay Horn to at the Sixth International Conference of present a paper at the Botany 2012 meet- Copy Editors the Family Zingiberaceae. ings; to the Loreto region of Peru (7/15 Robin Everly, Bernadette Gibbons, Rose Gary Krupnick traveled to Oakland, – 8/11) to conduct field work on Euphor- Gulledge, Dail Laughinghouse California (7/14 – 7/19) to attend the biaceae and their fungal endophytes; and News Contacts North America Congress for Conservation to Bronx, New York (9/12) to use the MaryAnn Apicelli, Robert Faden, Rusty Biology. herbarium and library at the New York Russell, Alice Tangerini, and Elizabeth Paul Peterson traveled to Dorchester Botanical Garden. Zimmer County, Maryland (8/17) to collect plants Elizabeth Zimmer traveled to Colum- The Plant Press is a quarterly publication pro- with the Maryland Department of Natu- bus, Ohio (7/7 – 7/12) to give a presenta- vided free of charge. To receive notification of ral Resources; and throughout northern tion at the Botany 2012 meetings. when new pdf issues are posted to the web, please subscribe to the listserve by sending a message Mexico (9/10 – 10/31) with Konstantin to [email protected] containing only the following in the body of the text: SUBSCRIBE Visitors PLANTPRESS-NEWS Firstname Lastname. Replace “Firstname Lastname” with your name. Carlos García-Robledo, Smithsonian Korea; PacificPeperomia (Piperaceae) If you would like to be added to the hard-copy Fellow; Plant-herbivore interactions mailing list, please contact Dr. Gary Krupnick at: (10/1/11-8/31/12). Department of Botany, Smithsonian Institution, (7/20/10-7/20/12). PO Box 37012, NMNH MRC-166, Washington, Rubens Coelho, State University of DC 20013-7012, or by E-mail: krupnickg@ Ying Meng, Kunming Institute of Botany, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil; Sapindaceae si.edu. China; Polygonaceae (1/9/11-8/31/12). (11/14/11-7/5/12). Web site: http://botany.si.edu/ Yoomi Park, Konkuk University South Audrey Wilde, McLean, Virginia; DC Page 2 A Tribute to Two Directors Chair ocus on the future and think big was perhaps the ies the fossil plants of the Great Plains and Rocky most fundamentally enduring piece of advice Mountains. We look forward to working with Kirk With given to all museum staff by Dr. Cristián Samper in the years ahead to advance a broad spectrum of Fas he wrapped up his nine year tenure as Director of departmental research and collections initiatives. A the National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) this Among the activities of his first week at NMNH past July. While these visionary words can certainly will be a tour of the department. Please join me in View serve as a principle for our own departmental level welcoming him to the museum and the Department planning initiatives they also reveal the essential nature of Botany. of Cristián’s gracious influence and generous support within the Department of Botany over the past decade. Warren Under his dedicated and enthusiastic leadership the L. department recruited two highly productive research scientists, hired two collections support staff, and laid Wagner the foundation to re-build the department and posi- tion it for long-term stability through a strategic hiring initiative. Through the years matching funds from the Director’s office allowed the department to leverage the Cuatrecasas Fellowship awards by extending addi- tional research grants to deserving students and visiting researchers. Moreover, he unreservedly supported the continuation of the Biological Diversity of the Guiana Shield Program and actively participated in the inter- national conference on the Evolution of Life on Pacific Islands and Reefs held in Hawaii in 2011. We remain very grateful to Cristián for his friendship, exceptional leadership, and scientific expertise in tropical botany. Looking ahead, we eagerly await the arrival of Dr. Kirk Johnson on October 19th as the next Direc- tor of NMNH. In his previous capacity at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, Kirk provided admin- istrative and scientific oversight at multiple levels. Although Kirk is likely more well-known for his geologic and vertebrate paleontologic research he holds graduate degrees in paleobotany and actively stud-

Flora internship (1/9-8/1). University; Medical traditions internship Chelsea Frankel, Bard College; U.S. (5/24-7/1). Exploring Expedition (6/1-8/24). Wenna Chen, South China Botanical Gar- den, Chinese Academy of Sciences; DNA Jaishri Atri, George Washington Univer- Sean Schifano, Johns Hopkins University; barcoding internship (2/9/12-2/9/13). sity, Juliana Bozhich and Baxter Sapp, F.R. Fosberg collection (6/1-8/29). St. John’s College, Alexander O’Neill, Georgina Warren, Christopher Newport Georgetown University; Medical tradi- Alanna Coogan, Marist College; Her- University; Flora of Washington-Balti- tions internship (5/24-7/6). barium curation internship (6/4-8/3). more (5/7-8/20). Tanya Volansky, Randolph-Macon Col- Katie Dykgreve, Colorado State Univer- Bryan Piatkowski, Roanoke College; lege, and Daniel Woolridge, Georgetown sity; San Jacinto collections (6/4/-8/30). Bulky bamboo internship (5/14-8/6). University; Medical traditions internship Grace Anderson, Smith College; Plant James Hancock, Roger Williams Univer- (5/24-8/3). DNA barcoding (6/11-8/24) sity; Seeds of Success internship (5/17- Nils Niemeier, University of Richmond; 8/26). Kendra Hay, University of Wisconsin; Medical traditions internship (5/24-8/15). U.S. Exploring Expedition (6/11-8/3). Andrea Hall, Bowling Green State Uni- Gideon Wolf, Columbia University; Plant Lauren Scangarella, New York Univer- versity, and Mahima Iyengar, University conservation internship (5/29-8/10). of Michigan; Herbarium curation intern- sity; Flora of Hawaiian Islands (6/11- ship (5/21-8/17) Joyce Cherry, Cornell University; 8/31). Paullinia (Sapindaceae) internship (5/31- Cecily Marroquin, George Washington 8/1). Continued on page 7

