Department of Systematic Biology - Botany & the U.S. National Herbarium The Plant Press New Series - Vol. 6 - No. 4 October-December 2003 Botany Profile Zingiberales: An Order of Magnitude By Robert DeFilipps he Head of Botany, W. John Kress, order Zingiberales, which takes its name travels. This episode was followed at is eminently adapted to function in from the gingers. This geographically various intervals by field trips to the milieu of field exploration, in widespread and morphologically diverse Colombia with Harvards Richard Evans Tthe laboratory while investigating the assemblage of families comprises the Schultes, and then to Amazonian Peru molecular phylogenetics of plants, and in cannas (Cannaceae); heliconias (Heliconi- with Timothy Plowman, during which the demanding role of an administrator aceae); prayer plants (Marantaceae); Kress saw Heliconia in the field for the whose decisions are foremost in shaping bananas (Musaceae), the worldwide first time. the progress and welfare of plant science providers of food and fiber, whose fruits These experiences were the core at the Smithsonian Institution. and leaves contain dopamine, a neuro- facilitators of his interest in graduate Kress was born in 1951 in Alton, transmitter also found in the human brain; studies with Stone, on classification and Illinois. His undergraduate education was the lemur-pollinated travelers trees pollination biology of the Heliconiaceae. pursued at Harvard University, where he (Ravenala) of Madagascar, as well as the Trips to Costa Rica and Panama began to graduated in 1975 with a B.A. degree South African (Strelitzia) and South instill in Kress a lifelong interest in Magna Cum Laude, and produced an American (Phenakospermum) birds-of- biological conservation and the remedies honors thesis, advised by P. Barry Tom- paradise (Strelitziaceae), which are for forest fragmentation. In Costa Rica he linson, entitled The Pollination Ecology pollinated respectively by diurnal sunbirds encountered pristine rain forests, only to of Rhizophora mangle L. the Red Man- and nocturnal bats; the horticulturally return later and witness the selfsame grove. desirable Costus (Costaceae); and gingers areas in a state of decimation and biotic Graduate studies were undertaken at (Zingiber) with their pungent essential oils endangerment. His strong interest in Duke University (Durham, North Caro- having antineoplastic, anticholesteremic, conservation was recently manifested in lina), with advisor Donald E. Stone, and depressant, and cardiotonic effects (Zin- statistical studies focusing on hotspots culminated in a Ph.D. (1981) with a giberaceae). Work is aided by his valuable of plant endemism in 84 Indo-Pacific dissertation on Reproductive Biology assistant, museum specialist Ida C. Lopez, ecoregions, conducted with co-author and Systematics of Central American and a host of graduate students including Gary Krupnick (Biodiversity and Heliconia (Heliconiaceae). His profes- Chelsea Specht (New York University), Conservation 12: 2237-2253. 2003). Kyle Williams (Duke), Tanya Rehse (Duke sional career began with a position as he scope of research done by University), Norman Bourg (University of Research Scientist in the Botany Depart- Kress is, in a word, formidable. Maryland), and Vinita Gowda (George ment at Duke University (1983-1984), and That is because he has inquired Washington University). shortly thereafter he became Director of T(often with collaborators) into so many An interest in the Ginger Order was Research at Marie Selby Botanical Gar- different subdisciplines of botany, developed along a sort of time-line, dens in Sarasota, Florida from 1984-1988. ranging from taxonomy, systematics, basically starting many years ago with The Smithsonian Institution was joined in conservation, and habitat studies, all the enrollment in Tomlinsons summer course 1988 at the curatorial level, and he is way up to and including cutting edge on tropical monocot morphology at the currently a Research Scientist and Cura- molecular work with isozymes and DNA Fairchild Tropical Garden in Miami, which tor in the Department of Botany, National sequence analyses, resulting in phyloge- brought with it an inspiring opportunity to Museum of Natural History. In 1997 Kress netic and cladistic evidence of interrela- stay in David Fairchilds house for three was appointed Chairman of Botany, tionships, data which helps to inform our months with access to the fine library which he fulfills to the present day. collective appreciation of evolutionary The locus of Kress research essen- while seeing all the economic plants tially resides in the petaloid monocot introduced to Florida via Fairchilds world Continued on page 10 Travel Walter Adey traveled to Halifax and St. and to Aberdeen, Scotland (7/47/11) to Laurence Skog traveled to Mobile, Johns, Canada (6/1510/1) to conduct on- attend the annual Association for Tropical Alabama (7/258/1) to attend the Botany going research. Biology and Conservation (ATBC) 2003 meeting; and to Sarasota, Florida (8/ Paula DePriest traveled to Mobile, meeting. 