Category Archives: Molecular Evolution

Mountain Ashes tell the story ice age survival

Posted on January 27, 2010 by David Tng

A rather recent trend in molecular science has been to use the technique to extort genes to reveal the history of how a plant has extended it’s geographical distribution throughout time. I have written about how researcher James Worth used … Continue reading →

Posted in Biogeography, Eucalypts, Evolution, Hypotheses, Molecular Evolution, Trees | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Treubia – Making leaves their own way

Posted on January 9, 2010 by David Tng

Students of mosses (muscologists) have their agendas to see the Globe Moss when they come to Tasmania.  For students of liverworts (a.k.a hepaticologists), Tasmania houses yet another bryological treasure – a genus of liverworts known as Treubia. Worldwide, Treubia has … Continue reading →

Posted in Botanical Heritage, Botanical Oddities, Bryophytes, Molecular Evolution, Plant Morphology | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Looks don’t matter: the Thamnobryum disparity

Posted on December 22, 2009 by David Tng

We don’t look one bit alike, but we are family. That happens to be the story of a rather obscure group of bryophytes and exemplifies how drastically molecular technology is changing how bryophyte taxonomists study and classify this fascinating group … Continue reading →

Posted in Botany, Bryophytes, Key Characters, Molecular Evolution, Plant Morphology | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

The Myrtle Beech: profile of a true survivor

Posted on November 10, 2009 by David Tng

The Myrtle Beech (Nothofagus cunninghamii) is one of Tasmania’s icon trees, and is the dominant component of  Tasmania’s cool temperate rainforest. Where these dendrons attain their finest stature in some parts of Tasmania’s verdant Northwest and Northeast, they assemble grand … Continue reading →

Posted in Biogeography, Botanical Heritage, Botany, Evolution, Fossils, Molecular Evolution | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments