In article ,
Monique Reed wrote:
I put the question whether mycorrhizal associations are useful in
orchid systematics to the systematists on the discussion group TAXACOM
and received this answer:
[snip]
Someone else volunteered "Tupac Otero and Mark Clements here at the
Centre for Plant Biodiversity Researchand the Australian National
Herbarium are looking at this issue in Australian Orchidaceae using a
range of molecular techniques, and Tupac has done similar research in
the neotropics."

Here's a bit of general blurb stolen from the ANH web site at
http://www.anbg.gov.au/cpbr/program/ua2001/#orchidaceae

quoting
Orchidaceae
M. Clements, D. Jones, I. Sharma, L. Juswara: The Centre's orchid
research group studies the biodiversity of the Australian Orchidaceae
in relation to those of related floras and to carry out systematic and
biological studies of these plants to elucidate their phylogenies.
This involves studies in: phylogeny, molecular and reproductive
biology of the family and specific taxonomic groups there in , e.g.
Diurideae, Pterostylideae and Dendrobinae; the systematics of the
Orchidaceae in countries in the SW Pacific and Melanesia in relation
to Australia; orchid mycorrhizal associations; in vitro propagation of
orchids including endangered species. The project also involves
compilation of photographic indices of Australian Orchidaceae and of
Orchidaceae types. The Orchidaceae is a major component of the world
flora (c. 35,000 species), and a significant number (c. 1200-1400) of
these occur in Australia and many more (c. 8-10,000) in the
surrounding region (New Zealand, New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Solomon
Islands, and other SW Pacific Island nations, Papua New Guinea,
Indonesia and the Philippines). A primary aim of our orchid research
is the enunciation of the orchids in Australia. The south-east
Asian-Australasian and Western Pacific regions is one of the richest
areas for orchids on earth containing representatives of most major
orchid groups including all the so-called primitive species. As such
it is an extremely important area in which to undertake research on
the Orchidaceae, especially in relation to its phylogeny and
classification and systematics. Numerous species of orchids remain to
be discovered and described from this region.
/quoting


Cheers, Phred.

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LID