Page 3 plants common to Louisiana for refer- Staff ence in the reconstruction of the pressed Research & specimens. On 26 July, Gary Krupnick gave a tour Activities of the herbarium to Plodprasop Suraswadi, Minister of Science and Technology, Thai- Robert Faden attended the Symposium land, and Pichai Sonchaeng, the director on the Completion of the Flora of Tropical of the Thai National Science Museum, in East Africa at the Royal Botanical Garden, addition to an accompanying group of nine Kew on 13 September. The 249 families in other guests. The Minister and Director the flora, which took 61 years to complete, were visiting with interest in a developing were published in 263 parts. The flora, a long-term partnership with the Smithso- which covers Kenya, Uganda and Tanza- nian Institution. nia, consists of 12,104 species of vascular Paul M. Peterson, Robert J. Soreng, plants. Twenty-one families have more and Konstantin Romaschenko spent two than 100 species, including the Commeli- months earlier this year in Tanzania col- naceae (124 species, published in 2012), lecting specimens of Poaceae. Over 600 which Faden authored. Other Smithsonian collections were made from 15 regions, authors include Laurence Dorr (Stercu- including Mt. Kilimanjaro. The trip was liaceae, with Martin Cheek, 2007) and funded by a grant from the National Geo- Lyman Smith and Edward Ayensu (Vel- graphic Society. loziaceae, 1975). Most of the talks at the symposium stressed the uses of completed Christopher Puttock spent four weeks in floras, such as conservation assessments, early summer conducting 10 field sur- and future directions, strategies, and veys of American ginseng in six counties Julissa Rojas-Sandoval spinoff projects from the flora. Faden in western Maryland. Two reports have also spent a few days working on African been presented and one is being currently studied the reproductive phenology and Commelinaceae at Kew and the Natural reworked for publication in Economic the breeding system of the tropical tree History Museum and on the typification of Botany. Ceiba pentandra. In 2010, Rojas-Sandoval a Linnean species of Tradescantia. completed her Ph.D. in Ecology at The On 18 July, Alain Touwaide delivered an University of Puerto Rico, where she While visiting Hawai`i Island at the end evening seminar for the Smithsonian Resi- studied the population dynamics of the of August, Christian Feuillet and Amy dent Associates Program entitled “Ancient endangered Caribbean cactus Harrisia Rossman took many plant pictures. These Roman Gardens as Urban Pharmacopeia.” portoricensis. She recently completed pictures have been given to Warren Wag- a post-doctoral fellow at the Center for ner for the possible inclusion on the Flora Awards & Applied Tropical Ecology and Conserva- of the Hawaiian Islands website . semiarid systems following experimental Gary Krupnick and Alice Tangerini In August, Alain Touwaide and Emanu- removals of exotic grasses. Her fellowship met with 10 teachers from the Lafayette ela Appetiti were appointed as members project at the Smithsonian focuses on the Science Magnet Workshop, Louisiana, on of the recently established Honorary identification and evaluation of invasive 31July as part of a Smithsonian Associ- Advisory Board of the Lloyd Library and plant species affecting plant communi- ates program to show how science can be Museum in Cincinnati, Ohio. ties in the West Indies. Rojas-Sandoval introduced to elementary through high has conducted field work in Costa Rica, school students as part of their curricula. During a September board meeting of the Mexico, and West Indies. Krupnick gave a presentation on plant International Society for the History of conservation and tour of the herbarium. Medicine (ISHM), Alain Touwaide was Staff Changes in Tangerini gave a demonstration of draw- reconfirmed as a Vice-President of ISHM. Botany IT Group ing botanical specimens with pen and ink using a minimum of materials and incor- New Faces Sylvia Orli has been selected for the porating the techniques to work with vari- new role as supervisor of the Botany ous grade levels of artistic ability. She then Julissa Rojas-Sandoval started as a Information Technology group, which had the teachers practice the techniques postdoctoral fellow in August 2012 and is provides digitization, imaging, specimen using photocopies of herbarium specimens currently working with Pedro Acevedo. inventory and web support in the Depart- showing ways to shorten drawing time by Rojas-Sandoval got her undergradu- ment. She will be involved with coordinat- tracing with films and vellums. Tangerini ate and master’s degrees in Biology at ing Botany’s inventory program, soliciting furnished copies of digital images of living the University of Costa Rica, where she input from staff to be used in establishing Page 4 policy and goals (annual and long term) completion using best practices from both PBS Series ‘Time that are compatible with both museum- collections and IT perspectives. wide inventory objectives and Botany’s Ingrid Pol-Yin Lin has been selected Team America’ research and collections management for the position of Multimedia Techni- activities, and providing overall direction cian. Lin