Department of Botany and the U.S. National Herbarium The Plant Press New Series - Vol. 3 - No. 2 April-June 2000 Department Profile Island of Madagaster Yields Plant Treasures By Robert DeFilipps tomentosa) and flaming Katy (K. bloss- gascar and the Comoro Islands, ot unexpectedly, Madagascar, the feldiana); crown-of-thorns (Euphorbia published by the Royal Botanic Gardens, fourth largest island in the world, milii); the water-loving umbrella sedge Kew in 1997. It is a landmark for being Nis the home of Madagaster, a (Cyperus alternifolius); the blue-leaved the first book published by Kew, or by a genus comprising five endemic species of Chancellor’s palm (Bismarckia nobilis); Smithsonian botanist, to be provided Asteraceae. These unexploited compos- yellow butterfly palm, the most abundantly with an accompanying CD-ROM. ites represent only a fraction of the cultivated ornamental palm in the world In the book one can find the biogra- endemic plants, many others of which (Dypsis (Chrysalidocarpus) lutescens); phies and itineraries of numerous well have become cosmopolitan tropical the fenestrated Madagascar laceleaf plant, known collectors such as Wenceslas ornamentals, that were discovered in this an aquarist’s dream (Aponogeton mada- Bojer (1795-1856) who discovered gigantic island, which is only 50 square gascariensis); the Madagascar periwinkle, Delonix regia at Foulpointe in eastern miles smaller than the Brazilian state of highly decorative and containing 60 Madagascar (evidently as an introduc- Minas Gerais. Isolated in the Indian alkaloids, some valuable for treating forms tion from the west coast by Arab Ocean east of Mozambique, Mada- of cancer such as children’s leukemia settlers), and of Jacques Leandri (1903- gascar’s flora comprises around 6,000 (Catharanthus roseus, Apocynaceae); the 1982) who rediscovered the delonix in its endemic plant species, equivalent to 80 ubiquitous red-flowered “flamboyant” original habitat in the west at Antsingy percent of its total flora. There are six (Delonix regia, Caesalpiniaceae); and the Forest Reserve in 1932. That is the type endemic families, including the arbores- purple-spined, though regrettably non- of adventure that Dorr enjoys communi- cent, characteristically spiny Hum- suckering, Pandanus utilis. Carnivorous cating, and his numerous papers on bertiaceae (named for J.H. Humbert, 1887- plant fanciers seek Nepenthes mada- other figures in botanical history bear it 1967) and equally spiny Didiereaceae gascariensis. Unfortunately, by contrast, out. Additionally, under Dorr’s own entry (named for A. Grandidier, 1836-1921); scarcely any food plants originated in the in the volume, we find that he was born spineless trees would be pointless in region; seemingly as compensation vanilla in Boston, Massachusetts; received a these dry habitats. By way of contrast to growing is a major industry in both Mada- B.A. from Washington University, St. the enormous size of Madagascar gascar and the Comoro Islands today. Louis, Missouri (1976), an M.A. degree (Malagasy Republic) at 226,657 square from the University of North Carolina at ver the last few centuries, miles, the neighboring, but less fre- Chapel Hill (1980); and his Ph.D. from the Madagascar’s oddly shaped quently contacted Comoro Islands (Great University of Texas at Austin in 1983. plants with bulging trunks and Comoro, Anjouan, Mayotte, Moheli), O Representations of collectors in the other adaptations, as well as their more occupy exactly the same recorded area as book include several other Smithsonian conventional and colorful cohorts, were Plymouth County, Iowa or Hyde County, botanists of the past and present who eventually discovered and collected for South Dakota (863 square miles). were privileged to visit Madagascar over scientific study, as well as for germplasm The botanical gifts once endemic to the years, including the preeminent to enhance the field of horticulture, often Madagascar, which now boldly exhibit an Pacific ecologist F. Raymond Fosberg, under very physically (and financially) “aspect dominance” wherever they have and W. John Kress, current Chairman of taxing conditions. Authoritative informa- been planted in the tropics and subtrop- the Department. The latter’s work tion on the people who strove to find ics, or when grown as indoor house involved a study of the likely pollination these plants has been ably presented by plants, are a parade of desirable species of the traveler’s tree (Ravenala) by visit- Laurence J. Dorr, Associate Curator in the including the traveler’s tree (Ravenala ing