Monocots II: Commelinids
Recent Achievements
Collections (2001-2005)
Palms
Recent accessions in the palm herbarium have centred around our research activities in South-East Asia, Indochina, New Guinea, Africa, and Madagascar, and in many cases result from strong collaborations overseas. In addition, we continue to receive a wide range of new material from other regions, augmenting the global emphasis of the collection. We have made additional effort to expand our holdings of material for DNA extraction and have invested in improving access and storage standards of existing DNA extractions. Major curatorial projects have included the initiation of a systematic review of all palm holdings in the Herbarium, as well as re-curating the Pandanaceae holdings, which are also managed by the palm team. Over 4,000 new records have been added to the palm database and 750 type specimens have been imaged. Public awareness of the historical significance of Kew’s palm herbarium was raised through research on specimens collected by Alfred Russel Wallace on his formative Amazonian expedition, resulting in considerable interest in the popular science press.
Funding from the UK Darwin Initiative for the Papuan Plant Diversity Project was secured in 2001. The project, managed by members of the palm team, resulted in the rehabilitation of the herbarium in Universitas Negeri Papua, Indonesia, as well as specialist and general training in herbarium management protocols. Additional capacity building efforts have been made through the production of palm collecting guides for Madagascar and New Guinea.
Grasses
In Poaceae we have focused our acquisitions on material required for research. In the Herbarium and the Living Collections, bamboos are a priority as part of the ongoing research on the phylogeny of tribe Bambuseae. The Flora of China project has provided an excellent opportunity to expand the Herbarium collections for China. We have also targeted species not represented in the Herbarium either by seeking original material or illustrations. Over 10,500 specimens have been databased of which over 6,000 are types. All type specimens from Africa, South and South-East Asia have now been databased and imaged.
In the Living Collections we have continued to increase taxonomic representation, especially of the tropical tribes of subfamilies Panicoideae and Chloridoideae. Better interpretation of the grass and bamboo gardens has been achieved through educational and interpretative labelling.
Sedges
We have continued to receive a large amount of material for naming and accession rates-Cyperaceae are the highest of any family in the Monocots. We have also continued to target our own collecting towards groups required for projects. We have also been attempting to increase representation from regions where our collections are less comprehensive, for example Indochina. Ongoing collaborations and specialist naming continue to attract material from around the world, especially from eastern and southern Africa, Australia, Thailand and Indochina. We also continue to increase collections of Cyperaceae in the Living Collections and the Millennium Seed Bank. Wherever possible, fieldwork includes collections of pressed specimens, material in silica gel and seed for Millennium Seed Bank storage. Nearly 2,000 specimens have been databased, of which over 1,100 are types. All the types from Africa and South-East Asia have now been databased and imaged.
Other families
We have continued to receive a wide range of material in the other commelinid families. Specialist naming has been continued within the families including verification of a significant amount of material in the Living Collections. Digitisation of type specimens in all the families has been undertaken either through routine curation, as part of the Electronic Cataloguing and Imaging of Monocot Type Specimens project or the African Plants Initiative.
Baseline Plant Diversity Research (2001-2005)
Palms
As part of the Monocot Checklist project, the World Checklist of Palms has been published in hard copy and online, providing an unrivalled reference source of information on accepted palm species, their distribution and nomenclature.
Substantial progress towards a regional monograph of the Palms of New Guinea has been made with eight papers published on rattans, Rhopaloblaste and Hydriastele and the production of 170 line drawings to illustrate the final product. Other taxonomic outputs have focused on other Old World palm groups and include a checklist of palms in Thailand, a synopsis of rattans in Lao PDR, and numerous new species in Indochina, Madagascar, Borneo, Sulawesi and Africa. Considerable investment has been made in the training of students from the UK and overseas in taxonomic research, resulting in seven postgraduate degrees and revisions of problematic genera such as Orania and Borassus.
Special emphasis has been given to improving access to palm information through the production of innovative identification aids. An Interactive Key to the Rattans of Borneo and a bi-lingual Field Guide to the Rattans of Lao PDR (and its companion interactive key available at www.kew.org/data/rattanslao/index.html) were both published in 2001. Similar guides to palms in Madagascar and New Guinea, and rattans in Africa are in press.
