
ASPT Newsletter
April 1999
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
6 January 1999
Dear Fellow ASPT Members,
As a member of ASPT you are no doubt aware that Systematic Botany is
behind schedule in publication. As the new Editor-in-Chief and Managing Editor
for Systematic Botany we want to assure you that the problems have been
addressed, and that the journal will return to on-time publication very soon.
The sudden resignation of a new editor coupled with a change to a new printer
caused the initial delays. Subsequently, it proved that the new printer did not
provide the quality of service nor timeliness as contracted, which required
much extra work by the editorial staff to resolve an endless series of
difficulties. The contract with Science Press terminates with the publication
of the final number of volume 23; we expect nos. 3 and 4 be published close
together in March or April.
Beginning with volume 24, Systematic Botany will again be printed by
Allen Press, which is familiar with the journal and our expectations. We expect
the first issue of vol. 24 to be mailed immediately after 23(4) is issued, and
to return to the correct publication schedule by mid-1999. This is a reasonable
expectation because we have enough final manuscripts in hand today to fill
24(1) plus half of 24(2).
We are well aware that some of you have been sending your papers elsewhere
rather than to Systematic Botany because of the delays. We want to
reassure you that the situation has been corrected and that our journal will
return to on-time publication. To encourage you to consider submitting your
next paper(s) to Systematic Botany, all page charges are suspended for
ALL manuscripts submitted by ASPT members before 1 July 1999 (this is in
addition to the 10 free pages/year for members). Please contact us if you have
any questions.
David Giannasi worked very hard as the previous Editor-in-Chief and dealt with
a very difficult situation. We owe him our sincere gratitude.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth F. Wells, Editor-in-Chief; e-mail: <efwells@gwu.edu> and Patrick S. Herendeen, Managing Editor; e-mail: <herenden@gwu.edu>
Both at this address:
The ASPT Web site is now positioned at a permanent internet domain:
<www.sysbot.org>. The site was developed at Texas A&M's Center for
the Study of Digital Libraries with help from CSDL personnel and use of their
server. While some elements of the ASPT site remain based at this facility,
core files have been moved to a Web server in Manhatten, Kansas, maintained by
Allen Press. Both the physical move and new ASPT domain will facilitate further
development of the site. Support from new Corporate Member, Allen Press, is
appreciated, as is past and on-going assistance from the CSDL.
A permanent business office for ASPT has been established at the
University of Wyoming, with Linda J. Brown in charge. The complete address for
this office is: ASPT Business Office, Department of Botany, University of
Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071-3165. Phone: 307 766-2556; Fax: 307 766-2851;
e-mail: <aspt@uwyo.edu> or <ljbrown@uwyo.edu>.
Melissa Luckow has been appointed the new Treasurer of ASPT, effective 1
September 1999. Greg Brown and Melissa will be working together in the next few
months to assure a smooth transition. Here is Melissa's complete address: L.H.
Bailey Hortorium, 467 Mann Library, Cornell Library, Ithaca, NY 14853. Phone:
607 255-7829; Fax: 607-255-7979; e-mail: <mal8@cornell.edu>. However, all
dues payments and membership updates will be processed through the ASPT
business office (see above).
The XVI International Botanical Congress will be held in St. Louis, Missouri
this year. While all symposia and poster sessions are being organized through
the IBC, ASPT will nevertheless have a presence in St. Louis. Below are three
of ASPT's official events at the IBC.
Sunday, August 1, 1999, 7:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. -- American Society of Plant
Taxonomists Council Meeting, Holiday Inn Select, East Room.
Monday, August 2, 8:00-9:00 a.m. -- American Society of Plant Taxonomists and
BSA Systematics Section Business Meeting, Holiday Inn Select, West Room.
Tuesday, August 3, 7:00-10:00 p.m. -- Social for Systematic Botanists, hosted
by American Society of Plant Taxonomists (open to all), Missouri Botanical
Garden, Monsanto Hall. Tickets $30.00 (includes heavy hors d'oeuvres,
non-alcoholic beverages, and bus transportation from America's Center to MBG
and return; cash bar).
In addition, ASPT is offering 10 $300 fellowships to support graduate student
participation in the IBC. Eligibility for these fellowships requires current
student membership in ASPT, and preference will be given to students presenting
a poster or involved as a session speaker. The deadline for applications was 1
April 1999.
The American Society of Plant Taxonomists is a relatively young national
organization, but its origin and history provide a fascinating glimpse of how
professional scientists initiate and maintain a group of like-minded
colleagues. Author Eileen Schofield has used the archives of ASPT and other
sources to develop a history of the society from its founding through the 60th
anniversary. Offered at an attractively reasonable price, this history
discusses the organization of the society, membership, meetings, publications,
awards, involvement in Flora North America, affiliations with other
organizations, miscellaneous activities, and the influence of ASPT on
systematics. Appendices offer such useful information as locations of meetings
and names of charter members, award winners, and editors of publications.
Illustrations include photographs of 60 past presidents. This is a bound 8.5" x
11" book with sturdy, paper cover; 88 pages; and over 70 black and white
illustrations. Cost: $8.00 postpaid for ASPT members -- $15.00 postpaid for
nonmembers and libraries. To order, send a check for the correct amount
(payable to the ASPT in U.S. dollars only) to: American Society of Plant
Taxonomists, Department of Botany, P.O. Box 3165, University of Wyoming,
Laramie, WY 82071-3165.
In view of the very ready opportunity for ASPT members to participate this
summer in the first International Botanical Congress to be held in the U.S.
since 1969, it may be helpful to review operation of that unique component, the
Nomenclature Section, which will, as usual, meet during the week preceding the
rest of the congress. Any person registered as a member of the congress may
register as a member of the Nomenclature Section. (Membership in IAPT, ASPT, or
any other organization is not required.)
Each member of the Nomenclature Section is entitled to one personal vote on
issues before the section, including proposals to amend the code. In addition,
members may, upon proper accreditation from their institution, bear the vote(s)
of that institution (ranging from 1 to 7, depending on a list drawn up by the
Bureau of Nomen-clature and approved by the General Committee on Botanical
Nomenclature--see Tokyo Code, pages 82-83). Furthermore, institutions unable to
be represented in person may officially transfer their votes to a member of the
Nomenclature Section. However, no single person may bear more than 15 votes,
including his or her own personal vote.
Because sometimes a weak or truly bad proposal may be converted to a desirable
one by clarifying discussion and/or amendments from the floor, it is ordinarily
not desirable for persons carrying institutional votes to be given obligatory
voting instructions in advance.
Actions of the Nomenclature Section are further subject to approval by a
plenary session of the congress (ordinarily the closing one). For further
information, see pages 82-83 of the Tokyo (1994) Code or pages 80-81 of the
previous (1988) Berlin Code. The preliminary mail vote conducted before the
congress is an advisory vote only, designed to obtain opinions of individuals.
There are no institutional votes in the preliminary mail vote, but ballots are
sent to members of IAPT [a convenient mailing list for the purpose], to the
authors of proposals, and to members of all the nomenclature
committees.--Edward G. Voss, University of Michigan Herbarium, North University Building, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1057.
The Plant Names Project (PNP) is a consortium formed in mid-1997 by the Royal
Botanic Gardens, Kew, the Harvard University Herbaria, and the Australian
National Herbarium. The PNP intends to create and maintain a comprehensive and
current index of the names of all seed plants and to make it freely available
on the Internet as the International Plant Names Index (IPNI). When fully
operational, it will reduce the labor of many basic operations in systematics
and will also help to standardize aspects of systematic practice for which
standards are developed anew -- and unnecessarily -- for each new project or
each new journal. Development of the technological infrastructure for this
project is already well advanced, and the first phase, funded by the U.S.
National Science Foundation, is finished. This grant was for the establishment
of a proof-of-concept distributed objects information system using the names
from Brummitt and Powell's Authors of Plant Names (1992) combined with
Harvard's records of author names. We now have a network of three database
servers (at Canberra, Harvard and Kew) which function collectively as an
Authority Data Server with which users can interact not only to find and
retrieve data but also to contribute additions and corrections to the data held
there.
We are now beginning the second phase of the project, helped by a grant from
NSF and the US Geological Survey. The three partner institutions will merge and
standardize the data held in their respective nomenclatural indices -- Index
Kewensis, the Gray Index, and the Australian Plant Names Index (APNI). We will
develop infrastructure to manage and edit the merged dataset and make it freely
available in a continuously updated form to as wide an audience as possible.
The Index Kewensis is world-wide in scope and covers flowering plants; its
entries are not standardized. The Gray Index covers names of all vascular
plants of the New World published since 1886; its entries are almost completely
standardized against such sources as Taxonomic Literature (ed. 2, 1976-1988, F.
