March 14th BCW Meeting! What is systematics and why do plant names keep changing?

Post date: Mar 6, 2017 7:50:24 PM

To what family do maples belong? Sapindaceae! (not Aceraceae). What is the genus name for 'shooting stars'? It's Primula! (not Dodecatheon). Many of us have experienced the frustration of learning that a plant family or genus name has been changed by taxonomists. Plant name changes are not new, but it seems that they have happened more dramatically in recent years as DNA sequence data is routinely used by plant systematists. Dr. Ken Cameron is Director of the WI State Herbarium, but also oversees his own molecular systematics research laboratory at UW-Madison. He will give an introductory lecture on and lead a discussion of the principles and methods of contemporary systematics, classification based on phylogeny, and an overview of the international rules of botanical nomenclature, in order to shed light on why plant names continue to change.

Where: 158 Birge Hall, 430 Lincoln Dr., University of Wisconsin, Madison.

Information on parking options can be found here: https://transportation.wisc.edu/parking/parking.aspx

When: Tuesday March 14th, 6:30-8:00 p.m.

Who: Open to the public.

Questions? Contact Kevin Doyle (kevinf.doyle@wisconsin.gov; 608 358-8867) or Mary Ann Feist (mfeist@wisc.edu; 608 890-1427).