Exploring Botanical Diversity: Plant Systematics and Ethnobotany
We study the phylogeny, evolution, and taxonomy of angiosperms and the relationships and direct interactions between people and culturally significant plants. Our goals are to discover patterns of diversity across time and space and apply what we learn to enhance understanding of the origins of flowering plant diversity, construct and revise meaningful classifications, elucidate the effects of human activities on plant evolution, and inform efforts to conserve biological diversity and traditional knowledge. Our lab members come from diverse graduate groups including Plant Biology, Ecology, and Horticulture and Agronomy.
Interests: Systematics, Taxonomy, Phylogeny Reconstruction, Floristics, Ethnobotany, Human uses and perceptions of plants, Cultivated plants and wild relatives, Traditional vegetation management