Stafleu and R. H. Cowan, editors). APNI includes names of all vascular plants
growing in Australia; its entries are both standardized and verified. Both APNI
and the Gray Index contain references to types and to infraspecific names and
are on the Web. The Index Kewensis has made reference to infraspecific
categories since 1971 and to types since 1997; it is available as hard copy (24
volumes!) or on CD-ROM.
We consider the scalability of IPNI and the submissions module we have
developed for it to be of fundamental importance. Although there are currently
only three servers (one at each of the three partner institutions) the use of
distributed object architecture will allow the system to be scaled up to
include many more contributors and editors at other institutions. IPNI can also
be mirrored to institutions and projects.
There are four important aspects of the submissions mechanism:
1. The submissions mechanism enables changes--additions or corrections--to be
made by anybody with access to IPNI directly to it. These changes will appear
in IPNI as soon as they are made, yet it will be clear to all users that they
have not been checked. Editors, whether of particular taxa, particular types of
names (e.g., names described by Linnaeus), or of particular directories (e.g.,
periodical lists), will check the changes, whereupon they will be integrated
seamlessly into the whole.
2. Any and all changes suggested will become part of the permanent contribution
history of that record, and this history, too, can be accessed by users.
3. By making it easy for the whole community to submit additions and
corrections, the difficult process of editing and verifying the existing
entries will be greatly facilitated.
4. The submission module itself can be adapted for a variety of uses. For
instance, it could serve as the mechanism by which names proposed for a
phylogenetic naming system are recorded.
More information is available on our web page
<http://pnp.huh.harvard.edu>. Those interested in playing an active role
as a contributor or editor should contact the PNP directly--Eimear Nic
Lughadha, Herbarium, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 3AE,
U.K. E-mail: <e.lughadha@rbgkew.org.uk>; Peter Stevens, University of
Missouri-St.Louis, Department of Biology, 8001 Natural Bridge Road, St Louis,
MO 63121-4499, and The Herbarium, Missouri Botanical Garden, PO Box 299, St
Louis, MO 63166-0299, e-mail: <pstevens@ rschctr.mobot.org>; Judy West,
Australian National Herbarium, CSIRO, GPO Box 1600, Canberra, ACT 2601,
Australia, e-mail: <judy.west@pi.csiro.au>.
Fairchild Tropical Garden is pleased to make some important
announcements: 1.) The Buswell Herbarium and the Julia Morton Slide Collection
of the University of Miami have been given to the Fairchild Tropical Garden
Herbarium. The herbarium consists of roughly 15,000 specimens including several
types. Many of these sheets have not been previously cited in the literature.
The slide collection has been transferred and the herbarium collections will be
transferred on Monday 15 March 1999. They will be fumigated for six weeks and
then integrated with the FTG collections as they are photographed and entered
into our Virtual Herbarium database. 2.) A new web server, "Fairchild Tropical
Garden Botanical Resource Center," has been brought online
<http://www.ftg.fiu.edu>. It currently holds more than 6,000 files
including the beginning of the FTG Virtual Herbarium (with photos of each
specimen and its label) and the Garden Plantings List as well as several other
databases of interest and many of photos of living plants. We are currently
adding about 500 records a week to the Virtual Herbarium database and an ASP
interface is in testing and will be implemented on the Web site, along with a
major update (4,000 more records), by the end of March. 3.) Dr. Javier
Francisco Ortega has been appointed Assistant Professor of Biology at Florida
International University and is housed in the Molecular Systematics Laboratory
of the Fairchild Tropical Garden Research Center. With the addition of Dr.
Francisco Ortega, the Fairchild Tropical Garden (in partnership with the
Florida International University and the University of Miami) now has the
appropriate resources to offer a fully integrated and competitive program in
Tropical Plant Systematics. Graduate students are encouraged to apply. Gerald
"Stinger" Guala, Ph.D., Keeper and Curator of the Herbarium, Systematist,
Fairchild Tropical Garden, 11935 Old Cutler Road, Miami, FL 33156.
Notice for those planning to visit the New York Botanical Garden
Herbarium between May 1999 and October 1999. Beginning in May or June 1999,
the entire Herbarium of the New York Botanical Garden will be moved to the new
Plant Studies Center, with the fungi, cryptogams, and monocotyledons being
moved first. The Herbarium will be available for use during most of this
period, but there may be times when some areas will be closed for up to two or
three weeks. For this reason, we urge you to first check the New York Botanical
Garden Herbarium Web site <http://www.nybg.org/bsci/herb/herb.html> for
updates and then contact one of us prior to visiting the garden to be sure that
the specimens you want to study are available: Patricia K. Holmgren,
<pholmgren@ nybg.org>, Director of the Herbarium; Jacquelyn A. Kallunki
<jkallunki@nybg.org>, Assistant Director of the Herbarium; or Barbara M.
Thiers <bthiers@nybg.org>, Senior Administrative Curator, Cryptogamic
Herbarium.
Visiting Lichenologist Program at Michigan State University Herbarium.
The Michigan State University Herbarium (MSC) is offering a unique opportunity
for lichen study. The herbarium has recently been awarded a grant from The
National Science Foundation for curatorial improvement of the herbarium's
collection. A portion of this funding is set aside to cover travel costs for
lichenologists interested in performing specimen-based research at MSC. The
projects should result in annotation of specimens and other curatorial
improvements to the collections. Both floristic and monographic projects can be
supported. The duration of the visit is open, though we expect that most visits
will be for one to two weeks. Researchers will be encouraged to set aside
specimens for loans for longer-term study. We will soon have a curatorial
assistant for lichens (Alan Fryday, Ph.D. University of Sheffield, UK) and we
encourage visits after his arrival on 1 June 1999. The program will continue
through fall 2000. The herbarium's lichen collections consist of over 145,000
specimens and is one of the largest collections in North America. The
collections emphasize the Great Lakes and Rocky Mountain regions of North
America, the Caribbean Islands, Subtropical Latin America, and Southern
Hemisphere island groups (e.g. Falkland Islands, Kerguelen Islands, Juan
Fernandez Islands) as well as an extensive collection of exsiccatae. Many of
the specimens were collected by Dr. Henry Imshaug and his students in the
1940s-1970s, and have only recently been accessioned and made available for
study. For in-formation on how to take advantage of this opportunity, please
contact: Dr. Alan Prather, 166 Plant Biology, Wilson Road, Botany and Plant
Pathology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824-1312. Voice: 517
355-4695; Fax: 517 353-1926; e-mail: <alan@ pilot.msu.edu>.
On 27 March 1999, some 172 former students, colleagues, and friends attended a
gala event on the campus of Bucknell University to celebrate the 100th birthday
of Wayne E. Manning, Professor Emeritus, Bucknell University; his actual
birthday is 12 April 1999. See text of the tribute to Dr. Manning presented at
the event by Warren Abrahamson below. A wonderful Web site <http://www.
departments.bucknell.edu/biology/manning/index.html> chronicles a field trip
across the United States taken in 1920 by Dr. Manning as part of a ecology
summer class at Oberlin College. The Web site features photographs, journal
extracts made during the trip, and spoken commentaries by Dr. Manning that were
recorded in May 1998.
In July 1999, Sir Ghillean Prance will retire from the directorship of
the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. He will be retiring on his 62nd birthday having
served as the Director of Kew for 11 years. He has spearheaded a number of new
initiatives, including the Millennium Seed Bank, which opens at Wakehurst Place
in Sussex in the latter part of next year. Seeds of the entire British flora
will by then be housed there in cold storage and 10% of the world's seeds,
including many of the most threatened species, will have been collected and
stored there by 2010. Kew is also leading a collaborative exercise with 45
specialists from other botanic institutions in a reclassification of the entire
world flora through DNA analysis, which will significantly assist in the
advance of botanical and medical science.
Dr. Peter Crane, will succeed Sir Ghillean as Director of Kew. Dr. Crane
is currently the Director of the Field Museum in Chicago and Vice-President of
Academic Affairs. He is also a professor in the Department of the Geophysical
Sciences at the University of Chicago and a Fellow of the Royal Society in
Britain. British by birth and a botanist by training, he has worked for the
last 18 years in the United States, 17 of these at the Field Museum. The
Chairman of the Kew Board of Trustees, Michael Blakenham commented: "The value
of Sir Ghillean's contribution to Kew's development cannot be overstated and
the trustees knew how vital it was to find a successor of Peter Crane's
calibre. Peter's scientific achievements and international management
experience make him ideal for the job. He is superbly equipped to lead Kew's
crucial scientific work at a time of increasing world awareness of the
necessity of defending the fragile environment on which we all depend."
