ASPT Newsletter

Volume 14 (2)

June 2000


Edited by:
Kenneth R. Robertson
Illinois Natural History Survey
607 East Peabody Drive
Champaign, Illinois 61820 USA
Phone: 217 244-2171; Fax: 217 333-4949; e-mail: krrobert@uiuc.edu


CONTENTS

  • ASPT News
  • New Book Review Editor for Systematic Botany
  • ASPT Annual Meeting
  • Recepients of ASPT Graduate Student Research Grants for 2000
  • In Memoriam
  • People
  • Institutions
  • Job Opportunities
  • Fellowships, Internships, Post-Docs
  • Desiderata
  • Funding and Award Opportunities
  • Symposia and Meetings
  • New Serials and News about Serials
  • Books Received
  • Electronically Distributed Products
  • New Web Sites

  • ASPT NEWS

    New Book Editor for Systematic Botany

    We announce the appointment of a new Book Review Editor,Lawrence J. Davenport, Samford University of Birmingham, AL, who will assume duties immediately from Janet Sullivan, University of New Hampshire. Janet has served as Book Review Editor for six years. We appreciate the time and effort required to solicit and edit contributions in this very valuable feature of the journal. Larry's address is Department of Biology, Samford University, Birmingham, AL 35229-2234. His e-mail address is: <ljdavenp@samford.edu>.

    Annual Meeting of ASPT

    The Annual Meeting of ASPT will be held 6-10 August 2000 as part of Botany 2000, organized by the Botanical Society of America. The meeting will be held at the Oregon Convention Center, Portland. If you would like a registration brochure, please contact Linda Brown at <aspt@uwyo.edu>. Additional information about the annual meeting is available on the ASPT homepage (http://www.sysbot.org/) and the BSA homepage (http://www.botany.org/).

    Recipients of ASPT Graduate Research Awards for 2000

  • Nicole Andrus — Fairchild Tropical Garden/Florida International University. Origin and systematics of Darwiniothamnus (Asteraceae, Astereae), an endemic genus of the Galapagos Islands.
  • Margaret Evans — University of Arizona. Phylogenetic and demographic analyses of life history evolution in the "bird-cage" evening primroses (Oenothera sect. Anogra; Onagraceae): the annual vs. perennial habit.
  • Kelly Gallagher — New Mexico State University. Molecular phylogenetic and biogeographic studies of southwestern Aquilegia (Ranunculaceae).
  • David Hearn — University of Arizona. Evolution of growth form development in Adenia (Passifloraceae): evidence from phylogeny and anatomy.
  • James Horn — Duke University. Evolution of floral pattern formation in Hibbertia (Dilleniaceae).
  • Amanda Ingram — Cornell University. Origins and evolution of the allopolyploid cereal Eragrostis tef.
  • Bonnie M. Koblitz — University of Northern Colorado. An interactive identification key of the vascular plants of the Laramie foothills.
  • Loecia Lohmann — University of Missouri-St. Louis. Systematics of Bignonieae (Bignoniaceae).
  • Joshua McDill — San Francisco State University. Evolutionary trends in leaf and stem anatomy in Linanthus and related genera (Polemoniaceae).
  • Heidi Meudt— University of Texas. Biogeography, systematics and character evolution of the amphi-Antarctic subalpine genus Ourisia Comm. ex Juss.
  • Kendra Millam — University of Wisconsin. Phylogenetics and historical biogeography within the North American Trillium erectum (Trilliaceae) complex.
  • Andrew Miller — Field Museum of Natural History /University of Illinois-Chicago. Phylogenetic studies in the family Lasiosphaeriaceae and the genus Lasiosphaeria.
  • Sang-Hun Oh — University of California, Davis. A systematic study of tribe Neillieae (Rosaceae).
  • Kristin Porter Utley — University of Florida. Phylogenetic relationships within Passiflora section Cieca (Passifloraceae) based on molecular and morphological evidence.
  • Christopher P. Randle — Ohio State University. The evolution of photosynthetic loci after the loss of photosynthesis in the holoparasitic genus Harveya Hook. (Orobanchaceae).
  • Andrew Salywon — Arizona State University. Systematics of Mosiera (Myrtinae: Myrtaceae).
  • Jorge Sanchez-Ken — Iowa State University. Systematics of the genus Zeugites (Poaceae: Centothecoideae).
  • Sasa Stefanovic — University of Washington. Chloroplast genome evolution in Convolvulaceae.
  • Eric Tepe — Miami University. The evolution of ant associations in Piper subgenus Macrostachys (L.) Miq.: morphology, anatomy and molecular evidence.
  • Brian Vanden Heuvel —University of Texas. Testing cospeciation between Cercocarpus and Frankia.
  • Dennis Wall — University of California, Berkeley. Population structure and diversification patterns in the paleotropic endemic moss, Mitthyridium.
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    IN MEMORIAM

    William G. D'Arcy, 1931-1999. All who knew Bill D'Arcy will miss his quiet personal demeanor and insightful wisdom when working in the herbarium or field with plants of the Solanaceae, or any others for that matter. His passion with this important family was life long; both his Master's from the University of Florida and Ph.D. in botany from Washington University's Department of Biology in 1972 focused on solanaceous systematics, phytogeography, and developmental morphology of Latin American taxa, as did subsequent research at the Missouri Botanical Garden. He was appointed Research Botanist there the same year he graduated from WU, a position he held until his death. At WU Bill was Lecturer in Biology in 1974, Faculty Associate 1975-1980, and Adjunct Professor 1980-1987.

    A few examples from his vast bibliography illustrate his expertise in the Solanaceae as well as other interests. For Solanaceae: Biology and Systematics (Columbia University Press, 1986), he edited the volume, contributed a major paper, and also wrote several introductions to parts of the book, such as "Comparative Chemistry, Origins and Distinctions of Domesticates," and "Human Interactions," all of which showed broad interests encompassing systematics and much more. Under his leadership the 12-volume Flora of Panama was completed, the first modern, monographic flora for any major region of the Neotropics. To mark the occasion he organized a major symposium of experts at the University of Panama in 1980 and a few years later the proceedings were published as The Botany and Natural History of Panama. Another gem also grew out of a symposium that Bill and Richard Keating (SIU, Edwardsville) sponsored at the 1993 International Botanical Congress at Yokohama, Anthers: Form, Function, and Phylogeny (Cambridge University Press, 1996). The first chapter by Bill "Anthers and Stamens and What They Do" says it all about male sex in plants.

    After a considerable illness, cancer took Bill 16 December 1999 at home while he was cared for by his wife Nancy. Although he will be well remembered by all his colleagues and friends in St. Louis, a monograph to his memory consisting of contributions from solanaceous scholars worldwide with a complete CV and bibliography will be published late in 2001 by the Missouri Botanical Garden Press. — Walter H. Lewis, Washington University (from February 28, 2000 "Biologue," Newsletter of WU's Biology Department)


    Tharl Richard Fisher, 1921-2000. T. Richard Fisher, age 78, plant taxonomist specializing in Heliopsis, Silphium, and other related genera of the Compositae, died from a heart attack 11 February 2000 in Queenstown, New Zealand. He was on a three-week vacation trip with his wife, Charlotte, and 36 others touring New Zealand and Australia. Dick Fisher was a vibrant, energetic, and friendly individual who loved plants. He imparted that genuine enthusiasm to his general botany and horticulture classroom students, a large number of whom decided to pursue a major in botany or horticulture, and who then continued with related life careers.

    Born 23 December 1921 in Brownstown, Illinois, Fisher graduated from nearby Vandalia High School in Vandalia. While serving in the U. S. Amy during World War II, he was stationed on the Philippine Islands. Concentrating his studies in botany, zoology, and physical education, Fisher received a B.E. in 1947 at Eastern Illinois State Teachers College (now University) , taught high school biology and physical education in Stockton, Illinois (1947-1950), and earned the Ph.D. in botany at Indiana University (1954). His dissertation was on the systematics of the genus Heliopsis (Compositae) completed under the guidance of Charles B. Heiser, Jr. and published in the Ohio Journal of Science (57:171191. 1957). Fisher held professorships at Appalachian State Teachers College (now University) in Boone, North Carolina (1954-1956), The Ohio State University (1956-1968), and Bowling Green State University, Ohio (1968-1988).

    Dick Fisher was hired as an instructor in botany at The Ohio State University to develop an active graduate-level program in plant systematics, to design new courses, and to generate federal grants to support research. During the 12 years at OSU, he advanced to full professor in 8 years. Eight M.S. and 8 Ph.D. degrees were earned by 13 students under his advisorship. He designed a course in field botany that he taught for 12 summers from 1957 to 1975 at the University's F. T. Stone Laboratory, Put-in-Bay. As a past member of the American Society of Plant Taxonomists, he served as the Society's local host when the organization held its annual meeting with the American Institute of Biological Sciences at The Ohio State University (1968). Fisher was selected in 1968 as chairperson to develop the graduate program in the Department of Biology at Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio. Among his many accomplishments was the preparation of the documentation resulting in accreditation to the University to grant the Ph.D. degree in the Biological Sciences. Following resignation of the chairperson position in 1974, he continued as a faculty member designing and teaching courses in horticulture until retirement in 1983, when he was named Professor Emeritus of Biology. He continued teaching part-time there until 1988.

    While at Bowling Green, Fisher served as an advisor and member of the Board of Trustees of the nonprofit Schedel Foundation, which now maintains a 17-acre public arboretum and garden, about 22 miles northeast of Bowling Green at Elmore, Ohio. In 1999, Fisher was names the Arboretum's first executive director, serving until 1998. During that time he vastly improved the facility, making it a garden show place that attracted large numbers of visitors and organizations from throughout northwestern Ohio and elsewhere.

    An avid gardener, Dick had his own garden and greenhouse in Bowling Green, where for 20 years he persistently worked toward developing a special chrysanthemum that would bloom earlier and throughout a "full season." Fisher wrote two books: a laboratory manual, Introduction to Horticulture, T. I. S., Bloomington, IN (1978, Rev. 1979), and the Vascular Flora of Ohio: Asteraceae (Compositae), a project of the Ohio Academy of Science, published by The Ohio State University Press (1988). In 1997, he was a recipient of the Herbert Osborn Award in recognition of his contribution to the knowledge of the vascular flora of Ohio, presented by the Ohio Biological Survey.

    T. Richard Fisher is survived by his wife, Charlotte Mary (Greene) Fisher of 56 years, two sons Michael and Jonathan, two daughters, Ann (Fisher) Otley and Mary (Fisher) Kirk, and eight grandchildren. Since 1957, the family has maintained a summer home at Lake Erie on South Bass Island at Put-in-Bay, and since about the mid-1980s, they have lived in a winter home in North Fort Myers, Florida. Memorials may be made to the T. Richard Fisher Scholarship Fund at BGSU, the Schedel Arboretum and Gardens, or the Lake Erie Island Historical Society. A memorial service was held at the Schedel Arboretum in Elmore, 21 May 2000, at 2:00 p.m. —Ronald L. Stuckey, The Ohio State University.

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    PEOPLE

    A reception, symposium, and dinner were held on 6 May 2000 honoring Carroll E. Wood, Jr. An emeritus curator with the Arnold Arboretum and professor at Harvard University, Carroll Wood is best known for his interest in biogeographic relationships of plants and in establishing the Generic Flora of the Southeastern United States project. A total of 157 papers have been published to date in the Generic Flora series, another 10 are in press or in review, and more than 30 are in preparation. The speakers at the symposium included all of Dr. Wood's Ph.D. students (Christopher S. Campbell, Michael J. Donoghue, Walter S. Judd, Elizabeth A. Kellogg, and Brent D. Mishler); Richard B. Primack, who was influenced as an undergraduate at Harvard by Dr. Wood; P. Barry Tomlinson, a long-time colleague at Harvard; and Norton G. Miller, who continues to collaborate with Dr. Wood on the Generic Flora project.

    Jason Koontz completed his Ph.D. in May 2000 with Pamela Soltis at Washington State University, Pullman, WA and has started an Assistant Research Scientist position with the Center for Biodiversity of the Illinois Natural History Survey. He will continue his work on Californian larkspurs (Delphinium), as well as expand into survey work and genetic variation of threatened and rare plants in Illinois. His new address is: Jason A. Koontz, Ph.D., Asst. Research Scientist, Plant Systematics, Center for Biodiversity, Illinois Natural History Survey, 607 East Peabody Drive, Champaign, IL 61820. Phone: 217 265-0381; fax: 217 333-4949; e-mail: <jkoontz@inhs.uiuc.edu>.

    The New York Botanical Garden is pleased to announce that Gery Allen, currently a post-doctoral fellow at the Laboratory of Molecular Systematics, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, is the recipient of the Rupert Barneby Award for the year 2000. Dr. Allen will be studying the phylogenetic systematics of Lotus (Fabaceae) and other genera of the Loteae (Faboideae).

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    INSTITUTIONS

    KANU Herbarium Seeks Exchanges

    The Ronald L. McGregor Herbarium (KANU), at the University of Kansas, Lawrence, is devoted to the study of the vascular flora of the Great Plains of North America. KANU has holdings of some 350,000 specimens and several active collecting programs, emphasizing the flora of the southern Great Plains. KANU would like to initiate limited, specimen-for-specimen exchange programs with herbaria with collecting programs of vascular plants from grassland biomes worldwide. If interested, please direct inquiries to Dr. Craig C. Freeman, Curator-in-Charge (c-freeman@ukans.edu). Web site: <http://www. nhm. ukans. edu/kanu/mcweb.html>.

