Article Alerts Archive – 2020
Molecular systematics studies, new species descriptions, developmental genetics of seeds, land plant phylogenomics, the description of a 125 million year old tree fern fossil–this, and more, is the research of the scientists at The New York Botanical Garden.
Recognition of Latin scientific names using artificial neural networks
The automated recognition of Latin scientific names within vernacular text has many applications, including text mining, search indexing, and automated specimen‐label processing.
Recent advances in NYBG lichen research
NYBG curator James Lendemer maintains an active program of research and education focused on lichens, which are symbiotic fungi that are often considered the equivalent of corals on land. Lendemer’s lichen research focuses on understanding the biodiversity of these organisms in North America and also developing and implementing conservation strategies that will safeguard biodiversity for future generations.
A remarkable new Iguanura (Arecaceae, Arecoideae, Areceae) from northern Myanmar
The authors describe Iguanura namsabiensis from northern Myanmar. The new species is the first record of the genus in Myanmar, and Iguanura was previously known only from Peninsular Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, and Borneo.
Phylonyms: A Companion to the Phylocode
Phylonyms is an implementation of the PhyloCode, which is a set of principles, rules, and recommendations governing phylogenetic nomenclature. Nearly 300 clades-lineages of organisms-are defined by reference to hypotheses of phylogenetic history rather than by taxonomic ranks and types.
Lithobieae and Eriocnemeae: Two new Neotropical tribes of Melastomataceae
Despite a good understanding of phylogenetic relationships in the Melastomataceae, the tribal affinities of several genera have remained elusive. This study looked closely at the relationships of four such genera (Eriocnema, Litholobium, Physeterostemon, and Ochthephilus) using data from seven nuclear and plastid gene regions representing a broad sample of taxa.
Handbook of Poisonous and Injurious Plants
Part of the work of the Science Division at NYBG is to help support emergency department physicians in the identification of plants and mushrooms implicated in suspected cases of poisoning or injury. This is a service provided by the Garden 24/7, and with a proper identification, a physician can make the decision on how best to treat a patient.
Revealing a Significant Center of Sedge Diversity: Carex (Cyperaceae) of Jackson County, Alabama, U.S.A.
This study contributes fundamental knowledge that makes sedge diversity, ecology, geography, and conservation better known, and is especially important for revealing a significant center of Carex diversity in North America.
Multi-taxon patterns of phylogenetic diversity in the Atlantic Forest hotspot
The article combines phylogenetic and point locality data from selected lineages of the Atlantic Forest flora and fauna to compare spatial patterns of biodiversity sustained by the current configuration of forest remnants to a scenario of complete forest preservation. The authors then ask the question “how much biodiversity is likely lost, already”?
An algorithm competition for automatic species identification from herbarium specimens
Plant biodiversity is threatened, yet many species remain undescribed. It is estimated that >50% of undescribed species have already been collected and are awaiting discovery in herbaria.
Remote Sensing of Plant Biodiversity
Remote Sensing of Plant Biodiversity aims to improve our understanding of biodiversity by linking disciplines that incorporate remote sensing, and uniting data and perspectives in the fields of biology, landscape ecology, and geography.
New species of Microchilus and Pelexia (Orchidaceae) from the Yungas and western Amazonia of Bolivia and Peru
The Andes and adjacent regions of western Amazonia are global centers of orchid diversity. Among the Andean countries, Bolivia remains the least well characterized as to its orchid flora, probably containing many new species awaiting description.
Reshaping the future of ethnobiology research after the Covid-19 pandemic
A geographically diverse group of 29 ethnobiologists addresses three common themes in response to the COVID-19 global health crisis: impact on local communities, future interactions between researchers and communities, and new (or renewed) conceptual and/or applied research priorities for ethnobiology.
The Spontaneous Vascular Flora of New York’s Central Park
The flora of Central Park was documented through extensive collection of herbarium specimens from 2013 to 2017. The flora consists of 438 species representing 262 genera and 89 families. Native species represent 45% of the flora (198 species), and 54% of the species (240) are nonnative.
Observations on vegetative branching in Cycads
Branching in cycads has received very little attention, both because the phenomenon is uncommon and because anatomical study requires the destruction of prized and rare horticultural specimens. This article presents an analysis of the external morphology of cycad branching (made in habitat) combined with anatomical study.