Peter H. Raven, Director of the Missouri Botanical Garden, has been
appointed chairman of the National Geographic Society's century-old Committee
for Research and Exploration. "Peter brings to the chairmanship four decades of
experience and leadership in scientific research and a passion for preserving
plants and animals throughout the world," said NGS President John Fahey. "He
also has an uncommon ability to articulate this passion for the environment and
biodiversity." Human population growth and increasing affluence have challenged
the world and its natural diversity in the past years. Dr. Raven said: "Now
it's time for us to respond to that. The wonderful standing of the National
Geographic Society and the enormous contribution it has made in the past poises
it perfectly to play an ever bigger role in the future. No one else is as
widely known and trusted throughout the world as the Society. We have a great
opportunity to be of even more service than in the past in promoting
sustainable development and conservation, and it is a great pleasure for me to
participate more fully in the process."
The New York Botanical Garden is pleased to announce that Pablo Lozano,
currently studying at the University of Aarhus, Denmark, is the recipient of
the 1998 Rupert Barneby Award. Mr. Lozano comes from Loja, Ecuador, with a
degree from the School of Forestry there. He will be studying the woody genus
Macherium (Leguminosae: Papilionoideae: Dalbergieae) in Ecuador, as well as
other legume genera of tropical ecosystems. [See "Funding and Award
Opportunities" for information about the next Rupert Barneby Award.]
John Dransfield, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, has been awarded the David
Fairchild Medal for Plant Exploration by America's National Tropical Botanical
Gardens. Dr Dransfield, who has been at Kew for more than 25 years, is a
leading expert on palms, and has taken part in many studies supporting the use
of palms--such as rattans--in the economies of developing countries. The award,
which was presented at David Fairchild's home, Kampong, in Coconut Grove,
Florida, on Friday 19 February, marks Dr. Dransfield's achievements in
discovering new species or cultivars in remote areas of the world, the bringing
into cultivation of new and important plants, and his crucial role in the
conservation in their natural habitats of rare or endangered species.
The Society of Ethnobotanists announced that the 1998 E. K. Janaki Ammal Medal
has been awarded to Michael J. Balick, Philecology Curator and Director
of the Institute of Economic Botany at the New York Botanical Garden. The award
recognizes Dr. Balick's numerous accomplishments in the field of Ethnobotany.
For nearly three decades, he has undertaken research on the ways in which
people use plants, focusing primarily on traditional peoples in the Amazon
Valley, Central America, Asia, and the Pacific. Books authored by Dr. Balick
include Plants, People, and Culture: The Science of Ethnobotany, co-authored
with Dr. Paul Allen Cox, and Medical Plants: Can Utilization and Conservation
Coexist?, co-authored with J. W. Sheldon and S. A. Laird.
Peter F. Stevens, formerly of the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard
University, has relocated to St. Louis, Missouri and is affiliated with both
the University of Missouri-St. Louis and the Missouri Botanical Garden; the new
addresses are below. His interests in the Malesian flora, the history of
systematics, and the Plant Names Project will continue. Peter Stevens,
University of Missouri-St. Louis, Department of Biology, 8001 Natural Bridge
Road, St. Louis, MO 63121-4499, and The Herbarium, Missouri Botanical Garden, PO Box
299, St. Louis, MO 63166-0299, e-mail: <pstevens@rschctr.mobot.org>.
March 27, 1999
We gather on this special evening to honor our dear colleague, friend,
neighbor, and teacher -- Wayne Eyer Manning. Wayne will soon celebrate 100
years of life. And his life is something very special for he has touched
thousands of us and changed our lives. Wayne was born on April 12, 1899 in
Toledo, Ohio. At the age of eight, Wayne moved with his family to Ambridge, PA,
along the Ohio River, some 16 miles northwest of Pittsburgh. Wayne loved nature
-- he raised Cecropia moths and spent many hours roaming the woods to study
birds and mushrooms. A neighbor, Mr. Morrison, helped Wayne identify his morels
and puffballs. As a 13-year-old boy scout, Wayne studied trees and learned to
play chess. The following year, he and four other boys formed a "Nature Club."
Herbert Graham -- specialized on wild flowers, Ed Graham -- was particularly
fond of trees, Kenneth Doratt -- of mammals, and Wayne -- loved birds. Wayne
being the oldest of the four boys, served as club president. Remarkably, all
four of these boys went on to receive their Ph.D.s.
At the age of 17, Wayne joined his older sister Helen on a 6-week-long Oberlin
College sponsored ecology trip to the Olympic Peninsula of Washington. Helen
specialized in plants and Wayne in birds. Camping on the ocean shore and
traveling by dugout canoe with two Native Americans, Wayne learned to love the
evergreen forests of the Pacific Northwest. However, not all of Wayne's
experiences on this trip were pleasant.
Early one morning, Wayne and Helen decided to follow a trail that led from the
beach into the dense coastal rainforest. The longer they walked, the more faint
the trail became. When they turned around to retrace their steps, they realized
that they were lost. Wayne and Helen had little food between them and they
really weren't dressed to be out for an extended period of time, especially
after it started to rain and night fell. After spending the night without
shelter, Professor Jones located them and pronounced them "Two Babes in the
Woods." The trail that they had followed was one used by the Native Americans
to find logs for their canoes. That's why it led out into the woods and faded
away. That fall, Wayne entered Oberlin College starting out in chemistry but
ultimately changing to ecology. By 1920, Wayne was lacking but a few credits to
graduate.
Consequently, Wayne embarked on a second Oberlin-sponsored trip with 15 other
students that crossed the USA in four Model T Fords and one truck. The group
camped along the roadsides and traveled without the advantage of AAA
"TripTics." On his Web site account of this cross-country trip, Wayne offered
-- "In those days there were no numbers on the highways -- you had maps." There
were three parallel roads going across Kansas but the group didn't know which
one was best. Consequently, they stopped at a garage to ask which one was
better. And the answer was, "no matter which one you take, you'll wish you'd
taken the others."
It may have been on this trip that Wayne's deep love developed for his future
wife Margaret Sheldon. Peg and Wayne enjoyed sharing their exploration of the
West. After visiting Pikes Peak, the Great Salt Lake, Moab, and many other
scenic western landscapes, the Oberlin group visited Bryce Canyon -- the group
was much impressed with the wonderful erosional geology. On his Web page, Wayne
recounts their Bryce Canyon visit with the following story.
"Most of the people decided to go down into the canyon." And Wayne and Peg were
no exception. Wayne offered "I took Peg's hand and we went down into the canyon
but it's loose gravel -- just a little bit scary -- our conversation, our total
conversation, was this 'I don't like it, Wayne. Wayne, I don't like it. I don't
like it, Wayne. Wayne, I don't like it.' And this conversation continued all
the way down."
After submitting his written account of the trip, Wayne earned enough credits
to graduate from Oberlin College with an AB degree in 1920. Curiously though,
Wayne hadn't taken any botany courses while an undergraduate. However, the
experiences of this trip and the influences of Professor Jones and his botanist
brother led Wayne to decide to study botany.
In 1921, Wayne began his graduate work in botany at Cornell University. The
Cornell years were punctuated by Wayne and Peg's marriage on June 11, 1924.
Wayne completed his Ph.D. on the floral anatomy of the Juglandaceae (the Walnut
family) in 1926. After his graduate school focus on plant anatomy, Wayne turned
his research more to taxonomic questions. After serving as an instructor in
botany at Cornell, Wayne joined the faculty of the University of Illinois,
Urbana for the 1927-1928 academic year.
Their son, Alan Sheldon Manning, who is here tonight, was born on August 12,
1928 as they moved to Smith College in Northampton, MA. Wayne was promoted to
Associate Professor of Botany in 1936 and completed 14 years at Smith College
before Wayne's Smith College career was terminated along with those of 14 other
faculty. During World War II, Wayne worked in a defense plant teaching women
machinists basic mathematics. He also worked himself as a machine operator,
then as a materials order person. In 1944, Wayne wrote to the presidents of
some 125 colleges seeking a faculty position in botany. He received but one
positive reply, thankfully for us that reply came from Bucknell University.
Wayne began his Bucknell career in 1945, a career that spanned 23 years until
his retirement in 1968. In those early days, the biology department had but
five faculty and the university was home to approximately 1,200 students.
