SEM Studies of Two Riparian New-Caledonian Conifers Reveal Air Channels in Stem Wood; Field Observations

Two New Caledonian conifers, Dacrydium guillauminii and Retrophyllum minor, both of Podocarpaceae, occupy distinctive habitats in which roots are characteristically inundated. SEM studies of stem wood anatomy of both reveal characteristic vertical intercellular channels, not apparent in light microscope examination. These channels are regular in spacing as seen in radial sections and indefinite in vertical extent; they were observed only adjacent to rays. These channels, not reported in other conifers, are a potential source of aeration for roots and submersed stem portions. Other wood details are reported. In order to provide a more comprehensive picture of adaptation to these habitats, observations based on field work are provided: these conifers are not only adapted to little-varying inundation of stems and lower roots, they are subjected to much greater sunlight than are upland conifers of New Caledonia

Digitization workflows for flat sheets and packets of plants, algae, and fungi

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/141708/1/aps31500065.pd

Digitization Workflows for Flat Sheets and Packets of Plants, Algae, and Fungi

Effective workflows are essential components in the digitization of biodiversity specimen collections. To date, no comprehensive, community-vetted workflows have been published for digitizing flat sheets and packets of plants, algae, and fungi, even though latest estimates suggest that only 33% of herbarium specimens have been digitally transcribed, 54% of herbaria use a specimen database, and 24% are imaging specimens. In 2012, iDigBio, the U.S. National Science Foundation’s (NSF) coordinating center and national resource for the digitization of public, nonfederal U.S. collections, launched several working groups to address this deficiency. Here, we report the development of 14 workflow modules with 7–36 tasks each. These workflows represent the combined work of approximately 35 curators, directors, and collections managers representing more than 30 herbaria, including 15 NSF-supported plant-related Thematic Collections Networks and collaboratives. The workflows are provided for download as Portable Document Format (PDF) and Microsoft Word files. Customization of these workflows for specific institutional implementation is encouraged

Processing historic backlog: lessons learned

Part of SPNHC 2019 | https://osf.io/view/SPNHC201

From Thorne to APG IV: Reorganization of the Digital and Physical Collections of the Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden Herbarium

Since the mid 1960’s, the combined herbaria of Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden [RSA] and Pomona College [POM] have followed the classification system of Taxonomist and Curator, Dr. Robert F. Thorne (1920-2015). Thorne, whose research interests were largely centered on floristics and plant geography, is best known for his synoptic work to develop a classification system to accommodate all flowering plants. Nevertheless, Thorne was a strong proponent of an alphabetical arrangement of herbaria, and organized the RSA-POM collection accordingly. The last time the RSA-POM Herbarium experienced a major shift in the arrangement of its collection was nearly 20 years ago. Since that time, many outdated families that are no longer recognized – of which Thorne had recognized in his system of classification – have remained in the collection. Over the last two years, the RSA-POM Herbarium has been actively reorganizing both its digital and physical collections to follow the vascular plant families of the newest classification system, the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group (APG IV). Reorganization began with a complete overhaul of the herbarium’s database followed by curation of the physical collection. This presentation highlights the efforts in curating the digital and physical collections of the RSA-POM Herbarium, perspectives on collection reorganization, as well as challenges and limitations

From Thorne to APG IV: Reorganization of the Digital and Physical Collections of the Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden Herbarium

Since the mid 1960’s, the combined herbaria of Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden [RSA] and Pomona College [POM] have followed the classification system of Taxonomist and Curator, Dr. Robert F. Thorne (1920-2015). Thorne, whose research interests were largely centered on floristics and plant geography, is best known for his synoptic work to develop a classification system to accommodate all flowering plants. Nevertheless, Thorne was a strong proponent of an alphabetical arrangement of herbaria, and organized the RSA-POM collection accordingly. The last time the RSA-POM Herbarium experienced a major shift in the arrangement of its collection was nearly 20 years ago. Since that time, many outdated families that are no longer recognized – of which Thorne had recognized in his system of classification – have remained in the collection. Over the last two years, the RSA-POM Herbarium has been actively reorganizing both its digital and physical collections to follow the vascular plant families of the newest classification system, the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group (APG IV). Reorganization began with a complete overhaul of the herbarium’s database followed by curation of the physical collection. This presentation highlights the efforts in curating the digital and physical collections of the RSA-POM Herbarium, perspectives on collection reorganization, as well as challenges and limitations

Integrating Data Quality Feedback: a Data Provider's Perspective

The Herbarium of Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden [RSA-POM] is the third largest herbarium in California and consists of >1.2 million specimens, of which ~50% are digitized. As a data provider, RSA-POM publishes its data with several aggregators, including the Consortium of California Herbaria, JSTOR, Symbiota (which is subsequently pulled into iDigBio and GBIF), as well as its own local webportal. Each submission of data needs to be prepared and formatted according to the aggregator’s specifications for publication. Feedback on data quality (DQ) ranges from an individual user (often only a few records at a time) to large aggregators (frequently in large batches). While some DQ items are easy fixes with little time and effort to correct, others can be more challenging and often require expertise beyond the skillset of curatorial staff. In other instances, there are issues concerning an aggregator’s ability to provide updated data for repatriation. This talk will discuss the efforts of the RSA-POM Herbarium to provide data to various aggregators as well as perspectives on the challenges, limitations, and constraints when integrating DQ items from an aggregator back into the local database