has worked in Botany last for the ­Visits NMNH to program. She will continue to develop past 10 years creating high quality digital On August 14, a producer from Oregon web applications and she and along with images of the Type Collection, as well as Public Broadcasting came to the depart- the IT group will provide assistance to images for several other important projects ment to interview Greg McKee about individuals designing and programming on grant funding. Lin’s new role as a full- the kind of work done in herbaria. This individual web applications and databases. time employee will expand to include a was in conjunction with a visit to the One of her major areas of focus will be full range of multimedia activities: impor- Department of Archaeology by students to initiate new projects and improve the tation of multimedia in to the Museum from the “Time Team America” program. overall function of existing ones in order Collections Management System (EMu), This program takes local students of high to achieve compatibility between vari- creation of new Multimedia records, man- school age and exposes them to the kind ous research and image databases in the agement of the digital inventory records of work done at archaeological sites in the Department and the Museum so that com- associated with the multimedia, exporta- hope that it will generate future scientists. mon output programs and data exchange tion of EMu inventory and multimedia The focus of McKee’s interview was formats can be used. The group will also records, creation of reports, and manage- how a herbarium is used by researchers help with training in software and operat- ment of our multimedia devices (e.g., to identify and store plant specimens, and ing systems, and provide advice to staff in cameras and light tables). how a herbarium is built from collections the selection and acquisition of hardware and exchanges. Of particular interest to the and software. producer were plants considered medicinal Orli has been at NMNH since 1993 by the medieval doctrine of signatures, and brings a broad range of experience to Pulmonaria lobaria (lungwort lichen) the position. After receiving her master’s being one example. degree from the University of Arizona, The following day McKee gave two she initially took a position at NMNH in lectures to “Time Team America” stu- the Birds Division as a technician for the dents on the application of botany to USFWS. During that first summer she and EMu Reaches archaeology. The lectures took place at her supervisor surveyed Breeding Bird ­Milestone the Needwood Mansion in Montgomery Survey routes. She continued to work for County, Maryland, where there is an active the USFWS but later joined the Division The Department of Botany is pleased dig by state archaeologists researching of Mammals as a research technician. In to announce that we have reached one mil- early African-American culture. The focus 1994 she was selected to work in Botany lion U.S. National Herbarium specimen of the talk was on artifacts constructed as a research assistant for Joan Nowicke records in our Museum Collections Data- of plant material, such as vine or bark and Stan Shetler focusing on pollen work base, EMu. This achievement reflects the baskets, gourd containers and a child’s with Nowicke and the DC herbarium/flora hard work of almost 50 years of recording training blow gun from Ecuador. In addi- with Shetler. When Nowicke retired in our specimen data in a digital format. Dig- tion to plant food sources and construction 1999, Orli began working with Ellen Farr itization efforts in the National Museum materials, soil structure and seed banks as an assistant webmaster. Her respon- of Natural History (NMNH) began in late were discussed, as well as signs of dis- sibilities in web development, database 1963. In the late 1960s, Botany began turbed soil (e.g., aerial photographs) and management, and herbarium curation digitization with the Type Register, and their interpretation were covered. increased significantly when both Farr continued digitizing specimens with a and Shetler retired and moved to emeritus variety of approaches until the migration status. of our specimen data to EMu in 2002. Orli will represent one part of a new Migration efforts continue to this day; collaborative leadership team being we have about 400,000 more records to developed in the Department’s collections import to EMu in the next year. There are inventory and digitization programs. The over 5 million herbarium specimens in the other two members will be Rusty Rus- US Herbarium in total. sell, who will focus on the coordination of Digital specimen records and their activities related to developing, funding, specimen images (about 20 percent of our and managing, digitization and biodiver- digital records have images) are used in a sity informatics projects, and the collec- variety of ways by scientists and conser- tions manager, who is currently being vationists, and allow greater access to our recruited. Together they will help develop, collections while reducing the wear and prioritize, and implement collections digi- tear on the physical specimens. Our online tization initiatives, and insure that projects catalog can be found at http://collections. are fully developed from execution to mnh.si.edu/search/botany/. Page 5 Bright African Fruit has the Natural World’s Most Intense Color The metallic blue color on the fruit wall in Pollia condensata (Commeli- naceae) has been found to be more intense than any other biological material, accord- ing to a study published in the