During the academic year, Wayne taught Bucknellians to understand and love
plants. He was known as the professor who took students "under his wings" and
guided many to careers in the sciences and health professions. As I read the
many letters sent by his former students (many of you here tonight) -- I was
struck by how often students mentioned the kindness and love extended to them
by both Wayne and Peg. Students spoke of the numbers of times they were invited
to the Mannings' home.
Julie (Yarnall) Smith, Class of 1947, who is with us tonight, noted that Peg's
"spring garden was enough to put Wordworth's daffodils to shame, a small sea of
gold that she rarely, if ever, picked." But Julie knew an exception -- The day
she came home from the hospital with her first daughter, Peg presented her with
a large golden bouquet of welcome -- as Julie wrote "one of the loveliest gifts
I ever received."
During their summers, the Mannings traveled to their beloved "Cottage Home" at
Forest Lake in New Hampshire. There, too, Wayne was the consummate teacher.
Wendy Weightman Nolin frequently visited the Mannings at Forest Lake with her
parents, Joe and Dorothy Weightman.
Wendy wrote, "Many years have passed since we spent time together, but I wanted
my chance to thank you for the many things that you taught and shared with me.
I feel very fortunate that I have been able to use the knowledge you gave me,
to share that love of nature with my school children for more than 30 years."
Wendy also noted "I have shared with many of my classes spore printing from
mushrooms, one of your special techniques." Finally, Wendy wrote "Rowing your
sleek boat to pick a few water lilies was our treat if we had helped clear the
table after breakfast. We all loved the delightful aroma of the lilies on the
table as our centerpiece."
During their Bucknell years, Wayne and Peg developed the wonderful living plant
collection that once grew in the Botany Building greenhouse but that now crowns
our impressive Biology Building. There were no plants in the Bucknell
greenhouse when the Mannings arrived. The Mannings built our collection from
zero to over 400 plant species. Peg managed the day-to-day operation of the
greenhouse under Wayne's watchful eye. The Greenhouse Open Houses hosted by the
Mannings were legendary and well attended. Wayne continues to actively
participate in greenhouse open houses. I suspect that some of you in this room
have enjoyed his personal tours through the collection.
Wayne and his students also developed the impressive preserved plant collection
known today as the Wayne E. Manning Herbarium. With its 20,000 specimens, it
supports both research and curricular activities. Here, too, Wayne remains
active by serving as the collection's Curator Emeritus. Wayne's financial
support of the herbarium has enabled the recent addition of over 1,000
specimens (most of which he collected himself) as well as the development of a
computer database of the entire collection.
As significant as Wayne's greenhouse and herbarium legacies are, more important
is his gift of friendship and mentorship to generations of Bucknellians. Wayne
and Peg opened their hearts to Bucknell's students. As an enduring token of
Wayne and Peg's love for Bucknell and its students, they established the Wayne
and Margaret Manning Internship in Botanical Sciences in 1992. This fund will
nurture plant research by generations of students yet to come. Wayne, I am
delighted to announce that the gifts of your former students, colleagues, and
friends will add $4,720 to your endowed internship.
Wayne was one of those pioneers whose example became Bucknell's
"teacher-scholar" model. A beloved teacher -- Wayne's love of botany and his
remarkable ability to share it has inspired generations of students. An
internationally recognized scholar -- his research and over 40 publications on
the walnut family remain as the seminal works for this plant group. One of his
research colleagues, Don Stone of Duke University wrote -- "to this wonderful
man who has been my life-long research mentor from afar, and to this day serves
as my resource base for every thought and move I make in framing questions and
gathering data relevant to publications on the family Juglandaceae." Indeed,
Wayne's contributions to our understanding of plants were honored when a walnut
species was named for him -- Alfarao manningii.
After accepting my position at Bucknell, I recall with great fondness listening
to my graduate school mentors at the Harvard University as they recounted the
world-class research of Dr. Wayne Manning at Bucknell University. I felt
fortunate to be able to continue the botanical tradition fostered by Wayne. I
can still remember my first meetings with Wayne, he was eager to learn whether
I knew my stuff. But he was even more eager to encourage me and support me.
Wayne doesn't criticize; instead he has quietly and subtly nourished me for 26
years in much the same way that he nourished most of you. So you see Wayne, as
you have taught us the details of the lives of plants -- you have also been a
wonderful mentor and example. We thank you for your friendship and mentorship.
Most of all though -- we wish you a very Happy 100th Birthday!! -- Warren G.
Abrahamson, Department of Biology, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA 17837;
e-mail: <abrahmsn@ bucknell.edu>.
Michael O. Moore, 20 February 1999. The Herbarium of the University of
Georgia is greatly saddened to announce the death of its Curator, Dr. Michael
O. Moore on Saturday, 20 February 1999, after a short illness with pneumonia
and associated complications. His family held a private funeral for the
immediate family only. Further details of a memorial service by the family and
a place to send flowers or a charitable fund will have to wait until the family
overcomes the shock of the loss of Michael. Condolences and sympathies,
however, may be sent to Mr. and Mrs. Walter (Valerie) Moore, 1416 Womack Road,
Dunwoody, Georgia 30338. Within the Botany Department, Ms. Jennifer Cruse has
also suggested a memorial service and perhaps the planting of a memorial tree
in honor of Michael. If you are interested please contact Jennifer for further
information.
Michael was a native of New Jersey and attended undergraduate school at
Roanoke, Virginia. After working for a nursery in Atlanta he began graduate
school in the Botany Department at the University of Georgia, earning his MS
degree in 1985 and his Ph.D. in 1990, working on the taxonomy of native
American grape species under the direction of Dr. Giannasi. He was well known
for his work on Vitis, providing a taxonomic treatment of the American species
for the Flora North America, and was a trustee of the American Society of
Oenology and Viticulture.
Hired as curator in 1990 by the former Director, Dr. Samuel B. Jones, Michael
served as curator of the herbarium and was active in research publications,
extensive field and contract work here in Georgia, notably at Forts Gordon and
Stewart, and his complete survey of Stone Mountain. He was Managing Editor for
the taxonomic journal Systematic Botany and South-eastern Regional
Editor for Flora North America. He was a wealth of botanical information and
well known and appreciated for his rapid and accurate identification of plants
brought or sent in to him for identification, often consisting of just a few
pieces of leaf material. He was always glad to help graduate students and
faculty with their taxonomic questions and problems. He was a superb field
botanist and seemed happiest when in the field, especially when trying to track
down a rare or hard to find plant.
Michael had suffered from several medical problems last year, including
phlebitis, but characteristically always fought back and seemed to carry on.
His loss is a profound shock and the herbarium will miss him greatly as will
his many other colleagues and friends in Georgia and across the country.
A memorial award for Mike has been set up to provide an annual award in Plant
Taxonomy to students working in monographic and field taxonomy and systematics.
The address for those who wish to contribute to this scholarship award for Mike
is: Michael O. Moore Award in Plant Taxonomy and Systematics, Gift Office,
University of Georgia Foundation, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602.
Checks for this tax deductable donation should be made payable to the
"University of Georgia." A formal obituary will be published in Systematic
Botany 23(3)--David E. Giannasi, Director, University of Georgia Herbarium,
Department of Botany, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602-7271. Phone: 706-542-1819; Fax: 706-542-1805; e-mail: <giannasi@ dogwood.botany.uga.edu>.
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
[month/ day/year].
Horticultural Plant Taxonomist, Denver Botanic Gardens: The Denver Botanic
Gardens is seeking a horticultural plant taxonomist. Position summary: Manage
all aspects of living horticultural plant identification, documentation and
labeling. Assists in interpretation. Skills and abilities: Excellent knowledge
of plant taxonomy, with horticultural emphasis preferred. Excellent
communication and interpersonal skills. Must possess strong knowledge of IBM
compatible computers, BG-Base or similar plant record database software,
Microsoft Word, e-mail and standard office equipment. Education Requirements:
MS degree in plant taxonomy or equivalent related work experience; Ph.D. degree
in plant taxonomy with horticultural emphasis preferred. Experience: Five years
experience in plant taxonomy with emphasis in horticultural applications. To
Apply: submit completed application and/or résumé with salary
requirements. Obtain more information and application forms from: Human
Resources, 909 York Street, Denver, CO 80206, Jobline: 303370-8000; Fax: 303
370-8004; e-mail: <mclennas@ botanicgardens.org>. Open until filled.
[Posted 26 March 1999]
Herbarium Curator, Auburn University: Auburn University Herbarium seeks a
full-time curator. The position is to maintain collections and databases at
national standards which includes, but is not limited to identifying,
accessioning, cataloging, maintaining, and preserving of collections, along
with databasing field-notes and other associated records and documentation. The
position requires basic computer literacy and experience with plant
identification. Entry into the applicant pool requires a four-year college
degree in botany or biology; however a Master's degree is desired. Experience
in a herbarium setting and database management skills are also desired.