Grasses
The World Grass species databases (http://www.kew.org/data/grassbase/) are now searchable and downloadable on the internet, allowing users to obtain a description of nearly all known grass species with associated synonymy. This means that the essentials of a World Grass Flora are now available on the internet and we have received much positive feedback about this project.
Accounts of grasses have been completed for the Flora of Egypt, the BSBI Grasses of Britain and Ireland Handbook, Flora of Arabia and Flora of China, the latter amounting to c. 900 species. Flora of Thailand Grasses commenced in 2004 and is being coordinated at Kew with 19 authors writing up the c. 570 species that occur in Thailand.
To mark the retirement of Steve Renvoize, Head of Grasses from 1989-2004, a symposium entitled A Celebration of Grasses was held jointly with the Linnean Society of London over two days in September 2005. It attracted more than 60 delegates from 19 countries, representing a wide range of expertise in grass systematics. The 18 papers presented at the symposium are being published in a special part of Kew Bulletin.
Sedges
A species level checklist of sedges has been completed as part of the World Checklist of Monocotyledons project. Good progress has been made with the Flora of Tropical East Africa Cyperaceae in collaboration with African and Norwegian colleagues. Accounts have also been completed for the Flora of the Guianas (tribe Hypolytreae), Flora of Egypt and the BSBI Sedges of Britain and Ireland Handbook. Editorial work has also commenced for Flora of China Cyperaceae.
A short course in Cyperaceae identification and taxonomy was held in Khon Kaen University, Thailand in 2004, with another planned for 2006.
Other families
Flora of Tropical East Africa Restionaceae was completed during the period. We have also completed co-authoring Flora of China Sparganiacae and Typhaceae and Flora of Thailand Typhaceae.
Comparative Plant Biology (2001-2005)
Palms
Molecular phylogenetic research on palms, especially at higher taxonomic levels, has been a high priority at Kew over the past five years. Projects on the family as a whole, subfamilies Calamoideae and Arecoideae, tribes Areceae and Borasseae, subtribe Arecinae and genera such as Chamaedorea, Heterospathe and Rhopaloblaste have been completed, many in collaboration with partners overseas, resulting in six papers currently in press, one of which includes the description of a new genus, Dransfieldia. In addition, rbcL sequences have been produced for all genera, which form part of ongoing efforts to build a complete generic phylogeny for the family using supertree and supermatrix methods.
One of the most significant outputs of Kew’s phylogeny collaborations research has been the publication of a new phylogenetic classification of palms that will form the backbone for the new edition of the family monograph, Genera Palmarum. In addition to the new classification, descriptions of all palm genera have now been completed and the manuscript of Genera Palmarum Edition 2 is now being assembled.
Large scale patterns of diversity in palms have been examined in a study of the mid-domain effect and elevational gradients in New Guinea palm genera and species, published in the macroecology journal Ecography. Further macroecological interests are being pursued in collaboration with counterparts overseas. Considerable progress towards a synthesis of palm biogeographic history has been made through molecular dating of large phylogenies; two papers have been presented at conferences on this subject.
Two benchmark papers on pollen morphology across the palm family have been published alongside two new studies of floral anatomy in the genera Dypsis, Sommieria and Pelagodoxa. Phylogenetic evidence has been incorporated to explore the evolution of character patterns in these groups and the evolution of monocot flowers and monocot pollen in general.
Research on palaeobotany of palms has resulted in two papers in press, the first focusing on a synthesis of the published fossil record for palms, the second exploring new palm fossil records from Africa, in collaboration with partners in the USA, that have altered perceptions of changes in palm diversity throughout the Tertiary. Two papers are currently in press.
As part of a broader survey of seed storage and germination characteristics, more than 200 species of palm seed have been examined across a broad range of genera and ecologies within the Semina Palmarum project. In addition to seed behaviour data, morphological and anatomical information has also been captured. Three papers have been published.