Proceed- ings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. The structure of the wall of the fruit in Pollia, a pantropical genus of Commelinaceae, has always been of interest to Robert Faden, one of the authors of the study, because the indehiscent fruits, although showy and often metallic blue on the surface, like Christmas tree ornaments, entirely lack flesh but instead are fully packed with dry seeds. Faden has always thought it likely that these fruits mimic truly fleshy berries and drupes and are dispersed when they are eaten in error by birds. It has also been suggested that some birds and mammals decorate their nests with such baubles, but Pollia condensata, native to Africa, uses structural coloration instead of pigments to that has yet to be demonstrated in Pollia. produce the most intense color ever studied in biological tissue. Three species of Pollia occur in flower. The infructescences are very dense P. condensata have yet to be conducted mainland Africa and P. condensata is and contain up to 40 spherical, metallic and the structure of fruit walls of other the most widespread, ranging from West blue fruits. Pollia species, particularly those that are Africa (Ivory Coast) to Ethiopia and south Pollia fruits maintain their color not metallic blue at maturity, has not been to Angola and Mozambique. Like other indefinitely, in nature when the shoots dry studied. species of this tropical and warm temper- up or the fruits fall to the ground, or as ate genus it is a forest understory herb that pressed and dried herbarium specimens. It can spread rapidly by means of stolons. has always seemed logical to Faden that Reviewing the Use (Pollia japonica is a hardy temperate they must have a structural color, not one of Nuclear Gene species because it spreads by means of based on a pigment. He suggested that underground rhizomes.) The erect shoots the structure of the Pollia fruit wall might Data are usually up to 1-meter tall, unbranched make a good study to Paula Rudall, Jodrell and terminate in a single, very dense Laboratory, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew Elizabeth Zimmer and Jun Wen inflorescence. The white flowers have in 2009, when he was working in the Kew recently published a review, “Using three fertile stamens on one side and three herbarium. At first the study was going to Nuclear Gene Data for Plant Phylogenet- minute staminodes on the other side of the include ornithologists, but the laws of the ics: Progress and Prospects” in Molecular United Kingdom, with regard to the use of Phylogenetics and Evolution. Zimmer and birds in experiments, were so onerous that Wen review the use of low and single copy that idea was abandoned. nuclear markers that have been applied After it was determined that the fruits successfully in plant phylogenetics to lacked pigment, the structure of the fruit date, and discuss case studies highlighting wall was studied by transmission electron the potential of massively parallel high microscopy in the United Kingdom and throughput or next-generation sequencing was found to be very complex and unique (NGS) approaches for molecular phylo- in nature. The color varies from cell to genetic and evolutionary investigations. cell, producing a pixilated effect at high They also present and evaluate the current magnification, according to lead authored state, prospects and challenges of specific Silvia Vignolini from the University of single- or low-copy plant nuclear mark- Cambridge’s Department of Physics. ers as well as phylogenomic case studies. Developmental studies of the fruit wall in This is the most recent review of a rapidly Page 6 changing area of research tools and should The Seminole County Board of Panya Vij, Alexandria, Virginia; Silene be invaluable to a broad spectrum of sci- Commissioners has recently decided to caroliniana (Caryophyllaceae) (6/22/12- entists moving into use of these tools. honor and memorialize the special tree 1/19/13). by distributing any remaining pieces Florida “Senator” to scientific institutions and artists for Clara Monsma, Oberlin College; Plant conservation internship (6/25-8/17). Arrives at U.S. continued public access. By deed of gift the County Commissioners presented the Meghan Studer, Lynn University; Seeds National Herbarium U.S. National Herbarium with a piece of of Success internship (6/25-8/6). this national treasure which is now part of By Nancy Khan the Wood Collection (US Wood #42707) Ana Isabel Vasquez-Velez, Universidad where it will remain available for scientific del Valle, Colombia; Colombian Pilea While it is not unusual for the Depart- observation. Stanley Yankowski, Man- (Urticaceae) (7/2-8/1). ment of Botany to come into possession ager of the Wood Collection, in acknowl- of interesting or botanically significant Alison Shapcott, University of the Sun- edging receipt of the specimen, remarked specimens, it is rare for them to arrive shine Coast, Australia; Southeast Queen- that “it is already one of our most unique with a notable history and nearly iconic sland rainforest plant DNA barcoding specimens for its age, popular appeal, and status. At first glance the nondescript, (7/3-12/15). scientific interest.” charred piece of wood which arrived at the The pointless loss of such a venerated Christopher Blackwell and Amy Black- herbarium in late Spring seems insignifi- tree is certainly regrettable, but recent well, Furman University; Renaissance cant, but the 4-inch by 8-inch sample is news accounts also report that one of botanical illustration (7/5). from a Taxodium distichum (bald