Screening of applications will begin 1 May 1999 and will continue until a
qualified applicant is identified. Send curriculum vita (transcripts) a
statement of your qualifications and have three references send letters of
support to: Tommy Waldrop, Employment Specialist, Human Resources, Langdon
Hall, Auburn University, Auburn AL 36849. [Posted 12 February 1999]
Plant Systematics, University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost
College: The Biological Sciences Department of The University of Texas at
Brownsville and Texas Southmost College (the "Partnership") seeks a botanist
with background in Plant Systematics and Evolution, with the ability to teach
General Biology, Plant Morphology, and Anatomy, and Marine Botany preferred.
The applicant must hold a Ph.D. in an area of biology with a concentration in
Plant Systematics. The successful applicant will be prepared to maintain a
regional herbarium of flowering plants and macroalgae. Please see the
university Web page (http://www.utb.edu) and select employment for additional
information. Open until the positions are filled, but review will begin
immediately. The starting date is August 1999. Please submit a curriculum vita,
a statement of teaching and research interests, unofficial transcripts
(official transcripts will be required for employment) and the names,
addresses, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses of five references to: Human
Resources, Genetics Position, University of Texas at Brownsville, 80 Fort
Brown, Brownsville, TX 78520 or Human Resources, Plant Systematics Position,
University of Texas at Brownsville, 80 Fort Brown, Brownsville, TX 78520. The
positions are dependent on funding. [Posted 10 January 1999]
Supervisory Plant Biologist/Station Leader, USDA-ARS North Central Regional
Plant Introduction Station, Ames, Iowa: The NCRPIS is housed at Iowa State
University and includes offices, labs, greenhouses, seed storage facilities,
and 120 acres of land. Qualified candidates must have experience managing a
scientific/professional staff; skill in managing multi-institutional programs;
and knowledge of plant science and plant genetic resource management. U.S.
citizenship required. Ph.D. preferred. Salary $67,298-$87,489. For information
concerning the position contact: Dr. Mark Widrlechner; for application
information contact Lori Wilson-Voss, both at 515 294-3255. Applications must
be postmarked by 15 March 1999. Visit our Web site at
<http://www.ars-grin.gov/ars/MidWest/Ames/index.html>. A PDF version of
the job announcement is available at
<http://www.ars-grin.gov/ars/MidWest/Ames/reports/rl_announce.pdf>.
[Posted 5 January 1999]
Evolutionary Biologist/Systematist (Plant, Animal, Microbial), Eastern Illinois
University: The Department of Biological Sciences has a tenure-track position
open, starting 8/99. Ph.D. required. Candidates must have strong commitment to
undergraduate education and establish research programs involving undergraduate
and M.S. students. Research area open; preference given to individuals working
with modern molecular techniques. Teaching duties include evolution,
systematics, and a course in area of expertise. Application should include a
letter of application, curriculum vita, transcripts, three letters of
reference, and a statement of teaching and research interests. Submit by 15
December 1998 to: Dr. Gary Fritz, Search Chair, Department of Biological
Sciences, Eastern Illinois University, Charleston IL 61920, voice: 217
581-7141; e-mail: <cfgnf@eiu.edu>. [Posted 18 November 1998]
Nearly all announcements have been edited to conserve space--be sure to obtain
complete descriptions before applying. 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 systematics. The date the positions were posted is in
square brackets [month/ day/year].
Research Studentship, University of Reading, UK: "Linking developmental
process and phylogenetic pattern: evolution of leaf morphology in the
Leguminosae." Applications are invited from graduates or finalists who have or
expect to obtain a first class or good upper second class honours degree in a
relevant subject. The preferred candidate will have an interest in systematics
or evolutionary biology. Some experience of molecular techniques would be an
advantage. Closing date for applications: 14 May 1999. Start date: 1 October
1999. Supervisors: Dr Julie Hawkins - systematics; Dr Nick Battey -
developmental genetics. More information is available on the Web at:
<http://www.reading.ac.uk/AcaDepts/sb/Botany/hawkins-studentship.html>.
Further details from: Dr. Julie A. Hawkins, Centre for Plant Diversity and
Systematics, School of Plant Sciences, The University of Reading Reading, RG6
6AS. UK, Phone:+44 (0)118 931 6546; Fax: +44 (0)118 975 3676; e-mail:
<j.a.hawkins@reading.ac.uk>. [Posted 1 April 1999]
Ph.D. Studentship in Biodiversity Informatics: A language for link types
in taxonomic databases, London, UK: The Natural History Museum and the Open
University have been awarded jointly a BBSRC Research Committee Studentship
that is available from October 1999. The project will be supervised jointly by
Dr. D. Roberts (NHM) and Dr. D.R. Morse (OU). The aim of the studentship is to
establish a formalism for describing the links (the relationships) between
taxonomic names, documenting the metadata which the links represent, in order
to provide an audit trail of nomenclatural changes. For further information on
the project, please get in touch with either supervisor, as follows: Dr. Dave
Roberts, Department of Zoology, The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road,
London, SW7 5BD, United Kingdom. e-mail: <dmr@nhm.ac.uk>; Phone: +44 (0)
171 938 8790; Dr. David Morse, Computing Department, Maths and Computing
Faculty, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes MK7 6AA, United
Kingdom e-mail: <d.r.morse@ open. ac.uk>; Phone: +44 (0) 1908 858463.
Candidates should have or expect to gain a first or upper second class degree.
They should have a sound background in computer science; some experience of or
interest in the biological sciences, especially natural history, will be an
advantage. Application is by full curriculum vita, including the names and
addresses of two referees. [Posted 23 March 1999]
Ph.D. Assistantship Opportunity in Plant Population/Systematic Studies,
University of Denver: The Biological Resources Division of the U.S.
Geological Survey, Department of the Interior, is funding a Ph.D. student
assistantship to initiate a molecular study of plant population/systematics
with Dr. Thomas Quinn at the University of Denver, Department of Biological
Sciences, beginning September, 1999. This project is a collaborative research
effort between the University of Denver, the Denver Botanic Gardens, and the
Biological Resources Division of the USGS. The Ph.D. candidate should be highly
motivated with experience (through courses and/or research) in molecular
biology, and a strong interest in conservation and evolution. This graduate
research assistant (GRA) position has the potential of leading to permanent
employment with the Biological Resources Division of the U.S. Geological Survey
(U.S. citizenship required). Candidates should send a mailing address by e-mail
to Ms. Kirsten Norwood <knorwood@du.edu> to request application material.
A copy of that request should also be sent to Dr. Quinn <tquinn@du.edu>.
Applications, including three letters of recommendation, should be submitted by
31 March 1999 if possible. For further information, applicants are encouraged
to contact Dr. Quinn by email or at (303) 871-3466. Information about the Quinn
lab can be found at: <http://www.du.edu/~tquinn/MAIN.PAGE/web1.html>. The
Department of Biological Sciences maintains a web page at:
<http://www.du.edu/biology/>, with links to and information about our
graduate program. Information about the Midcontinent Ecological Science Center
of the USGS is at <http://www.mesc.usgs.gov/>. [Posted 2 March 1999]
The Furniss Foundation/American Orchid Society Graduate Fellowship: The
American Orchid Society solicits applications from graduate students working
towards their Ph.D. degree on orchid-related disserta-tions for The Furniss
Foundation/American Orchid Society Fellowship ($9,000 per annum for up to three
years). Interested candidates should submit an outline of their project,
college transcript, a letter of recommend-ation from their chairperson, and a
brief one-page statement of the value of their project and its impact on the
future of orchidology. The deadline for submission is 1 April 1999. The
successful candidate will be notified by 15 June 1999. Send applications to:
American Orchid Society, Attention: Ms. Pam Guist, 6000 South Olive Avenue,
West Palm Beach, FL 33405-4199 [Posted 26 January 1999]
Research Studentship in Scleria Department of Botany, Trinity
College, Dublin 2, Ireland: Research Studentship in the genus Scleria
(Cyperaceae): molecular and morphological systematics (supervisors: Dr. David
Simpson, Dr. John Parnell and Dr. Trevor Hodkinson).
