WeDigBio events: Arkansan botanists presenting about plants from near and far

The Plants of Arkansas project invites you to join us for three public presentations via Zoom offered during the WeDigBio event. Please find the titles, presenter information, dates/times, and links to register in advance for the Zoom meetings below:

On Thursday, April 8 from 8:00 – 9:00 am CDT, the senior botanist and herbarium collections manager at the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission, Brent Baker, will present “Glades of Arkansas.” If you transcribed specimens during the Glade Quest expedition series, this presentation will provide a lot of context about what glades are, the different types in Arkansas, and where they occur. He’ll also highlight glade plants in general and plants unique to certain types of glades. You can learn about the globally rare novaculite glades only found in the Ouachita Mountains, which we’ll be transcribing soon!

Register in advance for “Glades of Arkansas”:
https://ufl.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJctdu2uqjsiGtcvpKdYIFwr-l-y2NSgeuGl

On Friday, April 9 from 2:00 – 3:00 pm CDT, professor, associate chair, and curator of the Arkansas State University Herbarium, Dr. Travis Marsico, will present “The important role of herbaria in recent discoveries of invasive species risk from hitchhiking propagules at international seaports.” This seminar will focus on collaborative research investigating the introduction and risk associated with hitchhiking Federal Noxious Weeds and other non-native species. Some interesting taxonomic complexity associated with introduced species will be discussed, and the role of herbaria as permanent repositories of vouchers, including the cryptic Glandularia, and centers of research will be emphasized.

Register in advance for “The important role of herbaria in recent discoveries of invasive species risk from hitchhiking propagules at international seaports”:
https://ufl.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJUrdeisrjIuG9FaVB45OVsWyuitWLzETA7h

Left: Collection of Glandularia tenera from the Port of Savannah, Georgia, USA.  Above: Dark colored projections beyond the anthers of the flower of G. tenera, a diagnostic feature of the species.

On Saturday, April 10 from 11:00 am – 12:00 pm CDT, Dr. Travis Marsico will present “Plant species discoveries on Isla de Ometepe, Nicaragua.” This seminar will focus on graduate student research from Hazel K. Berrios and a sabbatical trip from Dr. Travis Marsico that investigated plant distribution patterns along the elevation gradient of Volcán Maderas in Nicaragua. Plant identifications are ongoing, and interesting finds, such as rare and endangered fern species, will be emphasized.

Register in advance for “Plant species discoveries on Isla de Ometepe, Nicaragua”:
https://ufl.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJElduGprz8uHtUtTSVk7EKGiR2hGMK71OlZ

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Above left: Lindsaea arcuata, an endangered fern species, growing on Volcán Maderas, Isla de Ometepe, Nicaragua.  Above right: abaxial leaf surface of L. arcuata, showing the marginal sori.