Plant Diversity Research
Our plant systematics research is about discovering, documenting and classifying plants, and understanding their relationships and evolution. The National Herbarium of NSW is the leading agency for plant systematics in New South Wales.
The primary focus of our research is the native flora of NSW, but we also take an active interest in plants of neighbouring states, countries and sources of naturalised plants - after all, plants don’t respond to political boundaries! We also investigate the evolutionary relationships of our native plants with those of other regions.
Our systematics research involves: discovering, naming and describing plant species, determining and characterising the relationships between plant taxa, and modifying plant classification to reflect improved knowledge of plant relationships.
Our research laboratories are based at the Royal Botanic Garden. Our scientists’ research is published in a number of scientific publications, including our plant systematics journal Telopea.
Current programs & projects
Our team
Manager
- Marco Duretto (Manager Plant Diversity) - Rutaceae, Goodeniaceae
Staff
- Elizabeth Brown (Botanist & Scientific Editor Telopea) - Lepidoziaceae, Fossombronia, Asterella, hepatics in Australia, wet tropics cryptogams, Styphelioideae
- Gary Chapple (Plant Information Network Officer)
- Wayne Cherry (Technical Officer PlantNET)
- Barry Conn (Principal Research Scientist) - Westringieae (Lamiaceae), Chloantheae (Lamiaceae), Lecantheae (Urticaceae), trees of Papua New Guinea, plants of Lord Howe Island, Logania (Loganiaceae)
- Carolyn Connelly (Molecular Laboratory Coordinator)
- Robert Coveny (Technical Officer) - Botanical Information Service
- Richard Jobson - phylogenetics, taxonomy, Lentibulariaceae, aquatic plants, systematics and evolution in plants and animals
- Seanna McCune (Senior Technical Officer) - Botanical Information Service
- Bob Makinson (Coordinator Centre for Plant Conservation) - Grevillea, Astrotricha
- Adam Marchant (Senior Technical Officer, Laboratory)- Restionaceae, Solanum, Camellia, Lavandula, bryophytes, Gymnopilus, Abildgaardieae, Juglans, Sporochnaceae
- Yola Metti (Technical Officer Algal Names Compiler)
- Alan Millar (Principal Research Scientist) - marine algae and invertebrates, Gelidiales
- Louisa Murray (Flora Botanist)
- Nathalie Nagalingum - ferns, cycads, gymnosperms, paleobotany, fossils, molecular dating, phylogenetics, diversity
- Andrew Orme (Technical Officer) - Botanical Information Service
- Matthew Renner (Postdoctoral Fellow)
- Barbara Weicek (Botanist) - Botanical Information Service
- Peter Weston (Senior Principal Research Scientist) - Proteaceae, Diurideae (Orchidaceae), basal-relictual angiosperms
- Karen Wilson (Senior Research Scientist) - Cyperaceae, Casuarinaceae, Juncaceae, Polygonaceae
- Peter Wilson (Senior Research Scientist) - Chamelaucium alliance (Myrtaceae), Myrtaceae clade of the order Myrtales, Babingtonia (Myrtaceae), Indigofera pratensis, Indigofereae (Fabaceae)
Honorary Research Associates
- Alan Archer - lichen taxonomy and chemotaxonomy; Graphidaceae of Australia and SE pacific region
- Barbara Briggs - Restionaceae, Poales, Ecdeicoleaceae, Australian Ranunculus, Australian Veroniceae, Proteaceae
- Carrick Chambers - biogeography and taxonomy of Blechnum, Pteridoblechnum, Stenochlaena and Brainea, taxonomy of the Cheilanthes in the Australian region
- Joy Everett - Austrostipa, Craspedia, Pycnosorus, Bauera
- Gwen Harden - rainforest florisitics and regeneration of rainforests
- Peter Hind - Research on the Ferns of Australia
- Peter Michael - weeds: taxonomy, biology, distribution and history, especially Oxalis
- Peter Olde - Systematics of Grevillea, phylogeny of Hakeinae
- George Orel - Camellia, China, new species, Theaceae, Viet Nam
- Christopher Quinn - systematics of Styphelioideae, Vittadinia complex, Astereae, Chamelaucium alliance, Myrtaceae, conifers
- Helen Ramsay - taxonomy and cytology of mosses
- Bettye Rees - Australian macrofungi, the former Cortinariaceae, Hebeloma, Gymnopilus, Phaeocollybia, Amantia poisoning, Fungimap
- Geoffrey Sainty - Waterplants, weeds
- John Thomson - biogeography and phylogeny of bracken ferns
Students
- Bo-Kyung Choi - Systematics of the tribe Boronieae (Rutaceae-Rutoideae) and related genera
- Daniel Clarke - Systematics of Ajuga australis sensu lato (Lamiaceae)
- Endymion Cooper - A revision of Lepidozia and Telaranea and an assessment of the phylogeny and biogeography of Lepidoziaceae subfamily Lepidozioideae
- Sarah Fayed - Phylogeny and pollination biology of Helicia (Proteaceae)
- Kerry Gibbons - Phylogeny and biogeography of Mitrasacme s. lat. (Loganiaceae)
- Peter Innes - Species limits in Allocasuarina rigida
- Tory Kuria - Phylogeny of Dillenia (Dilleniaceae)
- Emma McIntosh - Promiscuous Proteaceae: Hybridisation between native Australian Lomatia species
- Yola Metti - The morphology and molecular phylogeny of the red algal genus Laurencia from NSW
- Melita Milner (nee Baum) - Phylogeography of Lomatia and Telopea (Proteaceae)
- Paul Musili - Systematics studies in Schoenus L. (Schoeneae, Cyperaceae)
- Huy Chung Nguyen - Circumscription of Iand Merrillia (Sapindales: Rutaceae: Aurantioideae) and susceptibility of species and forms to huanglongbing
- Kirsten Proft - Systematics of Prostanthera lasianthos sensu lato (Lamiaceae)
- Caroline Puente-Lelievre - Systematics of the Leucopogon/Syphelia/Astroloma clade (Ericaceae subf. Syphelioideae)
- Matt Renner - Relationships of the Austral family Lepidoziaceae
- Trevor Wilson - Systematic Studies in Prostanthera (Lamiaceae)
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Serruria hirsuta (Cape Peninsula), Photo: Peter Weston
Casuarina sp. Guy Fawkes National Park, Photo: Emma McIntosh
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