Australian Tropical Herbarium

Matt Barrett

Matt Barrett

Darren Crayn

Darren Crayn

Mel Harrison

Mel Harrison

Stuart Worboys

Stuart Worboys

Frank Zich

Frank Zich

Mountain plant conservation (Old ID 26539)
Darren Crayn
01 Jul 2019 - 30 Jun 2024
This project will enable us to secure the future of Australia's climate-threatened tropical mountaintop plants. We will do this by building a multi-strategy ex-situ conservation reserve to 'backup' at-risk wild populations and support research, display and education. Our novel research on seed banking strategies, genetic diversity and plant tolerance of extreme climates will ensure that the reserve collections, distributed across multiple Botanic Gardens and Seed Banks along Australia's east coast, incorporate high redundancy, are genetically and physiologically diverse, and climatically matched to wild habitat.
Improving Kava production efficiency through genetics (Old ID 26574)
Darren Crayn
01 Jul 2019 - 30 Jun 2020
This project aims to improve the efficiency of kava (Piper methysticum) production by helping develop a test to distinguish between ‘noble’ and ‘two-day’ kava varieties. We will assess genetic diversity in wild and cultivated samples from across Vanuatu, and look for genetic markers that are unique to one variety or the other. This will improve the ability of kava growers and processors to produce consistently high quality product to help meet growing demand internationally.
Island Arks GBR Regional Ecosystem mapping (Old ID 27874)
Darren Crayn
02 Jan 2023 - 30 Jun 2025
The Queensland Government has committed to expand Queensland’s protected area estate on islands in the GBR. To deliver this commitment, the Great Barrier Reef Island Arks Acquisition Project has been established. This project will contribute information on regional ecosystems of selected islands targeted for acquisition, providing improved conservation outcomes, opportunities to work with Traditional Owners to co-manage key ecological and cultural sites, and promote new ecotourism offerings.
Genomics for Australian Plants – Phylogenomics Project (Old ID 26702)
Darren Crayn
01 Jan 2020 - 30 Jun 2022
The Genomics for Australian Plants initiative aims to develop genomics resources to enhance our understanding of the evolution and conservation of the unique Australian flora. We will (1) sequence and assemble representative Australian plant genomes across the plant tree of life to enable better conservation, utilisation and understanding of Australia’s unique plant diversity; (2) build genomic capacity across Australian Botanic Gardens and Herbaria to create networks collaborating in the collection, management, dissemination and application of genomic data for Australian plants; and (3) provide tools to enable genetic data to be used to identify and classify biodiversity at a range of scales and to use these tools to inform conservation management and enable better decision making.
Micropropagation of Eucalyptus cloeziana chemovar. (Old ID 25089)
Darren Crayn
30 Jun 2018 - 30 Jun 2023
This project will establish a methodology to produce clonal plants of a eucalypt that is being trialled as a natural source of a new insecticide.
Quinkan BushBlitz (Old ID 23229)
Darren Crayn
03 Mar 2017 - 02 Mar 2018
This project involves surveys on remote sandstone country on Cape York, with the purpose of discovering new species of plants. All discoveries will be written upin the scientific and popular literature and media. The data gathered will contribute significantly to the knowledge of the biodiversity of tropical Australia and will underpin effective management and conservation planning.
Patterns of diversification and trait evolution in Australasian orchids
Darren Crayn
05 Jun 2023 - 02 Apr 2026
This PhD research explores patterns of diversification and trait evolution in Australasian orchids based on genomic and trait datasets using phylogenomic analyses, divergence time estimation, ancestral trait reconstruction, ancestral range reconstruction and diversification rate analyses. The study will generate and analyse genomic and trait datasets, clarify evolutionary relationships in selected Australasian orchid lineages, provide insights into the origins and spatio-temporal evolution and character trait evolution on the diversification of Australasian orchids.
Phylogenomic insights into the spatio-temporal evolution of Australasian Bulbophyllum (Orchidaceae) (Old ID 23424)
Darren Crayn
01 Jun 2017 - 31 Dec 2017
Bulbophyllum (Orchidaceae) comprises one of the three largest plant genera with more than 2000 species. This project uses DNA sequence data to reconstruct phylogenetic relationships within the diverse Asian and Australasian taxa (~1700 species). Additionaly, within species genetic diversity is mapped for two species endemic to Australia's Wet Tropics mountain tops. The project is significant for establishing a framework phylogeny for this diverse genus and fine scale population sampling to identify phylogeographic patterns within species endemic to Wet tropics mountain tops where significant climate shifts are expected in the coming decades. Outcomes include a genetic database and peer reviewed manuscripts.
Phylogenomic insights into the spatio-temporal evolution of Australasian Bulbophyllum (Orchidaceae) (Old ID 26479)
Darren Crayn
12 Jun 2019 - 31 Dec 2019
Domestic travel to Model-based species delimitation workshop to be held in Canberra 12-14 June, 2019.
Analysis on the Variation of Australian Garcinia using Diversity Array Technology (Old ID 23206)
Darren Crayn
01 Mar 2017 - 30 Nov 2017
Garcinia (Clusiaceae) is one of the common genera in the tropics, including Australia. The Plant List records 611 species but includes synonyms (The Plant List, 2015). This genus comprises approximately 271 species (Stevens, 2007) but might reach up to 500 spp. (Jones, 1980). A global revision of Garcinia is not yet available and the total number of the species is still unknown. However, the Australian Garcinia has recently been revised resulting in 12 known species of Garcinia that can be found in this region (Cooper, 2013). The distribution of Garcinia in Australia is from the Torres Strait Island to the Kirrama Range, including the entire Wet Tropics bioregion. This grant will support the finding of new information for the Australian Garcinia. The DArT analysis is a new technique applied to Garcinia which will increase and support the previous data that used only one region of the nuclear DNA. This information will give a better understanding of the molecular variation of the Australian Garcinia and help resolve the phylogenetic differences between closely related taxa that otherwise would not be possible.