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    JOB OPPORTUNITIES

    Persons in the job market should consult the Newsletter/ Current News section of the ASPT homepage <http://www.inhs.uiuc.edu/~kenr/ASPT/current.html> for detailed descriptions. Below are very abbreviated listings of job notices that have appeared on that source; complete information needed for applications is not included here. For many positions, the deadlines have passed, and the positions may be filled. The listing here is primarily for readers who might be interested in which organizations have had openings in the general area of plant system- atics. The date the positions were posted is in square brackets [day/month/year].

    Director, Botanical Research Center/Orchid Identification Center, Marie Selby Botanical Gardens: The Marie Selby Botanical Gardens invites applications for a full-time position as Director of its Botanical Research Center. The primary function of the job will be to direct the operations of the Orchid Identification Center (OIC) but will also include oversight of other botanical research programs. Applicants must have a Ph.D. and an established program of field-oriented orchid research. Review of applications will begin immediately until a candidate is found. Position starting date flexible but as early as 1 July 2000. To apply, send a letter of interest, your curriculum vitae, and the names of three references to Bruce Holst, Research and Conservation Department, Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, 811 South Palm Avenue, Sarasota, FL 34239 USA. Information on Selby Gardens resources and staff can be viewed at <http://www.selby.org>. Marie Selby Botanical Gardens is an equal opportunity employer. [Posted 5 June 2000]

    Assistant Curator, University of Texas Herbarium: The Plant Resources Center (PRC) of the University of Texas at Austin, comprising the University of Texas (TEX) and Lundell (LL) Herbaria and associated collections, invites applications for the position of Assistant Curator. A Bachelor's degree in biological sciences, museum studies, or environmental studies is required. Preference will be given to candidates with a Master's degree, at least three years of experience (one year with a Master's) working in natural history collections, demonstrated knowledge of herbarium management protocols and herbarium specimen preparation, experience in identification of New World plants, and experience in database management and in the use of Web-based resources. Supervisory experience, attention to detail, and organizational skills are strong assets for this position. Position starts 1 September 2000 and will pay $2200-$2500/month, depending on qualifications. Application deadline is 21 June 2000. More information is available at the University of Texas Job Search Web page at <http://dpweb1.dp.utexas .edu/pnjobs/> (at bottom of page, in Search by Job Number field, enter 00-05-19-08-4222); also see <http://www.biosci.utexas.edu/prc/>. Applicants must do BOTH of the following: 1) submit a brief résumé-based application on-line through the above-mentioned Web site (or, call UT Employment Applicant Services at 1-512-471-3656 or 1-800-687-8086 for alternatives); AND 2) send a letter of interest, paper résumé (CV), college transcript, and two letters of reference to Dr. Tom Wendt, Curator, Plant Resources Center, Biolabs 311, University of Texas, Austin, Texas 78712. [Posted 29 May 2000]

    Three Positions Curatorial Assistants (2) and Imaging Coordinator New York Botanical Garden Herbarium: Curatorial Assistant, Phanerogamic Herbarium. Job duties: Process New York Botanical Garden expedition collections. Experience and qualifications required: course work in botany, or herbarium experience; ability to do accurate, efficient data entry of botanical and geographical information; organized, neat, detail-oriented; good verbal and written communication skills; familiarity with Portuguese a plus. Education: B.S. or M.S. in botany, with emphasis on taxonomy preferred. Starting Date: Negotiable, but as soon after 1 August 2000 as possible.

    Curatorial Assistant, Cryptogamic Herbarium. Job duties: Process and file new accessions of fungi, algae, and bryophytes; manage herbarium transactions in a computerized database; repair and re-file return loans of fungi, algae and bryophytes; catalog data from herbarium specimens into a computerized database; image herbarium specimens. Experience and qualifications required: course work in botany, or herbarium experience with non-vascular plant collections preferred; experience with computer data basing and word-processing; organized, neat, detail-oriented; good verbal and written communication skills. Education: B.S. or M.S. in botany or mycology, with emphasis on taxonomy preferred. Starting Date: Negotiable, but as soon after 18 August 2000 as possible.

    Imaging Coordinator. Capture, manage, and store digital images of herbarium specimens using the NYBG protocol <http://www.nybg.org/bsci/herbarium_imaging/ imaging_ manual_download.html> established for the Vascular Plant Type Specimens Imaging Project <http://www.nybg .org/bsci/herbarium_imaging/>. Experience and qualifications required: Experience with basic photographic principles, digital imaging, Adobe Photoshop, and Microsoft Windows 98 required; familiarity with plant biology, including the scientific method of naming plants, and how herbarium specimens are used in scientific research is highly desirable. Previous herbarium experience helpful; good organizational skills and attention to detail a must. Education: B.S. or M.S. in biology, with emphasis on taxonomy preferred. Starting Date: July 2000 as possible.

    Send résumé, application (downloadable from Web address given above) and names of three references to: Ms. Karen Yesnick, Head, Human Resources Department, New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, NY 10458; RE: Curatorial Assistant Position. If you have any questions about the position, contact Barbara M. Thiers, e-mail: <bthiers@nybg.org>; voice: 718 817-8622; fax: 718 562-6780. [Posted 5 June 2000]

    Senior Herbarium Assistant, 2 positions, Missouri Botanical Garden: First position: Manages databases and coordinates identification of voucher specimens for pharmaceutical research contracts. Expedites and facilitates identification, labeling, and processing of plant material entering the herbarium. Helps perform contract research on a variety of topics. May participate in field work and may assist with other botanical research projects. Qualifications include a Bachelor's degree in botany or related field; Master's degree preferred. Previous herbarium and field experience preferred. Knowledge of computer database and other software helpful. Familiarity with botanical literature, rules of botanical nomenclature, and general principles of plant taxonomy required. Foreign languages and previous foreign travel experience preferred.

    Second position: Assists curators in daily management of a research project surveying diversity of food plants. Assists with collection of food plants from a variety of markets, horticultural collections, and wild plants. Expedites and facilitates identification, labeling, and processing of plant material entering the herbarium. Helps perform contract research on a variety of topics. Manages database and coordinates identification of voucher specimens for pharmaceutical research contracts and may assist with other botanical research projects. Qualifications include a Bachelor's degree in botany or related field, Master's degree preferred. Previous herbarium and field experience preferred. Knowledge of computer database and other software helpful. Familiarity with botanical literature, rules of botanical nomenclature, and general principles of plant taxonomy required. Foreign languages and previous foreign travel experience preferred.

    Position are available immediately and are open until filled; there is no closing date. To apply, please e-mail your curriculum vitae to <jobs@mobot.org> or fax it to (314) 577-9597. Please refer to our Web site, <http://www. mobot.org>, for detailed information on Missouri Botanical Garden and for benefits related information. [Posted 25 April 2000]

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    FELLOWSHIPS, INTERNSHIPS, POST-DOCS

    Nearly all announcements have been edited to conserve space—be sure to obtain complete descriptions before applying. Please see notice at top of "Job Opportunities."

