RESEARCH IN NATHALIE NAGALINGUM'S LAB GROUP FOCUSES
ON THE EVOLUTION OF FERNS AND GYMNOSPERMS

RECENT NEWS

• We have our first NGS data from cycads in northern Australia! Read a report on our progress.
• Nathalie and James attended the CYCAD 2015 conference and IUCN Cycad Specialist group meeting in Medellin, Colombia. See the conference program, and read their abstracts on the conference website.
• Honours student Christopher Donovan is examining morphological variation across the geographical range of the Pacific island cycad Cycas seemannii.

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THE CYCAS CLASSIFICATION GROUP

Premise.  With 107 species, Cycas is the most diverse and widespread of all the cycad genera. Currently, Cycas is segregated into six sections; however, at the time of publication, Hill (2004) noted that “placement of a number of species… is uncertain”, and that the classification was an “informal interim arrangement”. To assist in the conservation of this iconic but threatened group, a modern phylogeny and classification are needed.

Data.  For this project, new DNA sequence data for all species are needed to generate a new phylogeny as a framework. In addition, morphological characters will be reviewed. The molecular phylogeny and morphological data will then be used to produce the first comprehensive infrageneric classification for the genus.

All members of the cycad community are welcome to join this project.  You can participate by:

• donating leaf tissue to be used for generating DNA sequences
• assisting in the coding of morphological characters
• providing input on the circumscription of sections.

For more information and to join the Cycas classification group, contact Nathalie Nagalingum:
nathalie.nagalingum -at- rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au



We are located at the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney.

CONTACT DETAILS
Address: Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, Mrs Macquaries Road, Sydney, NSW, Australia, 2000
Location of the herbarium: Google maps link
Phone:  +61 2 9231 8111 for reception
Email: nathalie.nagalingum -at- rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au