A studentship is available to work on the taxonomy of the genus, commencing
September 1999. S/he will be based at Trinity College, but some time will be
spent at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Applicants should have a good honours
or Master's degree and a strong interest in plant systematics. Experience of
molecular and phylogenetic techniques is desirable but not essential. The
successful applicant will initally register for a Master's degree with transfer
to a Ph.D. dependent on satisfactory progress. Duration: Up to 3 years,
depending on progress. Salary: IR[sterling] 5,000 (to which should be added
income from demonstrating). Registration fees will be paid in addition to the
salary for all EU applicants. Application forms and further information can be
obtained from Dr. David Simpson, Department of Botany, Trinity College, Dublin
2, Ireland (e-mail: <simpsond@mail2.tcd.ie>. Completed application forms
must be sent to: Dean of Graduate Studies, Graduate Studies Office, Arts and
Social Sciences Building, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland, to arrive
not later than 20 April 1999. [Posted 21 January 1999]
Scientific Assistant (Post-doc), the Culture Collection of Algae at
Goettingen University: The position involves research on the diversity of
algae, organization of the Culture Collection of Algae which presently harbours
about 3,000 strains of mainly freshwater microalgae, and teaching. The
successful candidate is expected to develop an independent research project
that makes use of the diversity of algae in the fields of molecular biology,
physiology, or biochemistry. Experimental research on the biotechnological
exploitation of algae is welcome. Research experience on one or several groups
of algae is desired and the sucessful candidate should have a good knowledge of
algae at the organismal level, experience in culturing and isolating algae, and
in molecular techniques. The position is open from April 1st 1999. Deadline for
applications is 1 March 1999. It will start as a "BAT IIa" (30 hrs/week) until
a "Wissenschaftlicher Assistent C1" position is available from October 1999 on.
Salary will be about DM 48,000/year netto. Qualification for professorship
("Habilitation") should be reached within that time. The successful candidate
must have a Ph.D. (preferrably not older than three years). For further details
please contact Thomas Friedl (tfriedl@gwdg.de or phone +49 551 397868, Fax +49
551 397871). Applications should be sent to: Thomas Friedl,
Albrecht-von-Haller-Institut für Pflanzenwissenschaften, Abteilung
Experimentelle Phykologie und Sammlung von Algenkulturen, Universität
Goettingen, Untere Karspuele 2, 37073 Goettingen, Germany. [Posted 20 January
1999]
Natural Systems Agriculture Fellowship: The Natural Systems Agriculture
Fellowship is a program of The Land Institute, made possible by the Geraldine
R. Dodge Foundation. The NSA Graduate Research Fellowship will work with
students from top universities and colleges in order to assemble, educate, and
encourage a cadre--and ultimately an extensive web--of young people dedicated
to building upon and instituting the fundamental tenets and research of TLI.
We] hope that these students, after stepping back and re-examining the dominant
Cartesian culture and paradigm in which they've been immersed, will re-enter it
with a new perspective and enthusiasm for science and technology research that
is explicitly informed by considerations of public interest and ecological
sustainability.--Scott McVay, Executive Director, Geraldine R. Dodge
Foundation. 1999 Program: About five students in natural science graduate
programs will receive NSA Graduate Research Fellowships. Each fellow is
eligible for a grant of up to $6000 in 1999 for NSA-related research projects.
Research may be done either at the fellow's home institution or at The Land
Institute. There is the possibility of renewal for a subsequent year. A second
provision of the fellowship is an expenses-paid workshop in which fellows, Land
Institute scientists, and invited scholars will study and discuss the origins
of agriculture, scientific paradigms, and the intersection of ecology and
agriculture. The date of the workshop in 1999 will be 17-24 July. Fellows will
be selected on the strength of their research proposals and their
qualifications. For more information, see the homepage at
<http://www.midkan.com/theland/Dodge/Intro.html> or contact: The Land
Institute, 2440 E. Waterwell Road, Salina, Kansas 67422, U.S.A. Telephone: 785
823-5376, Fax: 785 823-8728; e-mail: <theland@midkan.com>. [Posted 5
January 1999]
Nearly all announcements have been edited to conserve space--be sure to obtain
complete descriptions before applying. For many awards, the deadlines have
passed, and the funds may have been committed. The listing here is primarily
for readers who might be interested in which organizations are offering awards
and funding in the general area of plant systematics. The date the positions
were posted is in square brackets [month/ day/year].
Rupert Barneby Award, New York Botanical Garden: The New York Botanical
Garden invites applications for the 1999 Rupert Barneby Award. The award of
$1,000 is to assist researchers to visit The New York Botanical Garden to study
the rich collection of Leguminosae. Anyone interested in applying for the award
should submit their curriculum vitae and a detailed letter describing the
project for which the award is sought. Travel to NYBG should be planned for
sometime in 2000. The letter should be addressed to Dr. James L. Luteyn,
Institute of Systematic Botany, The New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, NY
10458-5126 USA, and received no later than 1 December 1999. Announcement of the
recipient will be made by 15 December.
New England Botanical Club: The New England Botanical Club will offer up
to $2,000 in support of botanical research to be conducted by graduate students
in 1999. The awards are made annually to stimulate and encourage botanical
research on the New England flora, and to make possible visits to the New
England region by those who would not otherwise be able to do so. The award(s)
will be given to the graduate student(s) submitting the best research proposal
dealing with systematic botany, biosystematics, plant ecology, or plant
conservation biology. It is anticipated that two awards will be given, although
the actual number of awards and amount will depend on the proposals received.
Applicants must submit: 1) proposal of no more than three double-spaced pages,
2) budget, 3) curriculum vita, and 4) two letters in support of the proposed
research (one from the student's thesis advisor). Three paper copies of the
proposal, budget, and CV must be submitted. Send proposals to: Awards
Committee, The New England Botanical Club, 22 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA
02138-2020. Proposals and supporting letters must be received no later than 1
March 1999. The recipient(s) will be notified by 30 April 1999. [Posted 2
February 1999]
3 Summer Research Internships, California Academy of Sciences--1)
Robert T. Wallace Undergraduate Research Internship. This 12-week
internship matches a student with an academy scientist to work on a specific
research project. Eligibility: junior- and senior-level undergraduates
(graduating seniors are not eligible) who are U.S. citizens with a B average or
better and have demonstrated participation in a wide range of campus
activities. Duration: Full-time (40 hours/week) for 12 weeks between June and
August; starting date may vary. Stipend: $3,000 for the internship period. To
apply, please send a statement of interest in working at the academy, the
organisms and type of project you would like to participate in, a letter of
recommendation from a science professor, and one set of official transcripts.
All applications should be sent to: Robert T. Wallace, Research Internship, c/o
Research Division, California Academy of Sciences, Golden Gate Park, San
Francisco, CA 94118. Deadlines: Application materials must be received no later
than 12 March, 1999. Decisions will be mailed from the Academy by 2 April 1999.
More Information or questions concerning the Wallace Internship may be directed
by telephone 415-750-7277; Fax 415-750-7346; or e-mail <ayingling@
cas.calacademy.org>. 2) Summer Systematics Institute. The California
Academy of Sciences announces an internship program in Systematic Biology for
summer 1999. The Summer Systematics Institute matches seven undergraduate
students with academy scientists to conduct research, as well as participate in
tours, seminars, and lectures related to biodiversity, evolutionary biology,
and global change. A $3,000 stipend will be awarded to each intern. In
addition, financial help may be available to defray housing costs and travel
costs to San Francisco. This National Science Foundation-funded internship is
open to U.S. citizens who are currently enrolled undergraduates (graduating
seniors are not eligible) and have a background in natural science. General
information--The 1999 Summer Systematics Institute will last 10 weeks: 14 June
-20 August 1999. All application materials must be received by 12 March 1999.
No late applications can be considered. Notification of status will be mailed
to all applicants by 2 April 1999. Application materials can be obtained from:
Summer Systematics Institute Research Division, California Academy of Sciences,
Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, CA 94118; Telephone: 415-750-7277; Fax:
415-750-7346; e-mail: <ayingling@ cas.calacademy.org>. 3) A. Crawford
Cooley Undergraduate Internship in California botany. The internship is
open to currently enrolled undergraduate students interested in participating
in a revision of the Marin Flora presently underway in the academy's Department
of Botany. The interns will work with an academy scientist to revise text,
rewrite taxonomic keys, identify collections, and work with published
literature relevant to the vascular flora of Marin County. Eligibility: junior-
and senior-level undergraduates who are U.S. citizens with a B average or
better. Duration: Full-time (40 hours/week) for 10 weeks between June and
August; starting date may vary. Stipend: $2,300 for the internship period. To
Apply: Send a letter of interest, summary of experience and/or course work in
the natural sciences, a letter of recommendation from a science professor, and
one set of official transcripts to: A. Crawford Cooley Internship, c/o Research
Division, California Academy of Sciences, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, CA
94118. Deadline: Application materials must be received no later than 31 March.
More information: 415-750-7277; Fax 415-750-7346; or e-mail
<ayingling@cas.calacademy. org>. Complete application materials and
information about Research Intern Programs can be found on the World Wide Web
at: <http://www.calacademy.org/research>. [Posted 9 December 1998]
ASPT Graduate Student Research Awards. The ASPT is pleased to announce
the Society's annual competition for research grants for graduate student
investigators. Support is available for students (both Master's and doctoral
levels) conducting field work, herbarium travel, and/or laboratory research in
any area of plant systematics. ASPT Graduate Student Research Awards do not
include support for institutional overhead or stipends. No award will exceed
$1,000; it is unlikely that proposals from previous recipients will be funded.
