Department of Systematic Biology - Botany & the U.S. National Herbarium The Plant Press New Series - Vol. 6 - No. 3 July-September 2003 Botany Profile A Colossus of the Compositae By Robert DeFilipps e has named or described 2,800 employment in Washington, D.C., as labored. For example, just a glance at the new species and subtribes, a Associate Curator of lower plants (1962- South American journal Ernstia will figure equal to one-quarter the 1964) at the Smithsonian Institution, and reveal that in the Tribe Eupatorieae as Hnumber of flowering plants named by Carl successively as Associate Curator (1964- represented in Venezuela with 35 genera, Linnaeus, the originator of binomial 1971) and Curator of Botany from 1971 to Robinson (with co-worker King) has nomenclature, and the equivalent of the present. named at least one species in 27 of the approximately one-tenth the total number An incisive, perennially questing mind genera (V. Badillo, vol. 11. 2001). Similarly, of species in his chosen family of has allowed him to delve, often with new country records of species named expertise, the immense Compositae collaborators, into the taxonomy of groups by Robinson seem to appear everywhere, (Asteraceae). His singular contribution of as diverse as the bryophytes of many such as in Peru, from which three species more than 650 publications advancing the regions; green algae (a new genus Struve- of Eupatorieae previously regarded as taxonomy of the composites, as well as of opsis from Diego Garcia, Indian Ocean, endemic to Ecuador have recently been the bryophytes (mosses and liverworts), with Charlie Rhyne); the Brazilian members reported (Cronquistianthus leucophyl- the insect family Dolichopodidae, and of the dicot family Hippocrateaceae, with lus, Crossothamnus gentryi, Ophryos- many other groups, reflect both the Lyman Smith; scanning electron micros- porus integrifolia; H. Beltran & A. previously under-investigated state of copy (SEM) of Cactaceae spines relevant Granda, Compositae Newsletter 39. affairs in the classification of those to taxonomic changes; a new subtribe of 2003). Later efforts have involved reor- organisms, and the prolonged exercise of rice-like grasses (oryzoid Poaceae) and ganizations of the Tribes Senecioneae, a remarkable capacity for deciphering the study of Houstonia (Rubiaceae), both with Heliantheae, Liabeae and Vernonieae, the taxonomic relevance of minutiae. Such is Ed Terrell; a new genus of epiphytic latter being most actively pursued lately. the world of Harold E. Robinson, curator Paraguayan mosquito-pollinated orchid Most of these reorganizations involved of botany and Argus of the Asteraceae. (Synanthes) based on technical characters analyses of large garbage-pit genera Statistically prorated, to be in his league, of the columella, with Pamela Balogh and that needed splitting, such as Eupato- a researcher would have to name one new Mercedes Foster; and 32 new species of rium, Senecio, and Vernonia. species every day for 7.5 years. Bromeliaceae, mostly in Navia and The Compositae are known to contain Robinson was born in Syracuse, New Lindmania, with Lyman Smith. Field work thousands of secondary metabolite York, in 1932. He majored in Botany for all has taken him to Mexico, Guyana, chemicals such as alkaloids, acetylenes, degrees, and earned a B.S. from Ohio Uni- Dominica (West Indies) and Australia. and terpenoids, both beneficial and versity in 1955 (Zoology minor), an M.S. harmful, rendering the plants into little otwithstanding the demonstrable from the University of Tennessee in 1957, poison factories, as Robinson calls taxonomic breadth of the above, with a thesis on the Scrophulariaceae of them. An example of the lethality of his major interest among flowering Tennessee under A.J. Sharp (Entomology certain members may be seen in the Nplants is now in the Compositae. This minor); and a Ph.D. from Duke University, genus Ichthyothere (literally meaning began as research with R.M. King in the with a dissertation on the moss family fish-poison); Brazilian I. terminalis has Tribe Eupatorieae. The eupatorium tribe Brachytheciaceae under Louis E. Ander- acetylenic compounds so powerful that contains a familiar garden bedding plant, son (Zoology minor) in 1960. His prolific they make the fish jump out of the water the purplish-blue floss-flower career began as an assistant professor at Ageratum when ingested as bait. In fact, the Tribe Wofford College in Spartanburg, South houstonianum, but it is with the enormity Eupatorieae itself takes its name from the of the wild Eupatorieae that Robinson has Carolina (1960-1962), then shifted to Continued on page 10 Visitors Ann Sakai, University of California, Irvine; Beth Page, Archives of American Gardens; Julia Scher, USDA, APHIS, PPQ; Noxious Caryophyllaceae (Schiedea) (4/3). AABGA October 2003 Conference and Plant Species (4/28-5/2). Workshops (4/18). Harvey Ballard, Miami University (Ohio); Arthur Zangerl, University of Illinois Violaceae (4/4). Christina Flann, University of Melbourne; (Entomology); Apiaceae (Pastinaca Asteraceae (Nephelium) (4/21). sativa) (4/29). Molly Nepokroeff, University of South Dakota; Caryophyllaceae (4/8). Jennifer Dropkin, Private Individual; George Proctor, Institute of Jamaica (IJ); Collections Management (4/23). Identification of Jamaican Collections (5/2- Gardene Maria do Sousa , Instituto de 5/9). Botanica, Brazil; Xyridaceae and Bromeli- Juan Carlos Montero, Universidad aceae (Aechmea and Orthophytum) (4/9- Nacional Autonoma de Mexico; Solan- Julie Dragon, University of Vermont; 4/10). aceae (Cestrum) (4/23-4/24). Cyperaceae (Carex) (5/28). Maria das Gracas Wanderley, Instituto de Michael Nee, New York Botanical Garden; Michael Woods, Troy State University; Botanica, Brazil; Xyridaceae and Bromeli- Solanaceae (4/23-4/24). Fabaceae (Alabaman Lespedeza) (5/29). aceae (Aechmea, Orthophytum) (4/9-4/10). Michael Sundue, New York Botanical G.P. Lewis, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; Rebecca Bray, Old Dominion University; Garden; Bolivian Ferns (4/23-4/24). Fabaceae (6/2-6/7). Fern Allies (Isoetes) (4/10). Francisco Morales, Instituto Nacional de Anne Bruneau, University of Montreal; Kerry Heafner, Miami University (Ohio); Biodiversidad (INBio), Costa Rica; Guianas Fabaceae (6/3-6/9). Fern Allies (Isoetes) (4/10). Apocynaceae and Asclepiadaceae (4/25- Continued on page 5 4/27). Vicki Bryan, National Science Founda- tion; Herbarium and Collections Manage- ment (4/15). Travel Kristen Oberright, National Science Pedro Acevedo traveled to Puerto Rico in the Lesser Antilles; and to Copenhagen, Foundation; Herbarium and Collections and the Dominican Republic (5/148/12) to Denmark (5/255/30) to participate in a Management (4/15). collect data and specimens in the karst symposium on plant diversity. region and to conduct general plant Mark and Diane Littler traveled to The Plant Press inventory. Carrie Bow Cay, Belize (4/24/17) to Laurence Dorr traveled to Caracas, conduct ongoing research on coral reefs. New Series - Vol. 6 - No. 3 Venezuela (4/54/19) to collect plant speci- Dan Nicolson traveled to Bronx, New mens in the Teta de Niquitao-Guirigay York (5/265/30) to work on the Taxonomic Head of Botany National Monument and the Guaramacal Literature edition 2 (TL-2) at the library of W. John Kress ([email protected]) National Park and use the herbarium in the New York Botanical Garden. Guanare. Alain Touwaide traveled to State EDITORIAL STAFF Robert Faden traveled to Ontario, College, Pennsylvania (4/44/5) to lecture California (3/304/5) to attend the Mono- at the annual conference of the Center for Co-Editors cots III Symposium. Medieval Studies; to Rome, Italy (4/244/ Gary Krupnick Maria Faust traveled to Belize City, 27) to present a lecture at the 4th Congress ([email protected]) Belize (4/305/15) to conduct research on of the International Society for the History Robert DeFilipps ([email protected]) dinoflagellates. of Nephrology; to Boston, Massachusetts Vicki Funk traveled to Copenhagen, (5/15/4) to attend the American Associa- News Contacts Denmark, and London, England (5/236/5) tion for the History of Medicine meeting; MaryAnn Apicelli, Robert Faden, Ellen to present a paper and to study Asteraceae to Kalamazoo, Michigan (5/85/11) to Farr, George Russell, Alice Tangerini, and at the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew. attend the 38th meeting of the Medieval Elizabeth Zimmer W. John Kress traveled to Ontario, Conference; and to Rome, Italy, (6/27/15) The Plant Press is a quarterly publication California (3/314/5) to attend and present for an Earthwatch expedition studying provided free of charge. If you would like to be a research paper at the Monocot III Renaissance printed herbals at the added to the mailing list, please contact Gary Symposium, and to present a lecture at the National Library of Rome. Krupnick at: Department of Systematic Biology - Botany, Smithsonian Institution, PO Los Angeles County Arboretum and Liz Zimmer traveled to Boston, Mas- Box 37012, NMNH MRC-166, Washington, Botanic Garden; to New York City, New sachusetts (4/134/18) to conduct research DC 20013-7012, or by e-mail: krupnick.gary@ York (4/84/10) to present an invited and consult with collaborators at Harvard nmnh.si.edu. lecture at Columbia University, Center for University. Web site: http://www.nmnh.si.edu/botany Ecological Conservation; to St. Lucia (5/2 5/16) to conduct field and laboratory work Page 2 Beyond Paradise Chair hat should tropical biologists be doing in the As noted by Tom Lovejoy: There were two billion 21st century as tropical habitats further fewer people on the earth, the trans-Amazonian high- degrade with the unchecked expansion of way was yet to be built, and the Tree of Life had a much Whuman populations and development? What are the simpler architecture. More regrettably over that time With major scientific questions that must be addressed by period the world has lost 288 million hectares of tropical ecologists, systematists, evolutionary biologists, and forests, nearly 15% of the total forest area that existed in conservationists, before tropical biomes are irrevocably 1980.