Plant Science Group Technical Talk: Dr Russell Barrett, Cleomaceae - the tangled web of Australian 'Spider Flowers'

The Cleomaceae are a family of about 10 genera and 300 species throughout the world tropics and warm temperate regions. Australian members of Cleomaceae are thought to have speciated across tropical Australia, presumably from a single dispersal event to this continent. Russell will discuss the use of a wide range of research tools including phylogenetics, and SEM microscopy to allow relationships and taxon limits to be understood. The highest diversity of Australian Cleome species is in the Kimberley region and the ‘Top End’ of the Northern Territory. The more widespread Cleome viscosa has spread through south-east Asia, and more recently become weedy in central America. Come along and get an understanding of how the process of taxonomic revision is undertaken.

Russell Barrett is currently based at the Australian National Herbarium, Canberra. Venue: Theatrette, ANBG.