Details:
Dr. Alford will share the story of how unusual spurge plants in Mississippi were ultimately recognized as a new species occurring infrequently throughout the southeastern United States. Mississippi Natural Heritage program scientists had suspicions about the classification of this "thing" for decades, and a graduate student and Honors student at the University of Southern Mississippi followed up with targeted field work, statistics, and genetics. Thought to be a new species, examination of type specimens turned up a close match described over a century ago and subsequently ignored. Their work highlights the unrecognized diversity that may be overlooked and the work, time, and collaboration needed to solve species problems.