cypress), seven clones propagated by foresters at estimated to be about 3,500 years-old, that the University of Florida about 15 years Dean Papavassiliou, World Bank; once ranked as the fifth oldest living tree ago will be planted at the Big Tree Park Ancient Greek medicine (7/6). in the world and overall state champion in in Longwood, Florida. In Washington, Florida. Ellen Danford, Stanford University; Her- DC, the grounds division has confirmed The tree received its name, The barium curation internship (7/9-10/5). that another descendant of The Senator Senator, and notoriety as a Central Florida was planted at the U.S. Capitol in the late Patrick Andrist, Bibliothèque de la landmark when Senator Moses O. Over- 1980s as part of the collection of trees Bourgeoisie de Berne, Switzerland, and street donated 6 acres, including the with historical or special significance. Caroline Mace, Université Catholique ancient tree, to Seminole County in 1927 Each tree bears a commemorative plaque. de Louvain, Belgium; History of botany for a public park thereby protecting the The 40-foot tall bald cypress, a living (7/12). giant tree and the surrounding remnant of offspring of The Senator, is near the settee cypress forest. As a child I recall visiting Fabián Medina, Universidad Nacional adjacent to the sidewalk along Northeast the park with my family and I was upset de Colombia, Colombia; Ficus subgenus Drive. to see that the tree made national head- Urostigma (Moraceae) (7/12-8/30). lines as it burned to the ground on January Visitors Philip Bethge, Der Spiegel, San Francisco 16, 2012. Initial reports speculated that Continued from page 3 Office; Traditional medicine in the ancient perhaps the tree had been ignited by a Mediterranean (7/20). lightning strike, but within a few months Bruno Amorim, Universidade Federale it was determined to be arson and an arrest de Pernambuco, Brazil; Brazilian Myrcia Sabine Thomas, Bastyr University; Eth- was made. (Myrtaceae) (6/18-7/17). nobotany and ethnomedicine (7/20). Chantal Cough-Schulze, Oregon State Cedric Baker, Mercer University; University; Seeds of Success internship Medieval Islamic pharmacy and medicine (6/18-8/24). (7/26). Leah Isaman, Northwestern University; Marcela Firens, Universidade Estadual de Seeds of Success internship (6/18-9/7). Campinas, Brazil; Manettia (Rubiaceae) Gaia Khairina, Clark University; Seeds (8/7-8/10). of Success internship (6/18-8/10). Scheherazade Khan, University of Emmie Miller, Colorado State Univer- Richmond; Medicinal plants in Antiquity sity; Historical Expeditions project (6/18- (8/10). 9/30). Stephanie Koontz, Chicago Botanic Julia Quigley, University of Chicago; Garden, and Diane Pavek, National Park Historical Expeditions project (6/18-8/1). Service; Rare and threatened plants (8/13). Nancy Khan displaying a specimen Jorge Mario Velez Puerta, Universidad Traci Pantuso, Bastyr University; Con- of The Senator, a 3,500 year-old bald tagious diseases in the ancient Mediterra- cypress (Taxodium distichum) from Nacional, Colombia; Solanum (Solan- Florida. (Photo by Elaine Haug) aceae) (6/18- 7/13). Continued on page 8 Page 7 Visitors Continued from page 7 nean (8/13-8/28). Rebecca Widiss, Voice of America, Washington, D.C.; Medicinal plants of Antiquity (8/17). David Spencer-Sanchez, Independent scholar; New World ethnobotany (8/22). Sarah Owen, George Washington Univer- sity; Maps intern (8/27-12/7). Fabian Michelangeli, New York Botani- cal Garden; Melastomataceae (8/28-8/29). Ryan Grant, American University; Maps Intern (9/4-12/7). Jorge Perez-Zapala, University of California Davis; Prunus (Rosaceae) (9/5- 9/23). Liu Qiuqun, Huazhong Agricultural Uni- versity, China; Vitaceae (9/15/11-9/15/12). Larsenianthus wardianus W.J. Kress, Thet Htun & Bordelon, one of four new Jess Gersky, Pan American Health and species in this genus of gingers (Zingiberaceae) from Asia. (Photo by Leslie Education Foundation; Medicinal plants of Brothers) Antiquity (9/20). maintained in the greenhouse as well. of a plant’s life history can be docu- Sheila Pinsker, National Museum of A second purpose of the greenhouse is mented. While making collections in the Health and Medicine; Medicinal plants of the preservation of specimens. When wild field, only one life stage of a plant will be Antiquity (9/20). plants are pressed in the field, material seen on the day that it is collected—typi - such as flowers or seeds may be missed cally, either the vegetative or reproductive Juan Chen, South China Botanical during the original collection. Growing a stage. In the greenhouse, each stage, from Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences; plant in the greenhouses allows the col- seedling, to flowering, to fruiting can be Curcuma (Zingiberaceae) (9/24-9/28). lector to make a more complete voucher. documented. In addition, the type of flow- Plants obtained from other institutions are ers a plant produces may change over the Profile almost never in flower, so they must be course of a single day, and those changes Continued from page 1 grown until they do flower and a voucher can be recorded as well. In recording floral specimen can be prepared. phenology, the exact time of day the flow- One purpose of the living collection A third purpose is that living plants ers open and fade, the position within an is the documentation, identification, and in the greenhouse are a more convenient inflorescence, and the sequence of opening description of a species. As exemplified in source for chemical and molecular analy- and closing of different flower types, such the Larsenianthus