    Elizabeth E. Bascom Fellowships in Botany for Latin American Women: The Missouri Botanical Garden announces the second annual competition for the Elizabeth E. Bascom Fellowships in botany for Latin American women. This fellowship was established to honor the memory of Elizabeth E. Bascom and keep alive her long-standing dedication to the Missouri Botanical Garden and its research and training programs in tropical botany. These fellowships are intended for Latin American women who work in the field of botany. During their stay at the Garden, the fellowship recipients will have access to the herbarium, library, and botanical database of the Missouri Botanical Garden. The fellowship will cover the cost of a round-trip air ticket to St. Louis, lodging in the Garden apartment, and a small stipend for food and miscellaneous expenses in St. Louis for a period of one to six months. Applicants must have an undergraduate degree from a university. The fields of investigation are limited to systematic botany, ecology or conservation. See the web site at <http://www.mobot.org/MOBOT/ Research/ bascomengl.html> for details on how to submit an application. Deadline for submission of applications: 1 July 2000; announcement of the results will be 15 August 2000. For more information, contact: Kathy Hurlbert, Missouri Botanical Garden, P.O. Box 299, St. Louis, MO 63166-0299, USA. Fax: (1-314) 577-0830; e-mail:<kathy.hurlbert@ mobot.org>.

    Postdoctoral Research Assistant, University of Oxford: This is a two-year post in the Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford, funded by The Leverhulme Trust with a planned start date of 1 October 2000. Specifically, the aim of the post-doctoral position is to develop and screen species-diagnostic molecular markers to investigate the hybridity, origins and identities of a set of putative interspecific hybrids and tetraploid species. There is an opportunity within the project for the successful applicant to visit Mexico and participate in field work there. Further details and application procedures may be found at <http://www.plants.ox.ac.uk/jobs/PRA13.html>. For more information, contact: Stephen A. Harris, Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3RB, UK. [Posted 2 May 2000]

    Post-doc in Molecular Systematics, Virginia Tech: A postdoctoral position is available for one and a half years starting 15 August 2000, and is located at Virginia Tech. The research will cover areas in molecular systematics and evolution of flowering plants. Candidates are expected to have a Ph.D. degree and experience in molecular systematic techniques and phylogenetic data analysis. For additional information, please e-mail Dr. Khidir W. Hilu at <hilukw@vt.edu> or call at 540-231-5407. Applicants should send their curriculum vitae, a cover letter explaining their research interest, and names, addresses, and e-mails of three references to Khidir W. Hilu, Department of Biology, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061. [Posted 25 April 2000]

    Cullman Postdoctoral Fellowship in Molecular Systematics, American Museum of Natural History: The Lewis B. and Dorothy Cullman Program for Molecular Systematics Studies at the American Museum of Natural History is searching for a postdoctoral investigator with a vigorous research program in plant/animal coevolution using molecular techniques. The Fellowship supports independent research in association with the Museum's resident staff, and interaction with the staff of the New York Botanical Garden is also expected. The position is open either to a systematic botanist or zoologist, but the proposed research must involve collaboration across disciplines. The position is for one year but may be extended a second year based on performance; the position can be filled immediately. A letter of application including a CV, a research statement that also details ongoing or expected collaborations, several relevant reprints, and the names of three references should be sent to Joel Cracraft, Curator-in-Charge, Department of Ornithology, American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th Street, New York, NY 10024. Additional information can be obtained by calling 212-769-5633 or by e-mailing <jlc@amnh. org>. Review of the applications began on 1 May 2000. [Posted 30 March 2000]

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    DESIDERATA

    Wanted: Veronica wormskjoldii and Veronica cusickii

    The ice age might have had different effect on alpine species in Europe and North America. I am a Ph.D. student at the university of Vienna studying this hypothesis using the sister taxa Veronica alpina (Europe) and Veronica wormskjoldii and Veronica cusickii (North America). Due to shortage of funding for travel expenses I will not be able to collect all necessary populations myself. Can you, please, help me collect specimens (3-5 individuals/population) from various populations across the U.S. and Canada? Or, do you know anybody I could contact who can collect specimens? Thank you for your help! Dirk Albach, Botanisches Institut der Universität Wien, Rennweg 14, A-1030 Vienna, Austria. E-mail: <albach@gmx.net>. [Posted 5 June 2000]

    Information Wanted About Grass Courses

    Our department will be offering a new course in the fall (2000) called "Taxonomy of the Grasses (Poaceae)," designed for undergraduates and graduate students, and worth 3 hours of college credit. Does anyone out there have ideas/suggestions for a course outline or syllabus? I expect that we will be making heavy use of pressed (and fresh) material for keying grasses to tribes, genera, and species. Also, any suggestions for textbooks? Any contributions will be much appreciated and perhaps imitated. Thanks. John B. Nelson, A. C. Moore Herbarium, Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208. Voice: 803-777-8196; fax: 803-777-4002; e-mail: <nelson@sc.edu>.

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    FUNDING AND AWARD OPPORTUNITIES

    American Philosophical Society, Franklin Research Grants: Eligibility: Applicants for the Franklin Research Grants program are normally expected to have a doctorate, but applications are accepted from persons whose publications display equivalent scholarly achievement. Grants are rarely made to persons who have held the doctorate for less than one year, and never for pre-doctoral study or research. Applicants may be residents of the U.S., or American citizens resident abroad. Foreign nationals whose research can only be carried out in the U.S. are eligible. Grants are made to individuals; institutions are not eligible to apply. Proposals may be in all areas of scholarly knowledge except those in which support by government or corporate enterprise is more appropriate. The program does not accept proposals in the areas of journalistic or other writing for the general readership; the preparation of textbooks, casebooks, anthologies or other teaching aids; or the work of creative and performing artists. The Society makes no grants for study, travel to conferences, workshops or to consult with other scholars, for permanent equipment, or assistance with publication or translation. Award: up to $6000 for one year; $12,000 for two years. Deadline: 1 October; decisions are reached in January; notification by February. Application: All information, and forms for all of the Society's programs can be downloaded from the Web site, <http://www.amphilsoc.org>, then click on "Grants." If forms cannot be downloaded from the Web site, they may be requested by mail. Be sure to include indication of eligibility for the program; nature of the research (e.g. archival, laboratory, fieldwork, etc.); and proposed use of the funds (travel, purchase of microfilm, etc.). Foreign nationals must state the objects of their research available ONLY in the U.S. Questions concerning the eligibility of a project, or the use of funds are accepted at 215-440-3429. The e-mail address for grants inquiries is <eroach@ amphilsoc.org>; include a postal address.Address: Committee on Research, American Philosophical Society, 104 South 5th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106. [Posted 1 June 2000]

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    SYMPOSIA AND MEETINGS

    See ASPT Newsletter 13(3), December 1999 for information on the following meetings.

  • At the Millennium, a Look Back and a Look Ahead, Washington, DC, 22-24 March 2000
  • Association of Systematics Collection Annual Meeting, Baltimore, Maryland, 14-15 May 2000
  • World Botanic Gardens Congress, Ashville, North Carolina, 25-30 June 2000
  • Botany 2000, Annual Meeting of the Botanical Society of America and American Society of Plant Taxonomists, Portland, Oregon, 6-10 August 2000
  • Third Ecuadorian Botanical Congress, Quito, 25-27 October 2000
  • See ASPT Newsletter 14(1), March 2000 for information on the following meetings.