Proposals will be funded on the basis of merit, regardless of the research area
within systematics (e.g., if all of the best proposals emphasize field work,
grants will only be made in that area). The deadline for submission was 20
February 1999. See ASPT Web site for details-- <www.sysbot.org>. [2
December 1998]
NOTE: LISTED IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER.
14th Southwestern Botanical Systematics Symposium, 16 and 17 April 1999.
Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden at Claremont, California, is pleased to present
its 14th Southwestern Botanical Systematics Symposium on Saturday, 17 April
1999. This year's symposium topic will be "The Evolution of Ecological
Adaptation," and will review the recent advances in several fields reflecting
the myriad ways in which organisms adapt to their environments, as well as how
best to reconstruct the ecological history of taxa.
The keynote speaker at the Saturday Evening Banquet is Lynda Goff of the
University of California, Santa Cruz. Papers will be presented by David
Ackerly, Stanford University ("Evolutionary Convergence and Divergence: the
Comparative Study of Adaptation"); Scott Hodges, University of California,
Santa Barbara (topic to be announced); James Mauseth, University of Texas
("Evolution of Water-stress Adapted Wood in Cacti"); Deborah McLennan,
University of Toronto ("The Comparative Phylogenetic Approach: One Answer to an
Adaptationist's Mid-life Crisis."); George Roderick, University of Hawaii,
Manoa ("Are New Plant/insect Associations Different from Old? Ecological
Opportunity, Adaptation, and Co-evolution in Island Ccosystems."); and Patricia
Shulte, University of Waterloo ("Changes in Gene Expression as Adaptations to a
Changing Environment."). More information is available on the homepage for the
Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden: <http://www.cgs.edu/inst/rsa/> or
contact Ann Joslin, Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden, 1500 North College Avenue,
Claremont, CA 91711-3157; Phone: 909 625-8767 ext. 251; Fax: 909 626-3489;
e-mail: <Ann.Joslin@ cgu.edu>.
16th World Orchid Conference, Vancouver, Canada, 28 April-2 May 1999.
The Vancouver Orchid Society is pleased to invite the botanical world to
the 16th World Orchid Conference, in Vancouver, Canada, from 28 April to 2 May
1999, under the sails at the Vancouver Trade and Convention Centre. Anyone is
welcome to come to this spectacular event, either as a registered delegate, an
exhibitor, or as one of the anticipated 20,000 to 30,000 people coming to tour
the show. The 16th World Orchid Conference is the largest conference dedicated
to the science and hobby of orchid culture. The conference is accompanied by
one of the world's largest Orchid Shows, spotlighting the achievements of
hobbyists and commercial orchid growers as well as artists. You can check our
Web site for more detailed information about attending or exhibiting at the
16th World Orchid Conference: <http://www.hedgerows.com/WOC99/index.htm>.
E-mail inquiries should be directed to <congress@venuewest.com>. Please
note that a scientific poster session will also be held. (Abstracts will be
published in the 500+ page Proceedings Book.) Inquiries on how to submit a
poster should be addressed to Paula Keeler, <lkpk@pacificrim.net>.
Wild Rice: Research and Management Conference, 7-8 July 1999. This
unique conference, to be held in Carlton, Minnesota (20 miles southwest of
Duluth), will examine the science and art surrounding wild rice (Zizania sp.)
in the upper Midwest and adjacent Canada. Conference objectives are to share
existing information, highlight current research, discuss management
techniques, and identify future issues facing the resource. Deadline for
abstracts is 15 April 1999 for oral presentations and/or poster displays.
Presenters need to submit the following information: author(s) name,
affiliation, and address including work telephone, fax, e-mail address;
abstract title (indicate oral or poster presentation); written abstract not
longer than 250 words. Registration fee: $35.00 ($25.00 pre-registration by 4
June 1999) includes all conference sessions, materials, lunches, and conference
proceedings. For more information: Visit the conference Web site at:
<http://www.glifwc.org>. Or contact us at: Wild Rice Conference, P.O. Box
9, Odanah, WI 54861 (phone 715-682-6619). Sponsored by Sokaogon Mole Lake Band
of the Lake Superior Chippewa Tribe Environmental Protection Agency/Great Lakes
National Program Office, Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission.
Species 2000 2nd International Workshop, 14-16 July 1999, Japan. The
Species 2000 2nd International Workshop, titled "Biological Diversity: Value of
Information for the 21st Century" will be held at Tsukuba International
Convention Centre, Japan. The workshop will comprise of issues relating to the
world's information resources associated with biological diversity. The primary
aim of the workshop is to highlight the Species 2000 global project and to
develop and promote reliable database activity and information networks in the
Asia-Oceanic region. Papers are invited on relevant topics of the conference,
including: 1) Global Species Database, 2) Museum, Collection, and Species Bank
Information, 3) Regional and Inter-regional Biodiversity Information Resource,
4) Interoperability of Biological Information Resources, and 5) Standardization
of Taxonomic Information Systems. Abstracts must be submitted by 1 May 1999.
Further details, including an abstract form and contact details are available
at: <http://www.sp2000.riken.go.jp/sp2kj/workshop.html> or contact: Junko
Shimura, Ph.D., Secretariat of Species 2000 Japan, c/o Japan Collection of
Microorganisms, The Institute of Physical and Chemical Research (RIKEN), 2-1
Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama, Japan. e-mail: <junko@ ulmus.riken.go.jp>.
XVI International Botanical Congress, St. Louis, Missouri USA, 1-7 August
1999. See ASPT Newsletter 12(1) for more information or contact: Secretary
General, XVI IBC, Missouri Botanical Garden, P.O. Box 299, St. Louis, MO
63166-0299, USA; Phone: (01) 314 577-5175; Fax: (01) 314 577-9589; e-mail:
<ibc16@mobot.org>; homepage <http://www.ibc99. org>.
VIII International Aroid Conference, St. Louis, Missouri USA, 9-11 August
1999. The VIII International Aroid Conference (VIII IAC) will be held at
the Missouri Botanical Garden from 9-ll August 1999. The VIII IAC will provide
a forum for the presentation and discussion of current topics in the family
Araceae, including their biology, ecology, taxonomy, and horticulture.
Attendees are invited to present a poster on any of the above topics (abstracts
not required). The registration fee of $100 includes admittance to all
scientific sessions, evening lectures, poster sessions, and receptions. Box
lunches, morning coffee, and afternoon breaks are also included in the
registration fee. There will be an additional $25 per person fee for the
Closing Banquet. Prospective attendees who wish to receive a personal
invitation should write to Secretary General. If you would like more
information, please contact: Beth L. Cosgriff, Secretary General, VIII
International Aroid Conference, Missouri Botanical Garden, P.O. Box 299, St.
Louis, Missouri 63166-0299 USA. Fax: (01) 314 577-9596; e-mail: <bsosgriff@
lehmann.mobot.org>. See the Web site at
<http://hoya.mobot.org/ias/IAC99/index.html>.
Cycad 99, Fairchild Tropical Garden, Miami, Florida, USA, 7-10 August
1999. Cycad 99 will consist of contributed talks and posters on scientific
topics, invited presentations on horticultural topics, tours of the extensive
collections at Fairchild Tropical Garden and Montgomery Botanical Center, and
ample opportunity to meet and socialize with cycad enthusiasts from around the
world. South Florida is the home of the coontie (Zamia pumila), the only native
cycad in the USA. However, almost all of the world's cycads are cultivated in
Miami's subtropical climate. For information, contact: Fairchild Tropical
Garden, Cycad 99, 10901 Old Cutler Road, Miami, FL 33156 USA. Phone:
305-667-1651, ext. 3315; Fax: 305-661-8953; e-mail: <ftgarden@juno.com>;
Web site: <www: http://www.ftg.org/research/cycad99.html>.
Information provided by Janet R. Sullivan, Book Review Editor. The selection of
reviewers and books to be reviewed in Systematic Botany are left to the
discretion of the Book Review Editor. However, members of ASPT who are
interested in serving as a reviewer should contact Janet Sullivan at
<janets@christa.unh.edu>.