lemurs, who grasp the overlapping Department of Botany, in a comprehensive madagascariensis, Strelitziaceae); the book entitled Plant Collectors in Mada- Continued on page 8 crassulaceous panda plant (Kalanchoe Travel Mark and Diane Littler (12/16 – 2/17) at the University of Guyana and govern- Gary Krupnick (3/30-3/31) traveled to traveled to Fort Pierce, Florida to continue ment agencies; and (3/27-4/9) to Belize St. Louis, Missouri to meet with Peter an ongoing research project at the City, Belize and Lincoln, Nebraska to Raven regarding the creation of a Center Smithsonian Marine Station and the conduct research and attend a National for Conservation and Sustainable Devel- Florida Keys, and (3/14 – 4/5) to Belize Science Foundation workshop. opment at the Missouri Botanical Garden. City, Belize to study the ecology of W. John Kress (3/1-3/6) traveled to Future potential collaborative projects with Siphonalean algae of the Carrie Bow Cay London, England to conduct research at the Botany Department’s Plant Conserva- area. the herbarium of the Royal Botanic tion Unit were discussed. Dan Nicolson (1/22 – 2/6) traveled to Gardens, Kew; to Durham, North Carolina Deborah Bell (4/4 – 4/27) traveled to Berlin, Germany to attend meetings of the (3/28 – 3/29) to attend the preliminary Bangkok, Thailand and Rangoon, Burma to committee to revise the International Code examination for graduate students at Duke work with Myanmar herbaria staff to of Botanical Nomenclature as a member of University; and (4/1-4/26) to the Canary database plant collections. the Editorial Committee, and Moscow, Islands, Spain to attend the “Global Ida Lopez (4/4 – 4/27) traveled to Russia to work with staff of the Moscow Integrated Plant Conservation Initiation” Bangkok, Thailand and Rangoon, Burma to University collections department. in Las Palmas, and then to Bangkok, work with Myanmar herbaria staff to Maria Faust (2/2 – 2/130) traveled to Thailand and Rangoon, Burma to conduct database plant collections. Melbourne, Australia to attend the 9th research and collaborate with Burmese Michael Bordelon (4/6 – 4/26) traveled International Conference on Harmful Algal botanists. to Rangoon, Burma to work in Myanmar Blooms in Hobart, Tasmania, and (3/26 – 4/ Barrett Brooks (3/14 – 4/5) traveled to herbaria and conduct field studies. 1) to Palm Beach, Florida to study and Belize City, Belize to study ecology and Pedro Acevedo (4/10 – 4/22) traveled to collect dinoflagellate algae in the Indian biology of Siphonalean algae of the Carrie San Juan, Puerto Rico and Tortola, Virgin River ecosystem. Bow Cay area. Islands to train Virgin Islands National Vicki Funk (3/1 – 3/17) traveled to Warren Wagner (3/29-3/31) traveled to Park Trust personnel. Georgetown, Guyana to meet with officials Kansas City, Kansas to present a lecture at Laurence Skog (4/27 – 5/3) traveled to the Department of Ecology and Evolution- Bronx, New York to examine specimens in ary Biology, University of Kansas; and (4/ the herbarium of the New York Botanical The Plant Press 17-4/20) to San Antonio and McAllen, Garden, and (5/12 – 5/15) to Baltimore, Texas to collect specimens for a molecular Maryland to participate in the Association New Series - Vol. 3 - No. 2 study of Phaulothamnus of Systematics Collections meeting. (Achatocarpaceae). Chairman, Department of Botany W. John Kress ([email protected]) New Faces Andrew Medina-Marino has joined the David Erickson, recent Ph.D. graduate EDITORIAL STAFF plant research group at the Laboratory of from the laboratory of James Hamrick at Co-Editors Molecular Systematics (LMS) as a contract the University of Georgia, has joined the Gary Krupnick worker. He worked last year for Elizabeth LMS and the University of Maryland to ([email protected]) Zimmer and this spring for Scott Wing as work on a National Science Foundation Robert DeFilipps an intern through the Smithsonian’s Office grant to Charles Fenster and Elizabeth ([email protected]) of Fellowships and Grants. Zimmer, on quantitative genetics of Circulation Manager epistasis in a species of Chamaecrista Shirley Maina (Fabaceae). ([email protected]) Visitors News Contacts Amanda Boone, Robert Faden, Ellen Arsenio Jose Areces Mallea, Instituto de Janice Saunders, Instituto Darwinion, San Farr, George Russell, Alice Tangerini, Oceanologia, La Habana, Cuba; Caribbean Isidro, Argentina (SI); Waltheria and Elizabeth Zimmer Laurencia (Sterculiaceae) (5/12-5/16). The Plant Press is a quarterly publication (Rhodophyta) (4/22-4/30). provided free of charge. 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