  • 27th Annual Natural Areas Conference, St. Louis, Missouri, 16-20 October 2000
  • 2000

    Jepson Herbarium 50th Anniversary Celebration and Scientific Symposium: Discovery, Communication, and Conservation of Plant Biodiversity in California, 16-18 June 2000

    In honor of the 50th anniversary of the Jepson Herbarium we are sponsoring a symposium: Discovery, Communication, and Conservation of Plant Biodiversity in California. We have invited a broad spectrum of experts to discuss the needs and means to refine and expand our knowledge of plant diversity, and to communicate information about the California flora among biological consultants, government agency planners, conservation biologists, academic researchers, private land owners, and the public. Topics will include the roles of field exploration and systematics for discovery of new biodiversity, the synthesis and distribution of floristic information, and identification of current challenges in conservation of the California flora. Nationwide integration of biologists, their ideas, and research is of immediate importance in our current environment of changing landscapes and increasing urban development and resource use. Please join us for this gala weekend celebration June 16-18, 2000. The weekend program will include an open house at the herbarium, scientific symposium, 50th Anniversary banquet and botanical field trips. For more information contact Betsy Ringrose or Staci Markos at the Jepson Herbarium. Phone: 510- 643-7008; e-mail <ringrose@uclink4. berkeley.edu> or <smarkos@socrates.berkeley.edu>. See also <http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/hemicen.html>.

    Symposium Flora of the Greater Antilles 2000, New York Botanical Garden 23-24 June

    The meeting will be a showcase of current investigation and interpretation of the flora of the Greater Antilles with an emphasis on the Cayman Islands, Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola (Haiti and the Dominican Republic), Puerto Rico, and the U.S. and British Virgin Islands. A series of speakers will address the major themes relating to our understanding of the origins and classification of the plants, fungi, and the vegetation, past and present. Speakers include Richard A. Howard, Thomas W. Donnelly, Alan Graham, S. Blair Hedges, Walter S. Judd, D. Jean Lodge, Alberto Areces Mallea, and James D. Ackerman. In addition, there will be a poster session where all participants will have the opportunity to present the results of their investigations on the vegetation of the region. Participants may bring more than one poster of their own investigations or posters for colleagues who cannot come to the Symposium. Also, a general session concerning the work of the project of the Flora of the Greater Antilles will be held. The Symposium will be held at The New York Botanical Garden. The LuEsther T. Mertz Library and the Herbarium will be available for consultation by the participants. The outdoor plantings will be in full summer bloom and should not be missed. Symposium participants are invited to visit the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, as well. For more information please contact: Thomas Zanoni, New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, NY 10458-5126, USA. Phone: (718) 817-8651; fax (718) 562-6780; e-mail: <tzanoni@nybg.org>.

    Taxonomy Today: Diversity & the Tree of Life, The University of Reading, UK, 3-5 July 2000

    This Conference will provide a view of current research developments in taxonomy, both at the interface between phylogeny construction and systematics, and in the discovery, classification, and cataloguing of organisms. It is one of the events sponsored by NERC as part of its five-year Taxonomy Initiative. Eminent researchers will give keynote addresses at the start of each session and there will be guest lectures to open and close the conference. Among the conference papers are some by recent participants in the NERC Taxonomy Initiative at each of the three nodes: University of Glasgow, Imperial College, and The University of Reading; and at two of the national collections associated with the initiative: The Natural History Museum and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. The three symposium sessions will be augmented with a Poster Session, and a Policy Forum. We are particularly keen that students and other young systematists should participate fully in the conference. Participants are invited to offer posters on their current research and to debate ideas on new research priorities at the Policy Forum. For more information, see the Web site at <http://www.systematics.reading.ac.uk/taxonomy_today/> or send an e-mail to: < taxonomy-today@reading.ac.uk>.

    2001

    Legumes Downunder: The Fourth International Legume Conference, 2-6 July 2001, Canberra, Australia

    The Fourth International Legume Conference will be held 2-6 July 2001 on the campus of Australian National University in Canberra, Australia. The scientific program includes symposia on systematics, utilization, infraspecific genetics, land rehabilitation, symbiosis, phytochemistry, and electronic resources. Field trips throughout Australia are being planned in conjunction with the meeting. Co-organizers are Mike Crisp, Australian National University, Jim Grimes, RBG Melbourne, Joe Miller, Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, David Morrison, University of Technology, Sydney. For further details and to express interest in attending the conference please check the Web site at <http://www.science.uts. edu.au/sasb/legumes.html>.

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    NEW SERIALS AND NEWS ABOUT SERIALS

    Second Issue of Lundellia Issue number 2 of Lundellia, a Journal of Plant Systematics was published in December 1999. This new journal is published by the Plant Resources Center at the University of Texas at Austin. For more information, including a table of contents, see the Web site at: <http://www.biosci. utexas.edu/prc/Lundell2.html> or contact: Editor, Plant Resources Center, BioLabs 311, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712; e-mail <lundell@uts.cc.utexas.edu>.

    Special Issue of ASC Newsletter. The Association of Systematic Collections has published a double issue of their Newsletter (June/August 1999) on biodiversity. This special issue outlines the array of U.S., European, and global partnerships and projects proposed and actually underway to support biodiversity research and establish distributed information networks of data that will be useful to policymakers, resource managers, scientists, and students. With the help of scientists, government officials, and program officers on three continents, who advised ASC and have written for this issue, we have produced a "snapshot" of how various efforts have evolved over the past decade and where they are headed. The future and success of these efforts depend upon public and private funding for basic research, preservation of natural history collections, and consortia of institutions working on complex biodiversity issues. For more information see the ASC Web site at <http://www. ascoll.org/>. Single copies may be purchased for $4.00 (special rates for 10 or more copies) + 15% shipping and handling. Orders must be prepaid by check, made payable to: Association of Systematics Collections, 1725 K Street, N.W., Suite 601, Washington, DC 20006. Voice: 202-835-9050; e-mail: <asc@ascoll. org>.

    New Journal—Biota Colombiana. The Instituto Alexander von Humboldt, located in Villa de Leyva, Colombia, announces the launching of a new peer-reviewed, bilingual journal, Biota Colombiana, with the first issue expected to be published in April 2000. Biota Colombiana is dedicated to biological inventory in the Neotropics, and will present lists (including geographic distribution and voucher specimens) in checklist form of all species of a particular genus, family, or order known from Colombia and the Neotropics, for marine and terrestrial organisms. The journal will present lists for the entire Neotropics, for Colombia, and for individual regions within Colombia (i.e., with a minimal geographic coverage of a department or ecosystem). Another section will accept Notes and Commentary. Authors are invited to submit manuscripts including a short introduction and literature summary together with the organism list, in either English or Spanish, and are encouraged to make submissions electronically. Additional information, including publication schedule, subscription information, detailed guidelines for authors, and contact addresses, is available at <http://www. humboldt.org.co/biota.htm>. For more information, contact: Fernando Fernández, Editor en Jefe, Biota Colombiana; e-mail: <biotacol@ humboldt.org.co>; PBX: +(87)320791 fax: +(87)320791.