story, precise identifica- ses. Proteins, which may be used in popu- as male and bisexual or female flowers, tion in the field may be difficult for a plant lation studies, are easier to extract from can be studied with living plants. not in flower. Thus material is collected living material than dried specimens. Pro- An extreme case study of phenology and grown in the greenhouses until it flow- teins from fresh material are not degraded was the observation of flowering in a plant ers and can be identified. Such is the case compared to preserved plants. In addition, of Palisota hirsuta, originally from Ghana, of another ginger, Curcuma arracanensis, the living collections provide the best over the course of two flowering seasons. from the cloud forests of Myanmar, a spe- and most convenient tissue for genomic The plant produced more than 16,000 cies that Kress and former Ph.D. student investigations. It is important to maintain male and female flowers the first year and Vinita Gowda described and named earlier plants over a long period of time because more than 22,000 flowers the next year. this year. A plant may also be identified new techniques, e.g. phylogenetic studies Since individual flowers only open once and vouchered in the field, but after it using DNA (or RNA) and new techniques for a few hours, observations had to made flowers again in the greenhouse, a second for studying chromosomes, often require daily between December and May. voucher is necessary to verify the original living plants. Studies of comparative plant Scientific illustration of a plant species identification. On occasion a curator will anatomy of different species and genera of serves an additional purpose for maintain- be asked to verify an identification of a Commelinaceae, for example, have often ing a living collection. Often, plant illus- species, and thus they will request to see served as research projects for interns. trators like the Botany Department’s Alice the plant in person, asking for cuttings, A fourth purpose is that different stages Tangerini will use herbarium species to seeds or the whole plant. These plants are Page 8 ascertain morphological detail while draw- ing. Photographs can provide an additional source for the illustrator. But a living plant can allow for an easier and more complete illustration than a pressed specimen or a photograph, and in the case of plants whose flowers are ephemeral, such as all Commelinaceae, living plants are by far the best material for illustration. Finally, in addition to illustrations, documenting a plant in flower can be cap- tured with photography in the greenhouse. Photographs can catch the shape and color of a plant lost in a herbarium specimen. The Greenhouse Highlight webpage draws attention to some of the interesting plants among the collections housed in the departmental greenhouses. The online photographs have lead to the identification of new species too. In The Botany Research Greenhouses are located at Smithsonian’s Museum Support 2001 and 2002, the greenhouse posted Center in Suitland, Maryland. (Photo by Leslie Brothers) photos of two plants identified asPelio - santhes sp. (Asparagaceae), both with lota and T. kressii. The role of maintaining threatened species beautiful dark purple inflorescences An additional purpose of the collec- in the greenhouse is important, given that that were collected in Thailand in 1999. tions, not explicitly spelled out in its mis- the goal of Target 8 of the Global Strategy Japanese botanist Noriyuki Tanaka found sion, is the value for ex situ conservation. for Plant Conservation is to have “at least the pictures online and was convinced that The plants in the greenhouse are collected 75 percent of all threatened plant species these plants were not members of Pelio- for research and identification, and not in ex situ collections.” santhes. Tanaka requested living plants, specifically for conservation. However, The research greenhouse would not and so plants and desiccated flowers from after the plants are accessioned by the function so smoothly if not for the care the greenhouses were sent to him for greenhouse, and their conservation status and dedication of the greenhouse staff. further study. In 2010 he published these is assessed, every effort is made to main- Mike Bordelon has been the Greenhouse tain the plants of threatened species. plants as two new species: Tupistra urceo- Continued on page 10 Recently, a portion of the greenhouse living collections were uploaded to Botanic Gardens Conservation Interna- tional’s (BGCI) Plant Search webpage . Plant Search allows users to locate rare and threatened plant species in cultivation around the world for research purposes, using a database of living collections submitted to BGCI by the world’s botanic gardens. According to the database, one- fourth of the known species in the research greenhouse collections (178 of 707 spe- cies) occur in no other botanic garden or greenhouse collection. This number will surely climb as more unspecified taxa in the collection are identified. Fourteen species in the greenhouse collections are listed as threatened (i.e., Critically Endangered, Endangered, or Vulnerable) in the IUCN Red List. Many more species in the collection may in fact be threatened, Tupistra kressii N.Tanaka, a newly especially those collected from Africa and Drymonia ecuadorensis Wiehl, an descirbed species from Thailand. (Photo Asia, but the conservation status of these endangered gesnariad from Ecuador. by Leslie Brothers) species have yet to be assessed by IUCN. (Photo by Leslie