Robert F. C. Naczi
Arthur J. Cronquist Curator of North American Botany, Center for Biodiversity & Evolution
Ph.D., The University of Michigan
Specialty
Floristics of northeastern U.S.A. and adjacent Canada, Revisionary systematics in Cyperaceae, Phylogeny and biogeography of Sarraceniaceae and their arthropod symbionts
Expertise
Floristics of eastern North America, Systematics and ecology of Cyperaceae, Systematics and ecology of Sarraceniaceae
Research locations
Western Hemisphere
Profile
The major focus of Robert Naczi’s research is the floristics of eastern North America. Specifically, his research entails study of the systematics, identification, geographic distribution, frequency, ecology, and conservation of plants growing wild in this region. The chief aim of this research is preparation of New Manual of Vascular Plants of Northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada.
Ongoing work on the New Manual advances the legacy of prior floristic research by NYBG staff. Ever since Nathaniel Lord Britton published his Illustrated Flora in 1896, the goal of these books has been to enable the user to correctly identify plants growing in the wild in a vast region.
The geographic coverage of the New Manual is the same as in Henry Gleason and Arthur Cronquist’s Manual, published by NYBG in 1991: the entirety or portions of 22 states of the U.S.A. and five Canadian provinces. Keeping the geographic scope identical allows for analyses of floristic change. Additionally, several innovations relative to prior manuals make completed New Manual chapters one-stop references for the latest information about spontaneous plants.
Naczi also conducts research in plant systematics. Much of this research is devoted to revisionary systematics of sedges, particularly the genera Carex and Rhynchospora (Cyperaceae). Carex, with about 2000 species, is the largest genus of flowering plants in North America and one of the world’s largest genera. Data from field, laboratory, and herbarium studies permit him to describe new sedge species, reconstruct their phylogenies, and improve their classifications. Robert Naczi is especially keen on utilizing phylogenetic trees to understand sedge morphology, chromosome number variation, and biogeography.
Robert Naczi also studies the systematics of the Western Hemisphere Pitcher Plants (Sarraceniaceae), carnivorous plants with pitcher-like leaves functioning as traps. Despite their inherent interest and popularity in horticulture, pitcher plants remain poorly understood. Robert is applying novel approaches to study their systematics. For example, he uses symbiotic and host-specific mites and flies as flags for potential realignments in the current classification scheme of these plants. Many threats to the survival of pitcher plants exist. Habitat destruction, fire suppression, and poaching are the most serious menaces, and several species are critically imperiled. An improved understanding of the systematics of pitcher plants and of their arthropods will help ensure the long-term survival of these fascinating plants.
Selected Publications
[For complete list of publications, see CV.]
Jiménez-Mejías, P., J.L. Reveal, S. Martín-Bravo, J.C. Zamora, I. Larridon, A.A. Reznicek, and R.F.C. Naczi. 2025. Nomenclature and typification of sectional names in Carex (Cyperaceae). Taxon https://doi.org/10.1002/tax.70033.
Naczi, R.F.C., C.J. Zimmerman, D. Werier, and E. Gjieli. 2025. Taxonomy, geographic distribution, habitat, and conservation status of Najas muenscheri (Hydrocharitaceae): Imperiled and restricted to Mid-Atlantic estuaries, USA. Journal of the Torrey Botanical Society 152: 114-129. https://doi.org/10.3159/TORREY-D-24-00044.1
Jiménez-Mejías, P., S. Manzano, V. Gowda, F. Krell, M. Lin, S. Martín-Bravo, L. Martín-Torrijos, G. N. Feliner, S. L. Mosyakin, R. F. C. Naczi, C. Acedo, I. Álvarez, J. V. Crisci, M. Luceño Garcés, J. Manning, J. C. Moreno Saiz, A. M. Muasya, R. Riina, A. Sánchez Meseguer, D. Sánchez-Mata. 2024. Protecting stable biological nomenclatural systems enables universal communication: A collective international appeal. BioScience 74: 467−472. https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biae043.
Majure, L. C., R. F. C. Naczi, J. R. Abbott, K. R. Wood, J. Valencia-D., G. Stonehouse, and K. M. Neubig. 2024. Phylogeny of North American Dichanthelium (Panicoideae, Poaceae): Testing species limits in one of the most taxonomically complicated groups of grasses. International Journal of Plant Sciences 185: 334−360. https://doi.org/10.1086/728893.
Naczi, R. F. C. 2024. Chaerophyllum (Apiaceae). Pp. 245–250 in Flora of North America Editorial Committee, eds. Flora of North America North of Mexico, vol. 13. Oxford University Press, New York.
Eberly, A. T., and R. F. C. Naczi. 2023. Rhynchospora mesoatlantica (Cyperaceae), an imperiled new species of beaksedge from eastern U.S.A. PhytoKeys 236: 65−81. https://doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.236.111271.
Naczi, R., and K. Gandhi. 2023. Typification of Xyris ambigua (Xyridaceae). Brittonia 75: 231−239. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12228-023-09754-y.