Combing for beach broccoli: Surveys of the endemic macrolichen Cladonia submitis determines endangered status under IUCN guidelines
The global decline in biodiversity has invigorated the field of conservation biology, leading to investigation of species at risk of extinction in hopes of generating effective conservation strategies.
A new species of Blakea (Melastomataceae: Blakeeae) with pendulous flowers from Costa Rica
The authors describe a new species of Blakea from Costa Rica. Blakea ricardoi has pendulous flowers with green petals that form a tube and do not spread open at anthesis.
A two-tier bioinformatic pipeline to develop probes for target capture of nuclear loci with applications in Melastomataceae
Single copy nuclear genes provide some of the most useful evidence for phylogeny reconstruction in plants. However, such genes have not been identified and isolated in many plant groups, including the large family Melastomataceae.
Field Guide to the Lichens of Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) is home to 909 species of lichens, which is not only more than any other national park in the United States, but also nearly half of the species known to occur in eastern North America.
A Classic Mystery of a Medicinal Plant
The authors sought to resolve the identity of a plant that was denoted by a Mayan hieroglyph, k’an. The glyph was used on murals and pottery as an adjective, generally meaning “precious, yellow,” and earlier researchers had suggested that it was used on cacao drinking vessels as a descriptor for a flavoring ingredient, allspice, Pimenta dioica (Myrtaceae).
Frontiers for young minds: What is a fruit?
This wonderful, kid-friendly article resulted from a science internship project in our research laboratory. The article explains the botanical concepts surrounding fruits, i.e., what they are, how they develop, and how they vary.
Regional records improve data quality in determining plant extinction rates
This paper contributes to an ongoing discussion of plant extinction, as a critique of a recent study that purported to document the extinction of 600 plant species globally. In this response, the authors carefully scrutinize the North American data from the original analysis, which reported 38 extinct plant species in the United States and Canada.
Neotropical Diversification: Patterns and Processes
This book provides a comprehensive overview of the patterns of biodiversity in neotropical ecosystems, as well as a discussion on their historical biogeographies and underlying diversification processes.
Pollination of cycads in an urban environment
The authors address the poorly-researched topic of insect pollination in urban environments by looking at reproduction in two genera of Mexican cycads. Both of the cycad species studied–Ceratozamia tenuis and Dioon edule–and their pollinators, are native to Mexico but threatened by habitat loss.
The influence of floral variation and geographic disjunction on the evolutionary dynamics of Ronnbergia and Wittmackia (Bromeliaceae: Bromelioideae)
In this study, the authors reconstructed the biogeographic history of two genera of bromeliads, Ronnbergia and Wittmackia, in the Brazilian Pacific Forest, the Atlantic Forest and the Caribbean.
Phylogenetic analyses of key developmental genes provide insight into the complex evolution of seeds
In seed plants, there is much variation in the structure of the ovule. However, to date, most of our knowledge of the genetics of ovule development comes from studies of a single model species, the flowering plant Arabidopsis thaliana.
Miconia lucenae (Melastomataceae), a new species from montane Atlantic Forest in Espírito Santo, Brazil
The authors describe Miconia lucenae, a new species from the montane Atlantic Forest in Santa Teresa in the state of Espírito Santo, Brazil.
Organellomic data sets confirm a cryptic consensus on (unrooted) land‐plant relationships and provide new insights into bryophyte molecular evolution
Phylogenetic trees of bryophytes provide important evolutionary context for land plants. However, published inferences of overall embryophyte relationships vary considerably.
A mid-Cretaceous tree fern of Thyrsopteridaceae (Cyatheales) preserved in Myanmar amber
An unusual tree fern trapped in mid-Cretaceous Myanmar amber is described as Thyrsopteris cretacea (Thyrsopteridaceae). The fossil most resembles T. elegans, a present-day species endemic to the Juan Fernández Islands, based on the characters of the lamina segments, sori, indusia, and sporangia.
Communications Biology: Floral evolution and specialized pollination systems
In this article, the authors present a novel approach to the study of flower shape evolution through the integration of advanced imaging techniques (High-Resolution X-ray Computed Tomography), state-of-the-art landmark-based geometric morphometrics, and phylogenetic comparative methods.
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