Catherine Bush, adjunct assistant professor of biology, along with two former undergraduate research students (Brandi Griffin and Joshua Steele; Valdosta State University), a former M.S. graduate student (Elizabeth Mercer; Valdosta State University) and Katherine R. Goodrich, a flower-scent specialist from Widener University, published a research article in the current issue of the Journal of the Torrey Botanical Society.
The paper, entitled “Phylogenetic relationships of Asimina and Deeringothamnus (Annonaceae) based on morphology, floral scent chemistry and Inter-Simple Sequence Repeat data”, involved applying molecular, morphological and chemical data to elucidate the evolutionary relationships in two southeastern United States genera within an ancient, pantropical plant family. The results of the study support previous, unpublished data that the two genera are not independent monophyletic lineages, but instead show that Deeringothamnus is nested within Asimina. These findings will most likely result in taxonomic changes in the group, as well as a broader understanding of the evolution of these species.