Evolution and Speciation of Island Plants edited by Tod F. Stuessy and
Mikio Ono. 1998. xv + 358 pp. illus. ISBN 0-521-49653-5 $80.00 (hardback). New
York: Cambridge University Press. -- The papers in this volume resulted from a
symposium held at the XV International Botanical Congress in Yokohama, Japan,
in 1993. The chapters are grouped into four sections: Hawaiian Islands, Juan
Fernandez Islands, Southern and western Pacific Islands, and general
evolutionary patterns and processes on oceanic islands. Review to appear in an
upcoming issue of Systematic Botany.
Familias de Plantas Neotropicales: Una Guía Concisa a las Familias de
Plantas Vasculares en la Región Neotropical by P. J. M. Maas and L.
Y. Th. Westra (gymnosperms by A. Farjon). 1998. vii + 315 pp. illus. ISBN
3-904144-08-1 DM 40 (approx. US$24; paperback). Koenigstein, Germany: Koeltz
Scientific Books. -- This book covers the 33 families of pteridophytes, 8 of
gymnosperms, and 253 of angiosperms occurring in the New World tropics. For
each is given characteristics, a representative drawing, genera, distribution,
dispersal, uses, literature, and observations. Also available in English.
[Orders can be placed directly at http://www.koeltz.com]
Feeding the Ten Billion: Plants and Population Growth by L. T. Evans.
1998. xiv + 247 pp. illus. ISBN 0-521-64685-5 $19.95 (paperback), 0-521-64081-4
$54.95 (hardback). New York: Cambridge University Press. -- The author examines
the links between population growth and agricultural innovation over the past
10,000 years. He then uses that historical context to explore issues such as
population, food supply, agricultural development, environmental degradation,
and resource depletion. Review to appear in an upcoming issue of Systematic
Botany.
Flora de la República de Cuba, Serie A: Fascículo 1, Araceae,
Aristolochiaceae, Bombacaceae, Droseraceae, Linaceae edited by H. Manitz
with the assistance of A. Gutjahr. 1998. 20 pp. illus. ISBN 3-87429-407-2 DM 68
(paperback). Koenigstein, Germany: Koeltz Scientific Books. -- Includes keys,
descriptions, synonymy, maps, and line drawings. In Spanish. [Orders can be
placed directly at http://www.koeltz.com]
Flora de la República de Cuba, Serie A: Fascículo 2,
Mimosaceae by M. Bässler. 1998. 202 pp. illus. ISBN 3-87429-408-0 DM
90 (paperback). Koenigstein, Germany: Koeltz Scientific Books. -- Includes
keys, descriptions, synonymy, maps, and line drawings. In Spanish. [Orders can
be placed directly at http://www.koeltz.com]
Flora of Australia, Volume 48: Ferns, Gymnosperms and Allied Groups
edited by Patrick M. McCarthy, volume editor. 1998. xxi + 766 pp. illus. color
photographs, line drawings, maps. ISBN 0-643-05972-5 US$59.95 (paperback),
0-643-05971-7 US$94.95 (hardback). Collingwood, Victoria: CSIRO Publishing. --
This is the first comprehensive, Australia-wide treatment of nonflowering
vascular plants in more than 100 years. The ferns, fern allies, cycads, and
gymnosperms are treated in this volume. [Orders can be placed directly at
http://www.publish.csiro.au/]
Flora of Maine: A Manual for Identification of Native and Naturalized
Vascular Plants of Maine by Arthur Haines and Thomas F. Vining. 1998. 837
pp. with 10 blank, numbered pages for notes. ISBN 0-9664874-0-0 $45.00
(paperback). Bar Harbor, Maine: V. F. Thomas Co. -- This book is a compilation
of dichotomous keys to species verified as occurring in the state of Maine. The
species descriptions are limited to synonyms, common names, habit, range,
frequency in the state, habitat in Maine, and ranking of rare plants following
the system of the Maine Natural Areas Program.
Flora Malesiana: Series II -- Ferns and Fern Allies, Volume 3 edited by
C. Kalkman and H. P. Nooteboom. 1998. vi + 334. illus. ISBN 90-71236-39-0
Dfl.100,00 (paperback). Leiden, The Netherlands: Rijksherbarium/Hortus
Botanicus (under the auspices of Foundation Flora Malesiana). -- This issue
contains taxonomic revisions of seven families of ferns and fern allies
(Polypodiaceae, Davalliaceae, Azollaceae, Cheiropleuriaceae, Equisetaceae,
Matoniaceae, and Plagiogyriaceae) for Malesia, i.e. the area covering the
countries of Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, Darussalam, Singapore, the
Philippines, and Papua New Guinea. [Rijksherbarium/Hortus Botanicus
Publications Department FAX 31-71-5273511]
Plant Family Album, An Interactive Botanical Review. Volume 1: The Rosidae.
1996. Marcia J. Waterway and Helen Cohen Rimmer. Interactive software for
PCs or Macintosh PowerPC with Virtual PC software installed. US$49.95 plus
shipping. -- Review to appear in an upcoming issue of Systematic Botany.
[Available from M. J. Waterway at McGill University; waterway@
agradm.lan.mcgill.ca]
Proceedings of the Symposium "Taxonomy, Evolution and Classification of
Lichens and Related Fungi" London 10-11 January 1998 edited by M. Wedin, T.
Tønsberg and D. H. Brown. 1998. Reprinted from The Lichenologist volume
30, pp. 305-514. ISBN 0-9523049-7-X. [sterling]12, [sterling] 8 if a member of
the British Lichen Society (paperback). London: Academic Press. -- Topics
include molecular systematics, phylogenetic studies, and generic concepts.
Review to appear in an upcoming issue of Systematic Botany. [Available
from: The Editor, The Lichenologist, c/o Academic Press Limited, 24-28 Oval
Road, London, NW1 7DX, UK; postage will be by surface mail unless a sufficient
extra sum is included to cover airmail costs]
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]
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 to the membership of ASPT, 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.
New Web Site for ASPT:<www.sysbot.org>: see announcement on page
2.
We would like to announce the posting of a new Web site entitled "Land
Plants Online" that showcases diversity, structure, and phylogeny among all
green plants. This Web site focuses on the phylogenetic relationships among
embryophytes and provides a wealth of information on the biology of these
organisms including: phylum descriptions, life cycle accounts with hyperlinked
text, and comparisons among existing molecular and morphological phylogenetic
hypotheses. Hundreds of photographs are presented that illustrate plant
habitat, gross morphology, anatomical features, and ultra-structural details.
These photographs include numerous unpublished SEM and TEM micrographs of
rarely seen structures. Names, e-mail addresses, and links to personal Web
sites of botanical experts (arranged according to organism groups) are
provided. Additional features include links to a variety of other Web sites
that relate to land plant evolution, phylogeny, and taxonomy and a preliminary
list of pertinent bibliographic references. Data matrices (NEXUS format), both
molecular and morphological, are available for downloading and further
analysis. Our goal for LPO is to bring together, from a variety of disciplines,
the available information on life history phenomena and evolutionary
relationships among land plants. We are quite interested in posting images
donated by users of this Web site, especially if they represent unusual and
poorly represent-ed taxonomic groups. To help maximize the usefulness of this
site, we welcome suggestions and input about plant evolution from the botanical
community. Land Plants Online can be found at: <http://www.
science.siu.edu/landplants/index.html>.--Dan Nickrent
<nickrent@plant.siu.edu>, Karen Renzaglia
<renzaglia@plant.siu.edu>, Department of Plant Biology, Southern Illinois
University, Carbondale, IL 62901 [Posted 23 March 1999]
For the next issue of ASPT Newsletter, I would like to include a list of Web
sites for plant systematic courses. If you would like your site to be
included, or if you know of good sites, please send me the URL. A site will
only be included when permission has been given by the person responsible for
the Web site. - Ken Robertson <krrobert@uiuc.edu>.
This is the end of ASPT Newsletter 13(1).
15 April 1999
LETTER TO ASPT MEMBERS REGARDING SYSTEMATIC BOTANY
Department of Biological Sciences
The George Washington University
2023 G Street NW
Washington DC 20052.
New URL for ASPT Web Site
Business Office for ASPT
New Treasurer for ASPT
ASPT at IBC
Published History of ASPT
VOTING IN NOMENCLATURE SESSIONS AT INTERNATIONAL BOTANICAL CONGRESS
FELLOWSHIPS, INTERNSHIPS, POST-DOCS
FUNDING AND AWARD OPPORTUNITIES