A Leverhulme-funded project on sympatric speciation in palms on the remote oceanic island of Lord Howe, involving long-term fieldwork on the island and extensive DNA data collection, has resulted in new insights into palm evolution that have been accepted for publication in the journal Nature. Using compelling evidence from phylogenetics, reproductive ecology and population genetics, we demonstrated that the two species of the endemic genus Howea speciated sympatrically, most likely as a result of recent geological influences, providing a unique case study in flowering plant evolution.
The Kew palm team have taken a lead in creating a forum for sharing information on palm comparative biology and other topics. In 2001, the inaugural meeting of the European Network of Palm Scientists (EUNOPS) was held at the University of Aarhus, a joint initiative with Kew. The network has met every year since then at different European locations, including a meeting at Kew in 2003. In 2005, the 5th EUNOPS meeting was subsumed within the World Palm Conference, held at Kew and the Linnean Society, organised by the Kew palm team to coincide with the retirement of John Dransfield. 100 participants from 22 different countries attended, the largest gathering of palm experts ever held, and 22 talks and 40 posters were presented; the proceedings are currently in press in the Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society. Funds were raised to facilitate the attendance of students and participants from developing countries.
Grasses
As part of our broader work on Monocot floral evolution a study of the evolution of reproductive structures in Poaceae was published in 2005.
Phylogenetic studies of Miscanthus were completed during the period resulting in seven papers. Genomic relationships among diploid and hexaploid species of Andropogon have also been explored with one paper published.
Work on Genera Graminum Edition 2 commenced and is being led by Kew. This is a collaborative work and will utilize molecular and morphological phylogenetic data as a basis for developing the overall classification of the genera.
As part of our work towards Genera Graminum a two-year project entitled A Preliminary Phylogenetic Analysis of Danthoniopsis and Related Genera commenced in 2005. This work will also contribute improved descriptions and nomenclature to the World Grass species databases.
Pioneering work on building supertrees undertaken in collaboration with Trinity College Dublin using Poaceae as a model was published in 2002.
A revised edition of Anatomy of Monocotyledons, Pocaeae continues to make progress. As part of this we contributed the chapter on Anatomy to the Flora of Australia Poaceae account.
Sedges
At Kew we have taken a leading role in molecular phylogenetics research on sedges, having prepared the first DNA phylogeny of the family in 1998. We have sequenced nearly all genera of Cyperaceae for rbcL and a 2-gene phylogeny of the family, utilizing rbcL and trnL-F was completed in 2005 for publication in 2006 or 2007. This work is a leading contribution to the longer term goal of a Genera of Cyperaceae based on molecular and morphological data.
Work has also been progressing on molecular phylogenies in tribes Cypereae, Rhynchosporeae and Sclerieae as well as in the genus Bulbostylis. A benchmark paper on subfamily Mapanioideae published in American Journal of Botany in 2003 utilised pollen morphological data combined with a molecular phylogeny based on trnL-F and rps16 sequences. It revealed a new pollen type in Cyperaceae and firmly established that there are just two subfamilies, Mapanioideae and Cyperoideae rather than the four previously recognised.
The discovery of a completely new genus (Khaosokia) on limestone cliffs in southern Thailand by Kew staff in 2002 is leading to the reassessment of relationships within the Cariceae/Dulichieae/Scirpeae clade. Current work suggests this plant is sister to the rest of the clade. The genus was published in the Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society in 2005.
The Sedge Phylogeny Group continues to flourish, pushing forward research on Cyperaceae phylogeny and systematics. Several presentations were made at the Sedges 2002 Conference in Delaware USA. We took in lead role in organising Cyperaceae symposium at Monocots III, Los Angeles in 2003 and the Sedges have Edges symposium at the International Botanical Congress, Vienna in 2005. We are currently editing papers from the latter for publication in Botanical Review in 2006 or 2007.
Other families
As part of the Morphological Innovations in Poales project a review of the evolutionary history of Poales was published in 2005.
Work on other families has focused on anatomy, structure and development of various organs, focused particularly on the Bromeliaceae. Papers have been published examining the floral anatomy, structure and development of the ovule, microsporogenesis and anther development of this family.
Work has also been published on the systematic significance of silica bodies and tapetal raphides in Haemodoraceae and comparative floral anatomy of Pontederiaceae.