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    BOOKS RECEIVED

    Information provided by Janet R. Sullivan, outgoing Book Review Editor. NOTE Effective immediately, the new book review editor for Systematic Botany is Lawrence J. Davenport, Department of Biology, Samford University, Birmingham, AL 35229-2234; e-mail: <ljdavenp@ samford.edu>.

    Atlas of the Wisconsin Prairie and Savanna Flora by Theodore S. Cochrane and Hugh H. Iltis. 2000. 226 pp. illus. dot distribution maps. Without ISBN number (paperback, price unavailable). Madison, WI: Department of Natural Resources, Technical Bulletin No. 191.—This work treats native vascular plants of Wisconsin grassland and savanna communities from the standpoint of floristics and phytogeography. Part I discusses the physical geography and climate of Wisconsin; the composition of its prairie, barrens, and savanna communities; and the postglacial history. Part II consists of 354 dot maps showing the exact distributions of taxa as based on herbarium specimens, each map accompanied by a description of the species' habitats, abundance, and overall distribution. For information, see <http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/es/science/pubs/tr/techb.htm>; e-mail: <duvais@dnr.state.wi.us>.

    America's Ancient Forests: From the Ice Age to the Age of Discovery by Thomas M. Bonnicksen. 2000. ISBN 0-471-13622-0 $49.95 (hardcover). New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. For information contact Carmela Della Ripa at <cdellari@wiley.com>.

    Catálogo de Angiospermas Acuáticas de México: Hidrófitas Esctrictas Emergentes, Sumergidas y Flotantes by Antonio Lot, Alejandro Novelo Retana, Martha Olvera García, and Pedro Ramírez García. 1999. 161 pp. illus. line drawings, dot distribution maps, and 60 color photos. ISBN 968-36-7928-4 US$25.00 (paperback). México, D.F.: Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. For information contact Alejandro Novelo R. at <lanovelo@ servidor.unam.mx>.

    Catalogue of Portraits of Naturalists, Mostly Botanists in the Collections of the Hunt Institute, The Linnean Society of London, and the Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques de la Ville de Genève, Part 3: Portraits of Individuals, E-H compiled by Anita L. Karg, Sharon Tomasic, Margot Walker, Gavin D. R. Bridson, Hervé M. Burdet, Marie-Martine Chautems, and Tina Moruzzi Bayo. 1999. xi + pp. 389-619 ISBN 0-913196-50-9 $20 + $4 shipping domestic/foreign (paperback). Pittsburgh, PA: Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation, Carnegie Mellon University.

    CRC World Dictionary of Plant Names: Common Names, Scientific Names, Eponyms, Synonyms, and Etymology. Volume I: A-C, Volume II: D-L, Volume III: M-Q, Volume IV: R-Z by Umberto Quattrocchi. 2000. 2896 pp. (4 volumes). ISBN 0-8493-2673-7 (set, hardcover, price unavailable). Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.

    Ethnic Culinary Herbs: A Guide to Identification and Cultivation in Hawaii by George W. Staples and Michael S. Kristiansen. 1999. xii + 122 pp. illus. line drawings and color photos. ISBN 0-8248-2094-0 $29.95 (hardcover). Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press.—This is an illustrated guidebook that describes more than 30 herbs grown, sold, and used in Hawaii. Each species is identified by its scientific name, and common names are listed for several languages spoken in Hawaii. Uses and cultivation are also explained. For information contact Steven Hirashima at <stevehir@hawaii.edu>.

    Flora of North America, Volume 22: Magnoliophyta: Alismatidae, Arecidae, Commelinidae (in part), and Zingiberidae edited by Flora of North America Editorial Committee, Nancy R. Morin, Convening Editor. 2000. xxiii + 352 pp. illus. black and white drawings of plant details, distribution maps. ISBN 0-19-513729-9 $95 (hardcover). New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press.—This is the first of five volumes covering monocots in North America north of Mexico. Thirty families are included in this volume, including many groups of aquatic plants and the North American relatives of groups that have their richest number of species in the New World tropics. Included are the Alismataceae, Araceae, Arecaeae, Bromeliaceae, Commelinaceae, Eriocaulaceae, Heliconiaceae, Juncaceae, Musaceae, Najadaceae, Potamogetonaceae, Sparganiaceae, Typhaceae, Xyridaceae, Zingiberaceae, Zosteraceae, and 14 other families.

    Flora Nordica 1: Lycopodiaceae-Polygonaceae edited by Bengt Jonsell. 2000. xxii + 344 pp. illus. black and white drawings of plant details, dot distribution maps (inside back cover is a locator map for Flora Nordica provinces). ISBN 91-7190-033-0 (hardcover, price unavailable). Stockholm: The Bergius Foundation.—This volume includes keys and descriptions to the ferns, conifers, and angiosperms in the families Salicaceae through Polygonaceae. Dot distribution maps are given for 256 taxa. For information contact the Flora Nordica office at <flora.nordica@bergianska.se>.

    Flora de la República de Cuba, Fascículo 3: Begoniaceae, Chloranthaceae, Elaeocarpaceae, Sterculiaceae, Tiliaceae edited by Werner Greuter. 2000. ISBN 3-87429-415-3 DM 80 (paperback). Koenigstein, Germany: Koeltz Scientific Books. [orders can be placed directly at www.koeltz.com]

    Flora de la República de Cuba, Fascículo 4: Hymenophyllaceae edited by Werner Greuter. 2000. ISBN 3-87429-416-1 DM 50 (paperback). Koenigstein, Germany: Koeltz Scientific Books. [orders can be placed directly at <www.koeltz.com>.]

    Flora of Siberia, Volume 1: Lycopodiaceae-Hydrocharitaceae edited by I. M. Krasnoborov. 2000. xviii + 189 pp. illus. XVI plates of line drawings and 136 dot distribution maps. ISBN 1 57808-072-X $75.00 (hardcover). Enfield, NH: Science Publishers, Inc.

    Flora of the USSR, Volume XXIII: Bignoniaceae- Valerianaceae edited by B. K. Schischkin. 2000. xxxv + 733 pp. illus. line drawings. ISBN 1-886106-41-X $190.00 (hardcover). Enfield, NH: Science Publishers, Inc.

    The Goldenrods of Ontario: Solidago L. and EuthamiaNutt., 3rd Edition by John C. Semple, Gordon S. Ringius, and Jie Jay Zhang. 1999. University of Waterloo Biology Series 39:1-90. illus. line drawings and dot distribution maps. ISSN 0317-3348. $15.00 plus $5.00 shipping and handling, Canadian buyers add GST. Waterloo, Ontario, Canada: University of Waterloo Biology Department.

