Overview | Databases | Distribution | Image Galleries | Links | Literature
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The
Myristicaceae Pages Overview | Databases | Distribution | Image Galleries | Links | Literature |
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OVERVIEW
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Overview of the Myristicaceae Pages
Introduction The purpose of this website is to post information and images for the Myristicaceae. As the site builds, information on the diversity, ecology, evolution, taxonomy, and ethnobotany of the Myristicaceae will be presented. Digital identification keys and genus pages will be posted, and these will be database-driven so that update of the database will automatically add information to the website. This current version offers a short introduction, a searchable database and interactive maps for the Neotropical genus Compsoneura, and an image gallery of around 2500 images. We have also included a page of Internet links and a list of literature references for the Myristicaceae that will be expanded as new information is found. The Mryisticaceae family of flowering plants, known as the source of the spices nutmeg and mace, is exclusively tropical in geographic distribution. Of 19 genera and perhaps 500 species, most members inhabit lowland wet forests (rainforests) of the world, although some are found in montane regions. They are found in tropical America, Africa, Madagascar, and the Indo-Malaysian region. The family is species-rich in South America, especially the Amazon Basin, and in the Malaysian region, especially in New Guinea and the Phillipines. In ecological and ethnobotanical studies of tropical wet lowland forest communities, the Myristicaceae often ranks among the most important tree families based on species frequency as well as species diversity. Due to this importance, the Myristicaceae is an ideal family for studying general patterns of tropical forest diversity. In this sense, a clarified understanding of the Myristicaceae family will contribute information to the general understanding of tropical forests of the world.
Other Investigators of the Myristicaceae
Call for Collaboration Ultimately, the best way to further understanding of the Myristicaceae is through cooperation and collaboration with other researchers and even locals in countries where this family occurs. Correspondence with Dr. William Rodrigues (Brazil) has provided some of the information presented through this web site. I am especially thankful to him for providing information on the many interesting Neotropical species, especially as they occur in Brazil. His knowledge of Virola spans numerous years of studying this complex genus. Herve Sauquet, currently a Ph.D. student in France, has experimented with phylogenetic analysis of the Myristicaceae, which has directed him to broader systematic studies of the Magnoliales. I am interested in collaborations involving the Myristicaceae. I have collected many specimens and samples of Myristicaceae species in Central and South America, and have accumulated a general collection of genera of the world. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have an interest in this family. If you are a graduate student looking for a project, let's talk. If you are an established lab researcher looking for an interesting project, let me know. I am willing and open to set up collaborations that will lead to better understanding of the nutmeg family (and ultimately to hard-copy and/or electronic collaborative publication).
Requests for Myristicaceae Plant Material Although field work has been and will continue to be conducted, there are never enough samples to represent the Myristicaceae of the world. More herbarium specimens would be welcomed. I am willing to make identifications of Myristicaceae on specimen loan or gift-for-determination. I am interested in the following material representing the Myristicaceae family. Depending on the situation, I am willing to pay for shipping and handling, and have also been known to support with minimal funds the collection of interesting and/or new species or populations of the Myristicaceae. I am also willing to help with general costs such as export permits and shipping. Here is a list of material that we are interested in recieving, purchasing, and/or trading for:
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