Welcome to my lab website. I am an evolutionary biologist specializing in angiosperms. My research interests include systematics, natural history, and evolution of angiosperms. Current major projects include, 1) floristics in the Philippines, and 2) higher-level phylogenetic studies of Melastomataceae, using a global, multi-locus, molecular phylogeny that serves as a foundation for a revised familial classification and biogeographical analyses. Additionally, I am conducting species-level phylogenetic investigations using molecular and morphological characters on several tribes, with a particular focus on the Pyxidantheae (Blakea and Chalybea).
I am especially interested in character evolution, mainly as pertains to plant-animal interactions and ecology. The Melastomataceae have fascinating relationships with pollinators ranging from highly specialized bees, to hummingbirds, passerines, bats, and even rodents. They also have mutualistic associations with ants and mites that live inside of domatia that are produced by the plants.