P. Mick Richardson, Ph.D.

richards@mobot.org

Education

B.S. (Botany),University of Durham, 1972
Ph.D. (Plant Sciences) King's College, University of London,1979

Selected Publications

1989. Chemosystematics of the Pteridophytes. Biochem. Syst. Ecol. 17: 89-174 [with G. Cooper-Driver, editors].
1989. The tropical arms race - strategies for survival. In The Rainforests: A Celebration, (Silcock, L., ed.), pp. 65-68, Barrie & Jenkins, London.
1990. Flavonoid chemistry and the taxonomy of cycads. Memoirs New York Botanical Garden 57: 132-141.
1992. Structure, biosynthesis, evolution, and physiological and ecological roles of plant flavonoids and related compounds important in chemoprevention. In Cancer Chemoprevention (Wattenburg, L., Lipkin, M., Boone, C. W. and Kelloff, G. J. (eds.), pp. 353-360, CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida.
1992. The chemistry of the Labiatae: An introduction and an overview. In Advances in Labiate Science, R. M. Harley and T. Reynolds (eds.), pp 291-297, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Research Interests

My main research interest is the occurrence of plant secondary compounds, especially phenolic and terpene substances, and their use as taxonomic characters. In particular, I am interested in flavonoids and tannins and their evolution within land plants. The use of cladistic methodology and the search for taxonomic congruence between chemical and other data sets are crucial if we are to understand the phylogenetic relationships of plants. Other interests include the role of secondary compounds in the interactions of plants with other organisms and the use of these substances by humans.

Graduate Students

Jennifer Hedin. USA. Ph.D. student at Washington University. Systematics of neotropical Salacia (Hippocrateaceae). Climbing plants are an understudied group of tropical plants. Jennifer began work on a neotropical group in the genus but the work expanded to West Africa in the search for a monophyletic group. Herbarium studies, SEM work and intensive fieldwork are the basis of this study. The fieldwork was supported by the National Science Foundation and the Mellon Foundation.
Ivón Ramirez. Venezuela. Ph.D. student at UM-St. Louis. Systematics of Cryptanthus (Bromeliaceae). This bromeliad has a Society all of its own. However, the systematics of the group is poorly known. Herbarium studies, electrophoretic analysis, and field work in Brazil are unravelling the phylogenetic mysteries both within and around this group. Ivon was also awarded an internship at Marie Selby Garden where she worked on their living collections. Fieldwork supported by the International Center for Tropical Ecology, the Mellon Foundation, and the Bromeliad Society.
Carlos Reynel. Peru. Ph.D. student at UM-St. Louis. Systematics of neotropical Zanthoxylum (Rutaceae). This genus of woody plants is a key element in plant succession of degraded tropical sites and holds great economic potential. Wood anatomy has been crucial in determining the phylogenetic relationships within the genus, aided by a Fellowship from the USDA Wood Products Lab. Fieldwork in South America was supported by the Compton Foundation and the Mellon Foundation.