Frank Almeda
2009
Frank has traveled to Brazil, Spain and Madagascar in 2009, as he continues his research on Systematics and phylogeny of Melastomataceae worldwide (with emphasis on Mexico/Central America, Andean South America, Brazil, and Madagascar); Chromosomal evolution of neotropical and paleotropical Melastomataceae; Cloud Forest floras of the Mesoamerican region; Historical biogeography and phylogeny of neotropical Symplocaceae; Flora of Marin County, California; Vegetation and flora of the Cerrado Biome Hotspot in Brazil; Drug discovery/biotic surveys and inventories of vascular plants and lichens in the rainforests of southern Madagascar.
Tom Daniel
2009
Tom visited Guatemala in 2009, to conduct field studies in remote regions of Guatemala supported by the National Geographic Society to 1) document occurrences of Acanthaceae, 2) relocate rare species known from a single collection (some of them made more than 100 years ago), and explore little-visited regions in an attempt to locate species unknown to science. Tom and his Guatemalan colleagues were able to locate 34 species of the shrimp plant family (Acanthaceae), including two that are new to science and two that were previously known only from a single collection. His collections and field observations are being used in an assessment of the biodiversity of Guatemala and will appear as a chapter in the book, Biodiversidad de Guatemala. A detailed account of the members of this large tropical family in Guatemala is also being prepared for publication.
2008
Tom also visited São Tomé & Príncipe in 2008, on a Botanical collecting trip on these two oceanic islands in the Gulf of Guinea. The expedition resulted in collection of numerous bryophytes, ferns, and flowering plants, including 15 of the 17 species of the shrimp plant family (Acanthaceae) occurring there. His collections extended the known distribution records of several of these species. A comprehensive account of Acanthaceae in this island nation that includes identification keys, images, ecological and geographic data, and conservation notes has been submitted for publication.
Peter Fritsch
2011
For 2011, Peter plans to go on the Philippines expedition mentioned below, and then he will spend three months in China (Jul 1-Sep 30) to conduct field work, write papers, and collect some molecular data. Also, he plans to attend (during that time) the International Botanical Congress in Melbourne Australia in July.
2010
Peter went to the Philippines in October for two weeks to prepare for an expedition planned for April-May of 2011. He also went to Providence, Rhode Island, to attend the American Society of Plant Taxonomists meeting and delivered a talk.
2009
Peter, conducted a field trip with a colleague from Wake Forest University to the state of Sabah, Malaysia, on the island of Borneo for three weeks in June-July 2009. The purpose of the trip was to find, study, and collect leaf samples of species of the flowering plant genus Diplycosia, in the heath family (Ericaceae). This group and its close relatives (Gaultheria, the wintergreen genus) is thought to have originated in the Northern Hemisphere at a time in the early Tertiary (Age of Mammals) when climate were much warmer, and during the advent of later cooling trends migrated southwards into the tropics and eventually became extinct in the north. Fritsch spent most of his time on Mt. Kinabalu, the highest peak on Borneo, with an elevation of 4095 meters (13,500 feet),where he was able to locate 15 species of Diplycosia. These are now being sampled for DNA sequences in the Academy’s molecular laboratory. With the DNA data, Fritsch will estimate the patterns and timing of speciation over geologic time to test the group’s postulated evolutionary history.