Sustainable Utilisation of Plant Resources (2001-2005)
Palms
Our interests in sustainable use have focused largely on the provision of information on the taxonomy and sustainable management of wild rattan resources. Several of the taxonomic products described above (e.g. Interactive Key to Borneo Rattans, Field Guide to the Rattans of Lao PDR) aim to provide accessible information for a wide range of users, including those responsible for managing the exploitation of non-timber forestry products.
A new edition of Plant Resources of SE Asia – Rattans has been published on CD. In addition, four papers on rattan resource management have been published. Advice on rattans continues to be provided to agencies and industry as required. Sustainable utilisation was included as a theme within the World Palm Conference.
Coconut (Cocos nucifera) and Betelnut (Areca catechu) were selected as two of the 25 Asian species for the Plant Cultures website (www.plantcultures.co.uk). This website provides information about the cultural and economic importance of these plants in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Grasses
A database of the forage grasses of northeast Brazil in conjunction with Plantas do Nordeste programme was completed in 2001.
Taxa of economic importance have continued to be targeted for the Millennium Seed Bank.
In a collaborative project funded by the World Cancer Fund with researchers at Leicester University we isolated and identified compounds with anti-cancer activity in rice. This included tricin, a compound that occurs in rice bran and can also be isolated from grass cuttings. The results were published in a journal of impact factor >2 and a patent filed on the anti-cancer activity of tricin.
Rice and sugar cane were selected as two of the 25 Asian species for the Plant Cultures website (www.plantcultures.co.uk).
Sedges
Sedges of Economic, Ethnobotanical and Horticultural Importance – a checklist was published in 2001. This is a benchmark publication, having served to demonstrate the wide utility and importance of Cyperaceae, particularly at a local level in tropical countries. We continue updating the database of economically important taxa as and when new data are acquired. We also provide advice on the identification of economically important taxa, especially of taxa in cultivation.
Taxa of potential economic importance continue to be targeted for the Millennium Seed Bank.
Other families
Ginger (Zingiber officinale) was selected as one of the 25 Asian species for the Plant Cultures website (www.plantcultures.co.uk).
Taxa of potential economic importance continue to be targeted for the Millennium Seed Bank.
Conservation and Environmental Monitoring (2001-2005)
Palms
Through the Threatened Plants Appeal, three endangered Madagascar palm species have become the focus of conservation work, involving exploration of remaining wild populations and conservation genetic approaches. Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphisms (AFLP) and microsatellite data collection is now complete. As part of the project, a MSc student from Madagascar has completed a detailed study of the demography of Beccariophoenix madagascariensis and is now embarking on a PhD project on palm conservation. A second student from Madagascar has completed a PhD on the seed biology and conservation of Ravenea rivularis. Both students have been supervised by Kew staff. Related research in Mauritius on the Conservation of Hyophorbe has led to the publication of new micropropagation protocols that will help protect the endangered H. lagenicaulis, and potentially save H. amaricaulis, now represented by a single specimen, from extinction.
Information derived from the Semina Palmarum project is being targeted at improving seed storage protocols for palms and will improve the potential for conservation of palms through seed banking.
A survey of the conservation value of botanic garden palm collections has been published in Biological Conservation. In addition, IUCN conservation assessments have been published for 22 species, some based on GIS methodologies. Over 4,000 specimens of palms from New Guinea and Madagascar have been databased and georeferenced as part of initiatives to generate GIS-based IUCN conservation assessments for the 400+ species of palm that occur in those regions. Two Kew staff have been invited to participate in the relaunched IUCN Palm Specialist Group.
Grasses
Conservation information is included in all our taxon accounts while taxa of conservation importance continue to be collected for the Millennium Seed Bank.
Sedges
Conservation information is included in all our taxon accounts and we continue to provide advice on sedges of conservation importance. We also target taxa of conservation importance in collections for the Millennium Seed Bank.
Work on the conservation genetics of Carex depauperata and on hybridisation between Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani and S. triqueter was published in 2003.
We are developing mapping to show past and present distributions of Thai sedges. This work aims to monitor changes in distributions which may be linked to environmental degradation and determine conservation priorities for the family and threatened habitats in which Cyperaceae occur.