Friends of plants and
conservation,
Research –– with documentation and
dissemination of the results –– is central in botanical science and especially
in providing a basis for conservation efforts.
With this in mind, here is a brief report on my major activities for
2009.
My full-time employment involves
contributions toward developing volumes of the Flora of North America, and my
publications eventually will be more fully reflected in this as volumes
continue to appear in print. My
botanical interests are broad, and I also spend time on other projects. A complete account of publications,
representative publications, and other research
and writing is on my Web site.
In 2009, my research has been reported
in 22 publications. Another 17
manuscripts are either ‘in press’ (6) or ‘submitted’ (11), and others are in
various stages of progress. Among those
published, I have collaborated in authorship with 15 researchers from Texas and
elsewhere. In connection with these
projects, I have studied in the field and at museum collections (on site) in
Arkansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas.
Some
of the subjects of my scientific publications in 2009 are these:
* a
taxonomic treatment of the Diapensia family (Diapensiaceae) in Flora of
North America Vol. 8. Additionally I’ve
submitted FNA treatments of 32 other genera in various families (Rose, Wood
Sorrel, Buckthorn, Bean, Silk Tassel, Aralia, Olive, Melastome, Mint, Verbena,
and Figwort) –– these to be published in volumes appearing through about
2012.
* three
manuscripts published in documentation of taxonomic concepts in wood sorrels (Oxalis),
to appear as a more abbreviated account in the FNA treatment.
* a
reassessment of the taxonomy of a goldenrod species (Solidago petiolaris),
with description of a new variety from eastern New Mexico and trans-Pecos
Texas.
*
large-leaf buckthorn (Frangula obovatifolia) a shrub of northern
Arizona, Nevada, Utah, and Colorado is recognized to be distinct in
leaf morphology and geography and is treated for the first time as a separate
species.
* a
taxonomic overview of privets (Ligustrum) naturalized in the United States. Eight species, all from Asia or Europe are
known to occur outside of cultivation -- three of these are damaging invasives
in Texas and the southern USA.
* species
of Darwiniothamnus, shrubs endemic to the Galapagos Islands, are derived
from ancestors native to Mexico and the Caribbean region. A closely related Galapagos species is
derived from South American ancestors and reached the islands independently of
the Darwiniothamnus species.
* an
account of the non-native species that are naturalized in Texas. There are 820 species of these plants, about
15% of all the plant species in Texas.
Some of the non-natives are hardly “invasive,” but many definitely are
and many are ecologically and economically damaging. Each of the 820 is ranked in degree of invasiveness and
ecological/economic impact, according to a system developed for this
project. I presented talks on this
research at the Texas Plant Conservation Conference (September 09) and the
Texas Invasive Plant and Pest Conference (November 09). The main points of the project were
described in a publication (J. Bot. Res. Inst. Texas, November 2009), but
because the information will continue to change, all of the information is
maintained and updated on my Web site (see Texas
Plants/Non-native page).
Detailed
studies of ash trees (Fraxinus) in North America have been conducted in
2009 in parallel with preparation of the FNA treatment of the genus –– the FNA
treatment is tentatively completed and 5 corollary manuscripts will be
submitted in 2010 for publication.
Photos of leaf surfaces (scanning electron microscope) show distinctive
differences between major species groups.
“White ash” is not just a single species, as previously recognized, but
three species, each with a different chromosome number and leaf
morphology. Pebbly ash is not a
distinct species, but rather an intergrading expression of velvet ash. Berlandier’s ash has a much wider geographic
ranges than previously recognized.
These studies are particularly significant in a conservation context,
because all North American species of ash are threatened by an Asian beetle
that bores into the wood and kills the trees –– efforts are underway by the
USDA to establish seed banks for ash trees from wide areas.
“Learning
about other species: an updated component of a liberal arts
education”
–– this essay (published 2009) suggests that a first-hand knowledge of species
other than our own is one of the most effective ways of developing an
appreciation for life on Earth and a more committed stewardship of the
planet. A know-the-species course
should be a significant part of a liberal arts education, and in the essay the suggested
course is integrated into a updated liberal arts curriculum of four major
areas. Coauthor: Alan L. Weakley,
University of North Carolina. The essay
can be read on my Web site (see Non-technical publications) .
Another non-technical essay, “Name changes in Aster,” gives the
rationale for division of the genus Aster into smaller genera. More than half of the North American species
originally named as Aster now are placed in the genus Symphyotrichum. Others have gone to equally obscure names
such as Almutaster, Ampelaster, Canadanthus, Chloracantha,
Doellingeria, Eucephalus, Eurybia, Oclemena, Oreostemma,
and Sericocarpus. Only two
species of “true” Aster now grow outside of gardens in the USA, one
native and one escaped from cultivation.
Links to other popular,
semi-technical, and technical explanations of aster taxonomy and related
information also are included.