    Index to Scientific Names of Organisms Cited in the Linnaean Dissertations together with a Synoptic Bibliography of the Dissertations and a Concordance for Selected Editions by Robert W. Kiger, Charlotte A. Tancin, and Gavin D. R. Bridson. 1999. v + 299 pp. illus. reproductions of selected plates. ISBN 0-913196-67-3 $40 + shipping, $4 domestic, $5 foreign (hardcover). Pittsburgh, PA: Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation, Carnegie Mellon University.

    Myxomycetes: A Handbook of Slime Molds by S. L. Stephenson and H. Stempen. 2000. Originally published in 1994. ISBN 0-88192-439-3 $34.95 (paperback). Portland, OR: Timber Press, Inc.—This is a field guide to approximately 175 of the common species. The book includes keys, descriptions, color illustrations, line drawings, and black and white photographs.

    North American Terrestrial Vegetation, Second Edition edited by Michael G. Barbour and William Dwight Billings. 1999. xi + 708 pp. illus. ISBN 0-521-55986-3 $49.95 (paperback), 0-521 55027-0 $120.00 (hardcover). New York: Cambridge University Press.—This new edition includes chapters on freshwater and coastal marine wetlands, temperate Mexico, and the Caribbean and Hawaiian Islands; updated text, figures, and literature reviews; information on habitat loss and restoration programs; an index to topics, species, place names, and regions.

    The Sedges (Carex L.) of Russia and Adjacent States (Within the Limits of the Former USSR) by T. V. Egorova, editor-in-chief A. L. Takhtajan. 1999. 772 pp. illus. line drawings and a fold-out map. ISBN 0-915279-67-3 $49.95 (hardcover). Co-published by "mir i Semia 95," St. Petersburg, Russia and The Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St. Louis, MO.—This publication treats all Carex species found within the Eurasian confines of the former USSR. English translations occur in tandem with the original Russian text.

    Taxonomic Literature: A Selective Guide to Botanical Publications and Collections with Dates, Commentaries and Types. Supplement VI: D-E (Regnum Vegetabile Volume 137 ) by Frans A. Stafleu and Erik A. Mennega. 2000. vi + 518 pp. ISSN 0080-0694 DM 280 (hardcover). Koenigstein, Germany: Koeltz Scientific Books. [orders can be placed directly at <www.koeltz.com>.]

    Trees: Their Natural History by Peter Thomas. 2000. ix + 286 pp. illus. line drawings, black and white photos. ISBN 0-521-45963-X $24.95 (paperback). New York: Cambridge University Press.—This book is written for a nontechnical audience. It explains how trees grow, how forests develop, and the basics of morphology and anatomy.

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    ELECTRONICALLY DISTRIBUTED PRODUCTS

    Legume (Fabaceae) Fruits and Seeds, interactive CD-ROM by J. H. Kirkbride, Jr., C. R. Gunn, A. L. Weitzman, and M. J. Dallwitz. This CD-ROM is a database of legume genera with fruit and seed characters stored in the DELTA format for interactive access. The data for fruits of 647 genera are included and each fruit is described in terms of 142 fruit characters, such as fruit shape and fruit color. Seed data for 634 genera are included, and each seed is described using 138 seed characters, such as seed thickness and seed length. Five distributional characters, such as world cultivation and distribution in the New World were recorded for all genera. The resulting DELTA data matrix has 91,874 pieces of fruit data, 87,492 pieces of seed data, and 3,425 pieces of distributional data. In addition, the following illustrative materials were prepared for each genus: (1) photographs or drawings of the fruits, (2) seed photographs, (3) scanning electron microscope images of testa at 50x and 1,000x magnifications, and (4) drawings of the cotyledons and embryos. The illustrative materials were scanned in black and white, and there are 1,300 images illustrating the genera. Of the 285 characters used to describe the fruits and seeds, images of approximately 150 characters are included in this CD-ROM. System requirements: Windows95 or Windows98. More information is available at this Web site: <http://www.netins.net/showcase/alurir/.index.html>. Price: $75.00. Domestic US shipping: $5.00 for the first first copy and $1.00 each for additional copies. International airmail shipping: $10.00 for the first copy and $5.00 each for additional copies. Parkway Publishers, Inc., P.O. Box 3678, Boone, North Carolina 28607. Phone and fax: 828-265-3993; toll-free: 800-821-9155; e-mail: <aluri@netins.net>.

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    NEW WEBSITES

    There are many links on other Web sites (start with <http://www.csdl.tamu.edu/FLORA /tfp/tfplinks. html>) to pages that have information applicable to plant taxonomy. On this current page, we will add new sites as they come to our attention. If you have a new or revised Web site that may be of interest, please send the URL address to the editor of the Newsletter. This section is not intended to be a comprehensive list of all sites useful to plant taxonomists.

    Now available on the Web are two articles authored or co-authored by M. J. Dallwitz of CSIRO in Australia. Interactive Keys by M.J. Dallwitz, T.A. Paine, and E.J. Zurcher at: <http://biodiversity. uno.edu/delta/ www/interactivekeys.htm>. This document discusses the principles of constructing and using interactive keys and is an updated and expanded version of a paper presented at a conference on Computer-based Species Information, held at the University of Kent at Canterbury, UK, December 1996.

    A Comparison of Interactive Identification Programs by M.J. Dallwitz at: <http://biodiversity. uno.edu/delta/www/comparison.htm>. This document compares seven interactive key programs. The comparisons are presented as two tables, plus extensive notes and is an updated version of a paper presented at the Symposium on Interactive Identification Systems at the International Botanical Congress in August 1999.

    A Web page has been established for The Vascular Flora of Arkansas Project at <http://www.uark.edu/~arkflora/>. This is a cooperative effort among botanists, both within and outside of Arkansas. The goal is to produce a comprehensive Flora of the state's vascular plants. The Flora will include keys to taxa, descriptions, range maps, pertinent synonymy, and illustrations. Supporting information on the state's botanical history, physiography, geology, soils, climate, and vegetation will also be included. The Committee has met informally several times to lay the groundwork for the Flora. Additionally, we have met with a users group consisting of individuals from state and federal agencies and the private sector. This meeting had two goals: to let potential users of the Flora know what we were doing and to determine what users would find most helpful. A Flora Conference was held 19 May 2000 in Fayetteville, Arkansas, to formally announce our project. Three subcommittees have been formed to develop outlines for: an atlas of plant distributions based on specimens in herbaria both within and outside of the state; the content and the format of the Flora; and the Flora Conference.

    Please note that the Flora of China Web page has moved to a new server. Please update your bookmarks to: <http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/>.

    Updated information for 2111 herbaria (71%) in 140 countries (86%) listed in Index Herbariorum, Edition 8, and its supplements (published in Taxon) is available for searching by institution, city, state, acronym, staff member, correspondent, and research specialty at <http:// www.nybg.org/bsci/ih/ih.html>. Telephone and fax numbers, e-mail, and URLs are included. Note that the Index is fully searchable by research specialty, so it also serves as a Plant Specialists Index. Note to herbarium managers: please review the entry for your herbarium. Send updates and corrections to: Patricia K. Holmgren
    <pholmgren@nybg.org> or or Noel H. Holmgren <nholmgren@nybg.org>.

