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Dr Peter Wilson

Principal Research Scientist
Email
peter.wilson@rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au
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Research Interests

I am a systematic botanist researching Australian native plant groups, primarily the family Myrtaceae, a prominent component of almost all vegetation types in Australia, but also the native and naturalised species of the legume genus Indigofera.

Current Projects

  • Phylogeny of Myrtaceae, tribe Xanthostemoneae – funded by a Hermon Slade Foundation grant
  • Systematics and phylogeny of Myrtaceae, tribe Chamelaucieae (the Geraldton Wax group)
  • Systematics of Myrtaceae, tribe Leptospermeae (the Tea Tree group), particularly the relationship of species of Leptospermum that have persistent, woody fruits with those that have non-persistent fruits
  • Phylogeny of Haloragis exalata (Haloragaceae) and its allies – funded (2016–2017) by an Australian Biological Resources Study Bush Blitz Strategic Taxonomy Grant
  • Systematics of Australian species of Indigofera (Fabaceae)

Publication highlights: Myrtaceae

For a complete publication list, see my ResearchGate and Google Scholar profiles.

  • O’Brien MM, Quinn CJ, Wilson PG (2000) Molecular systematics of the Leptospermum suballiance (Myrtaceae). Australian Journal of Botany 48: 621–628.
  • Lam N, Wilson PG, Heslewood MM, Quinn CJ (2002) A phylogenetic analysis of the Chamelaucium alliance (Myrtaceae). Australian Systematic Botany 15: 535–543.
  • Wilson PG, O’Brien MM, Heslewood MM, Quinn CJ (2005) Relationships within Myrtaceae sensu lato based on a matK phylogeny. Plant Systematics & Evolution 251: 3–19.
  • Basinger JF, Greenwood DR, Wilson PG, Christophel DC (2007) Fossil flowers and fruits of capsular Myrtaceae from the Eocene of South Australia. Canadian Journal of Botany 85: 204–215.
  • Wilson PG, Heslewood MM, Quinn CJ (2007) Re-evaluation of the genus Babingtonia (Myrtaceae) in Eastern Australia and New Caledonia. Australian Systematic Botany 20: 302–318.
  • Morin L, Aveyard R, Lidbetter JR, Wilson PG (2012) Investigating the host-range of the rust fungus Puccinia psidii sensu lato across tribes of the family Myrtaceae present in Australia. PLoS ONE 7(4): e35434.
  • Tarran M, Wilson PG, Hill RS (2016) Oldest record of Metrosideros (Myrtaceae): Fossil flowers, fruits and leaves from Australia. American Journal of Botany 103:754–768.
  • Tarran M, Wilson PG, Macphail MK, Jordan GJ, Hill RS (2017) Two new fossil species of Metrosideros (Myrtaceae) from the newly discovered Golden Fleece locality in the Oligo-Miocene of Tasmania, Australia. American Journal of Botany 104: 891–904.
  • Tarran M, Wilson PG, Paull R, Jordan GJ, Hill RS (2018) Identifying fossil Myrtaceae leaves: the first described fossils of Syzygium from Australia. American Journal of Botany 105: 1748–1759.
  • Rye BL, Wilson PG, Heslewood MM, Perkins A, Thiele KR (in press) A new subtribal classification of Myrtaceae tribe Chamelaucieae. Australian Systematic Botany

Publication highlights: Indigofera

  • Wilson PG, Rowe R (2004) A revision of the Indigofereae (Fabaceae) in Australia. 1. Indigastrum and the simple or unifoliolate species of Indigofera. Telopea 10:651–682.
  • Wilson PG, Rowe R (2008) A revision of the Indigofereae (Fabaceae) in Australia. 2. Indigofera species with trifoliolate and alternately pinnate leaves. Telopea 12: 293–307.
  • Wilson PG, Rowe R (2015) Additional taxa of Indigofera (Fabaceae: Indigofereae) from the Eremaean Botanical Province, Western Australia. Nuytsia 25: 251–284.

Affiliations and committees

Member, Australian Plant Census working group
Associate Editor, Australian Systematic Botany
Member, Committee for Vascular Plants, International Association for Plant Taxonomy

Scientific curatorial responsibilities in herbarium

 Cannabaceae, Haloragaceae, Myrtaceae