A phylogenetic analysis of the genus Mertensia (Boraginaceae) Taxonomy, divergence times, and biogeography

This study explores the taxonomy, systematics, and biogeography of Mertensia. Mertensia is a monophyletic genus of herbaceous perennials that comprises 62 species in Asia, Beringia, North America, and circumboreal locales, with a geographic center of diversity in the western United States. The phylogenetic relationships of Mertensia have been uncertain, with placement in various tribes in subfamily Boraginoideae. Moreover, Mertensia has presented considerable taxonomic problems especially centered in broadly circumscribed taxa. Using a phylogenetic approach, we evaluate relationships within Boraginaceae, infer evolutionary lineages, and address problematic taxonomic circumscriptions. We applied DNA sequence data to a broad sampling of Boraginaceae and found strong support for the monophyly of Mertensia and Asperugo as its sister. Mertensia was strongly supported as a member of the tribe Cynoglosseae in Boraginoideae.Phylogenetic reconstructions using eleven chloroplast markers recovered three deep clades in Mertensia that included: (1) Asian taxa, a Beringian subclade, and a circumboreal subclade; (2) the Beringian M. rivularis; and (3) North American taxa. Although we recovered weak support for several deeper nodes in the North American clade, our results provided moderate to strong support for 12 subclades. Notable results include broadly circumscribed taxa (M. ciliata, M. lanceolata, M. oblongifolia, M. viridis) as polyphyletic; we recommend narrow circumscriptions for each of these taxa.Divergence times for Mertensia were estimated with molecular dating methods. Our results indicate that the stem lineage of Mertensia split from its nearest extant relative, Asperugo, 26.83-12.22 million years ago (Ma), followed by the first divergence in the crown group at 10.36-5.19 Ma. From geographic reconstructions we infer the ancestral area for Mertensia to have been Asia, or a widespread distribution encompassing parts of Asia, Beringia, and circumboreal locales, with a small probability of a North American ancestry. Initial range expansion of North American lineages occurred in Beringia and the Pacific Northwest 7.70-4.22 Ma, followed by diversification of three deep clades (Pacific Northwest, Southern Rocky Mountain, Central Rocky Mountain). The Southern Rocky Mountain and Central Rocky Mountain clades used the Rocky Mountains for range expansion from the Pacific Northwest, with subsequent range expansions in the American west

First report of rust of Sidalcea malviflora (dwarf checkerbloom) caused by Puccinia sherardiana in Washington State

Puccinia sherardiana is first reported on Sidalcea malviflora in Washington State. The rust occurs on many other taxa in the Malvaceae in numerous geographic locales, and seeds of S. malviflora are widely available for gardeners, but reports of the rust on S. malviflora are rare

A Study of the Vegetation and Floristic Diversity of Two Peatland Complexes of Post-Settlement Origin in Lake Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge, Coos County, New Hampshire

The floristic diversity and vegetation communities of Leonard Marsh and Harpers Meadow, two peatland complexes of recent origin within the Lake Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge in COOS County. New Hampshire, were investigated, The combined vascular floras of Leonard Marsh and Harpers Meadow consisted of 178 species. 111 of which occurred in both peatlands. The flora included two state-listed species, Eriophorum angustifolium subsp. angustifolium (endangered) and Lisiera cordata (threatened) Abundance and frequency data from 617 quadrats along 35 transects were analyzed by two-way indicator species analysis (TWINSPAN) and resulted in the recognition of nine vegetation cover types (CT): Thuja occidentalis-Alnus incana CT, the Picea CT, the Nemopanthus mucronatus Alnus incana CT, the Rhododendron canadense-Nemopanthus mucronatus CT, the Rhododendron canadense-Chamaedaplme maedaphne calyculata CT, the Chamaedaphne calyculata-Carex oligosperma CT, the Scheuchzeria palustris-Carex oligosperma CT, the Carex lasiocarpa- Chamaedaphne calyculata CT, and the Dulichium arundinaceum-Potentilla palustris CT. A tenth cover type consisting of aquatic vegetation, the Brasenia schreberi-Potamogeton spp. CT, was recognized based on qualitative field observations. Despite the recent formation of these peatland complexes following the construction of the Errol Dam in 1853, the vegetation composition of Leonard Marsh and Harpers Meadow shares broad similarities with peatlands in New England, the northcentral United States. and adjacent Canada. Leonard Marsh and Harpers Meadow are best classified as oligotrophic to weakly minerotrophic level peatland complexes occupying broad and shallow outwash plains. Historical records, botanical evidence, and patterns in basin topography suggest that terrestrialization and paludification have been critical processes in the post-settlement development of these two large peatland complexes