    We are pleased to announce an updated version of the Atlas of the Florida Vascular Plants with many new search features and data not previously available. Synonymy, excluded taxa, native/introduced status, endemics, wetland classification, state and federally listed status, location of vouchers, full nomenclatural citations, and many photographs are new features fully implemented, which now give users unprecedented access to the details of the Florida flora. The updated Atlas can be accessed at <http://www.plantatlas. usf.edu> and will also be linked through the old Atlas address <http://www.usf.edu/~isb> until the end of the year. The new site presents "on-the-fly" mapping, so that updated distributions of the species are always available. Distribution information compiled from herbarium specimens and nomenclature are entered into a Microsoft SQL server database management system (PlantDB). Plant Atlas Web pages are generated directly from the PlantDB database using the ASP program language served from Microsoft's Internet Information Server. Maps are generated directly from PlantDB using ESRI MapObjects 2.0 technology residing on a Microsoft NT server. Because the Plant Atlas Web site is generated directly from PlantDB, all Web pages and maps are as up to date as the information entered into the database. There will surely be a few bugs that we will need to work out. If you encounter any problems please do not hesitate to contact us.—Richard P. Wunderlin <rwunder@ chuma1.cas. usf.edu> or Bruce F. Hansen <hansen@chuma1. cas.usf.edu>, Institute for Systematic Botany, Department of Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620-5200.

    A draft of the PhyloCode a formal set of rules governing phylogenetic nomenclature, is now available on the Internet at <http://www.ohiou.edu/phylocode>. Phylogenetic nomenclature is a new system, fundamentally different from Linnaean nomenclature, that is designed to name the parts of the tree of life by explicit reference to phylogeny. For a general introduction to phylogenetic nomenclature, see Trends in Ecology and Evolution 9:27-31 (1994) and Taxon 49:85-93 (2000). The PhyloCode grew out of a workshop at Harvard University in August 1998, where basic decisions were made about its scope and content. The PhyloCode will go into operation in a few years, but the exact date has not yet been determined. Once implemented, it will function in parallel with the ICBN and other codes based on Linnaean nomenclature. The current draft governs only the naming of clades. Rules governing species names will be added to a later version, but it is not clear at this time whether this will be done before or after the rules for clade names are implemented. The time has come to solicit comments and ideas from a broad spectrum of biologists. We hope that many systematists, as well as other biologists, will examine the draft of PhyloCode and send suggestions for improvement. The PhyloCode Web site includes an e-mail address to which comments may be sent. It also provides instructions for subscribing to an Internet discussion group focusing on phylogenetic nomenclature.

    A Web site entitled Neotropical Blueberries: The Plant Family Ericaceae may be accessed at <http://www.nybg.org/bsci/res/lut2>. This site demonstrates on-going research at The New York Botanical Garden by Dr. James L. Luteyn that seeks to bring together as much information as possible about the plant family Ericaceae (the blueberry, cranberry, rhododendron, azalea, heath, and heather family) as it occurs in the New World tropics. The Web site currently provides a general introduction to the family Ericaceae; a detailed family description; keys to and detailed descriptions of all genera and over 550 species found in the Neotropics; keys to the species in various countries and/or geographical regions; lists of species of Ericaceae for each country in the Neotropics; a nomenclator of all names ever published for neotropical Ericaceae and their current status; information on ethnobotanical, chromosomal, plant/animal, and molecular studies; species in cultivation; and a bibliography of neotropical literature references. There are also 1400 images representing 493 species (including 402 color slides, 182 distribution maps, 48 SEM photomicrographs, 156 line-drawings, and 612 type image photos). The site also includes links to: a) Ericaceae types and type image photos at The New York Botanical Garden, b) a database of 7500 Ericaceae herbarium specimens from the world's major herbaria seen and annotated for the floristic treatment of Ecuador, c) the National Center for Biotechnology Information's "GenBank" of molecular data, and d) over 800 literature references about temperate Ericaceae compiled by Dr. S.E. Clemants (Brooklyn Botanic Garden).

    For more information, contact Dr. James L. Luteyn, Mary Flagler Curator of Botany, Institute of Systematic Botany, The New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, New York 10458-5126. E-mail: <jluteyn@nybg.org>.

    The Web site of the University and Jepson Herbaria at the University of California, Berkeley <http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/> has been reorganized and expanded with several pages that may be of interest to readers of the ASPT Newsletter. Type specimen data for ferns (compiled by Alan Smith) and fungi and lichens (compiled by Isabelle Tavares, Michelle Seidl, and Tom Tang) are now on-line. Fungi: <http://ucjeps.herb.berkeley.edu/fungal_types.html> and ferns: <http://ucjeps.herb.berkeley.edu/fern_types.html>. A new interface to the SMASCH database of California specimens allows queries by name, collector, and collecting date. County distribution maps can be displayed and comparisons among distributions of several taxa at once can be plotted. See <http://www.mip.berkeley.edu/www_apps/smasch>. Checklists and bioregional distribution maps of species covered in The Jepson Manual are available at <http://ucjeps.herb. berkeley. edu/jeps-list.html>.

    The last issue of the ASPT Newsletter, Volume 14(1) contained a notice about the on-line Atlas of Vascular Plants of Wyoming. The correct citation of this database is: T. W. Chumley, B. E. Nelson, and R. L. Hartman, 1998. Atlas of the Vascular Plants of Wyoming at <http://www. rmh.uwyo.edu> [1999, Sep 16], University of Wyoming, Laramie.

    The British magazine Plant Talk has a new Web site at: <http://www.plant-talk.org>. Plant Talk provides, on a world scale, information, encouragement and advice on saving plants. The aim of each issue is to provide a balanced coverage of news, views, reviews, feature articles, latest books, vital plant facts, plant people, as well as the plants themselves. The Web site features selected articles from current and past issues, as well as a "Conference Diary" of upcoming conferences on plants and their conservation.

    Maps of American Herbaria. I recently developed maps in ArcView showing the location of herbaria in the 48 contiguous states of the US and southern Canada. The purpose of the maps was simply to help us decide which herbaria to ask for help in filling in the gaps in some of the distribution we have gathered for the Manual of Grasses for North America, but it occurred to me that they might be useful to others. I have, therefore, posted them to the Web at<http://biology.usu.edu/herbarium/herbne.htm>. Mary Barkworth, Intermountain Herbarium, Utah State University, 5305 Old Main Hill, Logan, Utah 84322-5305, U.S.A. E-mail: <mary@ biology. usu.edu>; phone: 435-797-1584; and fax: 435-797-1575.

    Please e-mail suggestions for Web sites of interest to the members of ASPT to <krrobert@uiuc.edu> [Kenneth R. Robertson, Illinois Natural History Survey]

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