289/5) to conduct research at the Marie Alabama (7/267/29) to attend the Botany Gary Krupnick traveled to Duluth, Selby Botanical Gardens. 2003 meeting; and to Mongolia (8/129/7) Minnesota (6/287/3) to attend the annual Alain Touwaide traveled to Rome, Italy with Gregory McKee to study lichens. meeting of the Society for Conservation (8/2610/13) for the second part of an Laurence Dorr traveled to London, Biology. Earthwatch expedition studying Renais- England (7/178/14) to conduct research at Mark and Diane Littler traveled to Ft. sance printed herbals at the National the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; and to Pierce, Florida (6/27/27) to conduct Library of Rome. Caracas, Venezuela (9/109/25) to collect ongoing research. Warren Wagner traveled to Mobile, plant specimens in the Andes (Guirigay Dan Nicolson traveled to Bronx, New Alabama (7/267/31) to attend the Botany National Monument and Guaramacal York (6/307/3, 7/277/30, and 9/149/17) 2003 meeting; and to Uppsala, Sweden (8/ National Park) and to study plants at the to continue work on the Taxonomic 198/25) to attend a council meeting of the herbarium in Guanare (PORT). Literature edition 2 (TL-2) at the library of International Association for Plant Robert Faden traveled to Kenya, Ethi- the New York Botanical Garden; and to Taxonomy (IAPT). opia, and England (9/310/5) to do herbar- Uppsala, Sweden (8/198/25) to attend a Liz Zimmer traveled to Chico, Califor- ium and field work in Kenya, to deliver a council meeting of the International nia (6/196/27) to attend the meeting of the paper at the XVIIth Congress of the Associ- Association for Plant Taxonomy (IAPT). Society of Systematic Biologists; and to ation for the Taxonomic Study of the Flora Paul Peterson traveled to Mobile, New London, New Hampshire (8/38/8) to of Tropical Africa (AETFAT) in Addis Alabama (7/277/31) to attend the Botany attend the Gordon Research Conference Ababa, Ethiopia, and to conduct research 2003 meeting; and throughout Mexico (8/ on Evolutionary and Ecological Func- at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 189/24) to collect grass specimens. tional Genomics. Maria Faust traveled to Ft. Pierce, Florida (7/137/25) to conduct ongoing Visitors research. W. John Kress traveled to Myanmar Walter Holmes, Baylor University; Neo- Tetsuo Koyama, Makino Botanical Garden, (6/96/30) to conduct ongoing research; tropical Mikania (Asteraceae) (7/14-7/26). Japan; Cyperaceae, Smilacaceae (8/20-8/ 22). Helen Kennedy, University of British The Plant Press Columbia; Guianan Marantaceae (7/17-8/4). Catherine Phillips, Huntington Botanical Garden, California; Humbert & Swingle Xochitl Munn New Series - Vol. 6 - No. 4 , University of Texas; Madagascar Collections (8/21). Personal Collections (7/29). Head of Botany Daniel DeBouck, International Center for K. Olusola Ogunwenmo W. John Kress , Babcock Univer- Tropical Agriculture, Colombia; Phaseolus ([email protected]) sity, Ogun State, Nigeria; African Ipomoea (Fabaceae) (8/25-8/30). (Convolvulaceae) (8/1). EDITORIAL STAFF Guillermo Pino, Universidade de San Rosa Cerros-Tlatilpa, Rancho Santa Ana Co-Editors Marcos; Peruvian Succulents (Peperomia, Botanic Garden, California; Aristida (Poa- Echeveria) (8/25). Gary Krupnick ceae) (8/11-8/16). ([email protected]) Debbie Crabtree, National Food Proces- Robert DeFilipps Cynthia Frasier, Rutgers University; ([email protected]) sors Association, Washington, D.C.; Leaf Strychnos (Loganiaceae) (8/11-8/14). Identification (9/5). News Contacts Bonnie Farrell , Rutgers University; Jerrold Davis, Botany Department, Cornell MaryAnn Apicelli, Robert Faden, Ellen Aconitum (Ranunculaceae) (8/14). Farr, George Russell, Alice Tangerini, and University; Poaceae (9/8). Elizabeth Zimmer Richard Mack , Washington State Univer- Elizabeth Hermsen, Bailey Hortorium, sity; Bromus (Poaceae) (8/15). The Plant Press is a quarterly publication Cornell University; Itea (Saxifragaceae) (9/ provided free of charge. If you would like to be Melissa Islam 15-9/19). added to the mailing list, please contact Gary , Colorado State University; Krupnick at: Department of Systematic Ziziphus (Rhamnaceae) (8/18-8/20). Mario Sousa, Universidad Nacional Biology - Botany, Smithsonian Institution, PO Box 37012, NMNH MRC-166, Washington, Darin Pennys, University of Florida, Autónoma de México (UNAM); DC 20013-7012, or by e-mail: krupnick.gary@ Gainesville; Miconeae (Melastomataceae) Lonchocarpus (Fabaceae) (9/18 - 9/22). nmnh.si.edu.