Ciafré, C. M. and R. F. C. Naczi. 2022. Rhynchospora stiletto (Cyperaceae), a new species of beaksedge from the southeastern U.S.A. Kew Bulletin 77: 737−749. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12225-022-10044-1.
Jiménez-Mejías, P., S. Martín-Bravo, J. I. Márquez-Corro, S. Donadío, E. H. Roalson, R. F. C. Naczi. 2021. A synopsis of the androgynous species of Carex subgenus Vignea (Cyperaceae) in South America. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 196: 188−220. https://doi.org/10.1093/botlinnean/boaa100.
Knapp, W. M., A. Frances, R. Noss, R. F. C. Naczi, A. Weakley, G. D. Gann, B. G. Baldwin, J. Miller, P. McIntyre, B. D. Mishler, G. Moore, R. G. Olmstead, A. Strong, K. Kennedy, B. Heidel, D. Gluesenkamp. 2021. Vascular plant extinction in the continental United States and Canada. Conservation Biology 35: 360−368. https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.13621.
Knapp, W. M. and R. F. C. Naczi. 2021. Vascular Plants of Maryland, U.S.A.: A comprehensive account of the state’s botanical diversity. Smithsonian Contributions to Botany 113: 1−151. https://doi.org/10.5479/si.14605674.v1.
Márquez-Corro, J. I., S. Martín-Bravo, P. Jimenez-Mejias, A. L. Hipp, D. Spalink, R. F. C. Naczi, E. H. Roalson, M. Luceno, and M. Escudero. 2021. Macroevolutionary insights into sedges (Carex: Cyperaceae): The effects of rapid chromosome number evolution on lineage diversification. Journal of Systematics and Evolution 59: 776−790. https://doi.org/10.1111/jse.12730.
Roalson, E. H., P. Jiménez-Mejías, A. L. Hipp, C. Benítez-Benítez, L. P. Bruederle, K. Chung, M. Escudero, B. A. Ford, K. Ford, S. Gebauer, B. Gehrke, M. Hahn, M. Q. Hayat, M. H. Hoffmann, S. Jin, S. Kim, I. Larridon, E. Leveille-Boureet, Y. Lu, M. Luceno, E. Maguilla, J. I. Corro, S. Martín-Bravo, T. Masaki, M. Miguez, R. F. C. Naczi, A. A. Reznicek, D. Spalink, J. R. Starr, T. Villaverde, M. J. Waterway, K. L. Wilson, S. Zhang. 2021. A framework infrageneric classification of Carex (Cyperaceae) and its organizing principles. Journal of Systematics and Evolution 59: 726−762. https://doi.org/10.1111/jse.12722.
Naczi, R. F. C., T. W. Barger, D. D. Spaulding, M. R. Naczi, J. E. Dorey, and J. K. Triplett. 2020. Revealing a significant center of sedge diversity: Carex (Cyperaceae) of Jackson County, Alabama, U.S.A. American Midland Naturalist 184: 17−47. https://www.jstor.org/stable/45455798.
Naczi, R. F. C., P. J. S. Silva Filho, M. T. Strong, and W. W. Thomas. 2020. Rhynchospora belizensis (Cyperaceae), a new species of Rhynchospora sect. Tenues from Belize. Brittonia 72: 40–48. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12228-019-09597-6.
Martin-Bravo, S., P. Jiménez-Mejías, T. Villaverde, M. Escudero, M. Hahn, D. Spalink, E. H. Roalson, A. L. Hipp, C. Benitez-Benitez. L. P. Bruederle, E. Fitzek, B. A. Ford, K. A. Ford, M. Garner, S. Gebauer, M. H. Hoffmann, X-F. Jin, I. Larridon, E. Léveillé-Bourret, Y-F, Lu, M. Luceño, E. Maguilla, J. I. Márquez-Corro, M. Miguez, R. Naczi, A. A. Reznicek, and J. R. Starr. 2019. A tale of worldwide success: behind the scenes of Carex (Cyperaceae) biogeography and diversification. Journal of Systematics and Evolution 57: 695–718. https://doi.org/10.1111/JSE.12549.
Naczi, R. F. C. 2018. Systematics and evolution of Sarraceniaceae. Pp. 105–119 in A. M. Ellison and L. Adamec, eds. Carnivorous Plants: Physiology, ecology, and evolution. Oxford University Press, Oxford. https://doi.org/10.1093/OSO/9780198779841.003.0009.
Naczi, R. F. C., S. L. Sheaffer, D. A. Werier, and C. J. Zimmerman. 2018. Geographic distribution, habitat characterization, and conservation status of Bolboschoenus bulrushes (Cyperaceae) in the Hudson River Estuary, USA. Brittonia 70: 289–305. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12228-018-9530-8.
Naczi, R. F. C. 2017. Portion of Cyperaceae, the Sedge Family: Cyperus. In R.F.C. Naczi, J. R. Abbott, and Collaborators, New Manual of Vascular Plants of Northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada, online edition. NYBG Press, New York. 25 pp.
Naczi, R. F. C. 2016. New Manual of Vascular Plants of Northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada. Brittonia 68: 238–244. https://doi.org/10.1007/S12228-016-9416-6.
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