Contrasting levels of connectivity and localised persistence characterise the latitudinal distribution of a wind-dispersed rainforest canopy tree

The Sahul–Sunda floristic exchange: dated molecular phylogenies document Cenozoic intercontinental dispersal dynamics

Pollen morphology of the Myrtaceae. Part 3: tribes Chamelaucieae, Leptospermeae and Lindsayomyrteae

Using phylogenetic diversity to identify ancient rain forest refugia and diversification zones in a biodiversity hotspot

Chloroplast genome of novel rice germplasm identified in Northern Australia

Typification of some names in Epacridoideae (Ericaceae)

Contrasting photosynthetic characteristics of forest vs. savanna species (far north Queensland, Australia)

Paleo-Antarctic rainforest into the modern Old World tropics: the rich past and threatened future of the "southern wet forest survivors"

Photosynthetic pathways in Bromeliaceae: phylogenetic and ecological significance of CAM and C3 based on carbon isotope ratios for 1893 species

Phylodiversity to inform conservation policy: an Australian example

Title: Centre for Tropical Biodiversity and Climate Change Management Committee
Reseracher: Darren Crayn (Director, Australian Tropical Herbarium)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2014
Title: Australian Orchid Foundation Research Committee
Reseracher: Darren Crayn (Director, Australian Tropical Herbarium)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2013
Title: Australian Barcode of Life Network Steering Committee
Reseracher: Darren Crayn (Director, Australian Tropical Herbarium)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2012
Title: Wet Tropics Management Authority Scientific Advisory Committee
Reseracher: Darren Crayn (Director, Australian Tropical Herbarium)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2011
Title: National Environmental Research Program, Tropical Ecosystems Hub Rainforest Working Group
Reseracher: Darren Crayn (Director, Australian Tropical Herbarium)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2011
End Date: 01 Jan 2014
Title: Tropical Indigenous Ethnobotany Centre - Coordinating Committee member
Reseracher: Darren Crayn (Director, Australian Tropical Herbarium)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2011
Title: Council of Heads of Australasian Herbaria
Reseracher: Darren Crayn (Director, Australian Tropical Herbarium)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2010
Title: Daintree Rainforest Observatory Scientific Committee
Reseracher: Darren Crayn (Director, Australian Tropical Herbarium)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2009
Title: Australian Biological Resources Study Advisory Committee
Reseracher: Darren Crayn (Director, Australian Tropical Herbarium)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2009
End Date: 01 Jan 2014
Title: Herbarium NE International Review Panel
Reseracher: Darren Crayn (Director, Australian Tropical Herbarium)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2009
End Date: 01 Jan 2009