Brothers) Page 9 Profile his retirement. Continued from page 11 The original Botany Research Green- house was built in 1977, in the east court- Collections Manager for the past 18 years. yard of the National Museum of Natural Bordelon, a University of Maryland History. Deborah Bell was the original graduate (B.S. in Botany), was the green- Greenhouse Collections Manager followed house production manager for 15 years at by Susan Richardson, and Curator Robert Behnke Nurseries in Beltsville, Maryland, Read was instrumental in its design. It was before Kress sought him out to manage the located on top of the Osteology Prepara- research greenhouses in 1994. tion Laboratory, a place where a colony of Leslie Brothers, the Assistant Manager, dermestid beetles would consume all soft cares for the plants, manages the specimen tissue on animal skeletons for museum data and serves as the greenhouse photog- research and display. The overwhelm- rapher. Also a graduate of the University ing odors from lab were something to of Maryland (B.S. in Zoology), Brothers be endured by the greenhouse staff and first joined the National Museum of Natu- researchers. ral History in 1985 as inventory specialist The original greenhouse consisted of and then data management for the Depart- one room and 1,000 square feet and was ment of Entomology, and then joined the reached by climbing up a two-story metal Department of Botany in 1989 as Skog’s staircase outside of the building. Supplies research assistant. Brothers transitioned and materials were clumsily delivered from the herbarium to the greenhouse in using a chain-operated outdoor lift. From 1995. Palisota hirsuta K.Schum. is among September until March, the greenhouse Bordelon and Brothers have seen an the original Commelinaceae collection had no direct sunlight, blocked by the ebb and flow of volunteers in the past 18 in the greenhouse. This specimen was main building and the museum’s east years, most notably, Audrey Faden who collected in Ghana in 1980. (Photo by wing, and thus supplemental light was a volunteers as her husband Robert Faden’s Leslie Brothers) necessity. The greenhouse was populated greenhouse assistant, and Neil Berg, a with Read’s bromeliads, Skog’s gesne- prove difficult to control, especially in the dedicated volunteer for 12 years who riads, Thomas Soderstrom’s herbaceous gesneriad collection, which is susceptible recently completed his time assisting in bamboos, Edward Ayensu’s dioscoreas, to impatiens necrotic spot virus (INSV). the greenhouse, leaving this past May for and plants that were needed for the The biggest day-to-day challenge is the museum’s Insect Zoo exhibits. When need to maintain effective machinery, Faden joined the Botany Department in such as transformers, vents, fans, control 1980 he brought with him a large col- boards, fog systems, and lights. Earlier lection of living Commelinaceae. A few this year, the greenhouses were hit during plants in the original collection still exist a lightning storm, which blew out almost today, including Aneilema beniniense that all of the transformers. Two years ago, a Faden collected in 1969 in Kenya and Pal- significant snow storm collapsed the roof isota hirsuta that Faden collected in 1974 of the shade house. Fortunately, the 2011 in Ghana. In 1994 the Botany Department earthquake did not lead to any structural moved the greenhouse collection to the damage. larger, more modern facility at MSC, and The greenhouse is not open to pub- the museum filled the east courtyard with lic, although it is often included on SI offices and collection space. Resident Associate tours of the MSC The current challenges that face Borde- complex. It is used by researchers and lon and Brothers are not too different from visiting scientists that have a direct need to what most greenhouse staff encounter: use the greenhouse. Access to the facili- controlling insect pests and maintain- ties is allowed with prior arrangement or ing complex machinery. The greenhouse notification of the greenhouse staff, which practices Integrated Pest Management aids in the timing of pesticide applications (IPM), using predatory insects such as the and other needs. mealy bug destroyer (Cryptolaemus mon- trouzieri), Rhyzobius beetles, and parasitic wasps to control for mealy bugs, scales, aphids, thrips, and whiteflies. Soft insec- Greenhouse Manager Mike Bordelon ticides are also employed, which have examines a specimen of Ensete aff. short re-entry intervals and tend to be less superbum (Musaceae). (Photo by Leslie harmful – though not harmless – to the Brothers) beneficial insects that are used. Pathogens Page 10 Krayesky, D.M., J.N. Norris, J.A. West, Stauffer, F.W., J. Stauffer and L.J. Dorr. Publications M. Kamiya, M. Viguerie, B.S. Wysor and 2012. Bonpland and Humboldt specimens, S. Fredericq. 2012. Two new species of field notes, and herbaria; new insights Bacon, C.D., A. Mora, W.L. Wagner and Caloglossa (Delesseriaceae, Rhodophyta) from a study of the monocotyledons col- C.A. Jaramillo. 2012. Testing geologi- from the Americas, C. confusa and C. lected in Venezuela. Candollea 67(1): cal models of evolution of the Isthmus of fluviatilis spp. nov. Phycologia 51(5): 513- 75-130. Panama in a phylogenetic framework. Bot. 530. http://dx.doi.org/10.2216/11-57.1 Tennakoon, K.U., W.H. Chak, L.B.L. Lim J. Linn. Soc. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/ Liu, X., S. Ickert-Bond, L. Chen and and J.F. Bolin. 2012. Mineral nutrition j.1095-8339.2012.01281.x J. Wen. 2012. Molecular phylogeny of of the hyperparasitic mistletoe Viscum Cron, G.V., C. Pirone, M. Bartlett, Cissus L. of Vitaceae (the grape family) articulatum Burm. f. (Viscaceae) in tropi- W.J. Kress and C. Specht. 2012. Phy- and evolution of its pantropical inter- cal Brunei Darussalam. Plant Spec. Biol. logenetic relationships and evolution continental disjunctions. Mol. Phylo- http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1442-1984- in the Strelitziaceae (Zingiberales). genet. Evol. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j. .2012.00391.x Syst. Bot. 37(3): 606-619. http://dx.doi. ympev.2012.09.003 Vandersea, M.W., S.R. Kibler, W.C. org/10.1600/036364412X648562 Puttock, C.F., R.P. Bartolomei and T. Holland, P.A. Tester, T.F. Schultz, M.A. Dorr, L.J. 2011. Muntingiaceae, pp. 640- Gelner. 2012. Systematic Survey of Ten Faust, M.J. Holmes, M. Chinain and R.W. 641. In Á. Idárraga Piedrahíta, R. del C. Ginseng Sites in Maryland Supported by Litaker. 2012. Development of semi- Ortiz, R. Callejas Posada and M. Merello, Historic Records. Arboretum and Botanic quantitative PCR assays for the detec- eds. Flora De Antioquia, Catálogo De Las Garden, University of Maryland, College tion and enumeration of Gambierdiscus Plantas Vasculares, Vol. 2. Universidad de Park. 19 pp. species (Gonyaulacales, Dinophyceae). J. Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia. Phycol. 48(4): 902-915. http://dx.doi. Robinson, H.E. 2012. Two new combi- org/10.1111/j.1529-8817.2012.01146.x Fernández-Alonso, J.L., L.J. Dorr, A.I. nations in the genus Distephanis Cass. Piedrahíta, M. Merello and R. Liesner. (Asteraceae, Vernonieae). PhytoKeys Vignolini, S, P.J. Rudall, A.V. Rowland, 2011. Malvaceae, pp. 577-594. In Á. 17: 25-26. http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/ A. Reed, E. Moyroud, R.B. Faden, J.J. Idárraga Piedrahíta, R. del C. Ortiz, R. phytokeys.17.4013 Baumberg, B.J. Glover and U. Steiner. Callejas Posada and M. Merello, eds. 2012. Pointillist structural color in Pollia Robinson, H.E. and V.A. Funk. 2012. Flora De Antioquia, Catálogo De Las fruit. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 109(39): Cuatrecasanthus (Vernonieae, Composi- Plantas Vasculares, Vol. 2. Universidad de 15712-15715. http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/ tae): A revision of a north-central Andean Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia. pnas.1210105109 genus. PhytoKeys 14: 23-41. http://dx.doi. Gelner, T., R.B. Trumbule, C.F. Puttock org/10.3897/phytokeys.14.2520 Zimmer, E.A., Y. Suh and K.G. Karol. and R.P. Bartolomei. 2012. Analysis of 2012. Phylogenetic placement of a Sessa, E.B., E.A. Zimmer and T.J. Maryland Ginseng Harvest Data from recently described taxon of the genus Givnish. 2012. Unraveling reticulate 1979 to 2010. Arboretum and Botanic Pleodendron (Canellaceae). Phytologia evolution in North American Dryopteris Garden, University of Maryland, College 94(3): 400-408. (Dryopteridaceae). BMC Evol. Biol. 12: Park. 33 pp. 104. http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1471-2148- Zimmer, E.A. and J. Wen. 2012. Using Gowda, V. and W.J. Kress. 2012. A geo- 12-104 nuclear gene data for plant phylogenet- graphic mosaic of plant–pollinator interac- ics: progress and prospects. Mol. Phylo- Snow, N. and P.M. Peterson. 2012. tions in the eastern Caribbean islands. Bio- genet. Evol. 65(2): 774-785. http://dx.doi. Nomenclatural notes on Dinebra, tropica http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1744- org/10.1016/j.ympev.2012.07.015 Diplachne, Disakisperma and Leptochloa 7429.2012.00915.x (Poaceae: Chloridoideae). Phytoneuron Gowda, V., W.J. Kress and T. Htun. 2012-71: 1-2. 2012. Two new species of Gingers Snow, N. and P.M. Peterson. 2012. (Zingiberaceae) from Myanmar. PhytoK- Systematics of Trigonochloa (Poaceae, eys 13: 5-14. http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/ Chloridoideae, Chlorideae). PhytoKeys phytokeys.13.2670 13: 25-38. http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/ Gulbransen, D.J., K.J. McGlathery, M. phytokeys.13.3355 Marklund, J.N. Norris and C.F.D. Gurgel. Soreng, R.J. and P.M. Peterson. 2012. 2012. Gracilaria vermiculophylla (Rho- Revision of Poa L. (Poaceae, Pooideae, dophyta, Gracilariales) in the Virginia Poeae, Poinae) in Mexico: new records, coastal bays, USA: cox1 analysis reveals re-evaluation of P. ruprechtii, and two new high genetic richness of an introduced species, P. palmeri and P. wendtii. PhytoK- macroalga. J. Phycol. 48(5): 1278-1283. eys 15: 1-104. http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/ http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1529-8817- phytokeys.15.3084 .2012.01218.x

Page 11 Art by Alice Tangerini

Curcuma arracanensis W.J Kress & V. Gowda This illustration of Curcuma arracanensis (Zingiberaceae) was drawn from living plants in the Botany Research Greenhouse when the plants were in flower at the end of August 2006. Tangerini initially drew the plant habit and then flowers and dissections in a couple of days working in the Greenhouse but returned in September to draw the tuberous rhizome to complete all of the figures needed for the publication (see “Publications” on page 11). Leslie Brothers supplied close up photographs to supplement the sketches since the final ink drawing was done in Tangerini’s office. Having the live plant was necessary to show details of the flowers and their spatial positions which are usually lost in pressed material. The leaf and inflorescence attitude of the live plant habit enabled Tangerini to give a natural look to the drawing.

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