Fort Worth city parks and their plants
are described in an online series, with photos and descriptions of interesting
things to see in each park and the plants that grow in each. Park descriptions, photos, and maps are on
my Web site (see Texas
Plants/links to Fort Worth parks). So far, I’ve posted Overton Park/Foster Park, Trinity Park, Forest Park, Tillery Park, Kelly Park,
Rockwood Park, Ed
Collett Park, and Lake Como Park, and at least 14 other parks will be included
within the next two years. Hopefully
this project will be useful to the city and to a larger conservation effort ––
the opportunity to maintain populations of locally-adapted native trees and
shrubs, even in small parks, will become more valuable as natural populations
continue to be diminished and degraded.
My FNA research is supported through
contract with the Flora of North America Association. I also do non-botanical technical and scientific writing/editing
on a contractual basis. I am a Research
Affiliate of the University of Texas (Austin) Plant Resources Center.
Sincerely,
Guy
Nesom
31
Dec 2009
Fort
Worth, Texas 76109
By email and letter to Jason Best, Brooke Byerley,
Pam Chamberlain, Tammie Crole, Pat Dorraj, Christian
Franklin, Tiana Franklin, Robert George, Pat Harrison, John Janovec, Gary Jennings, Bob Johns, Amber Keller, Cleve Lancaster, Barney Lipscomb,
Keri McNew, Patty Marksteiner, Amanda Neill, Michelle Schneider, Kathy Scott, Judy Secrest, Sy Sohmer, Becca Swadek, Mathias Tobler; Harry Bartel, Ed Bass, Carroll Collins, David H. Diesslin, Nowell
Donovan, Craig Hamilton, Bonnie Jacobs, Louis Jacobs, Tim McKinney, Darlene Mann, John Mitchell, Bob O'Kennon, Elaine Petrus, George Sumner, John
Ubelaker; Tony
Burgess, Ernest Couch, Ray Drenner, Amanda Hale, John Horner, Glenn Kroh; Maureen Kearney, Elizabeth Kellogg, Richard
McCourt, Scott Snyder, Gerald Guala, Samuel Scheiner; Dave Boufford, Luc Brouillet,
George Diggs, Wayne Elisens, Bruce Hoagland, Amy Buthod, Mark Fishbein, Ron Tyrl, Linda Watson, Craig
Freeman, Will McClatchey, Michael and Barbara MacRoberts, David Northington,
Peter Raven, Beryl Simpson, Mark Skinner, John Strother, Alan Weakley
jbest@brit.org; bbyerley@brit.org; pchamberlain@brit.org; tcrole@brit.org; pdorraj@brit.org;
cfranklin@brit.org; tfranklin@brit.org; rgeorge@brit.org; pharrison@brit.org;
jjanovec@brit.org; gjennings@brit.org; rjohns@brit.org; akeller@brit.org; clancaster@brit.org;
barney@brit.org; kmcnew@brit.org; pmarksteiner@brit.org; aneill@brit.org;
mschneider@brit.org; kscott@brit.org; jsecrest@brit.org; ssohmer@brit.org;
rswadek@brit.org; mtobler@brit.org; hbartel@canteyhanger.com; david@diesslin.com;
r.donovan@tcu.edu; craig@chamilton.com; bjacobs@smu.edu;
jacobs@smu.edu;
tmckinney@uwmtc.org; jmitchell@nybg.org; okennon@brit.org; ubelaker@smu.edu; t.burgess@tcu.edu;
e.couch@tcu.edu; r.drenner@tcu.edu; a.hale@tcu.edu; J.Horner@tcu.edu; g.kroh@tcu.edu; cblevins@tfs.tamu.edu;
Suzanne.Tuttle@fortworthgov.org; Melinda.Adams@fortworthgov.org;
Melanie.Migura@fortworthgov.org; Michelle.Villafranca@fortworthgov.org; Jackie.Poole@tpwd.state.tx.us;
dwaitt@wildflower.org; srieff@wildflower.org; oxley@wildflower.org; jbergan@tnc.org;
mkearney@nsf.gov; ekellogg@nsf.gov;
rmccourt@nsf.gov; sdsnyder@nsf.gov; gguala@nsf.gov; sscheine@nsf.gov; david_boufford@harvard.edu; luc.brouillet@umontreal.ca;
gdiggs@austincollege.edu;
elisens@ou.edu;
bhoagland@ou.edu;
amybuthod@ou.edu; mark.fishbein@okstate.edu; rj.tyrl@okstate.edu;
linda.watson10@okstate.edu; karen.hickman@okstate.edu; ccfree@ku.edu;
mcclatch@hawaii.edu; Michael.MacRoberts@lsus.edu; dknorth@dinipartners.com;
Peter.Raven@mobot.org; beryl@mail.utexas.edu; Mark.Skinner@one.usda.gov; strother@berkeley.edu;
weakley@bio.unc.edu; guynesom@sbcglobal.net