Govaerts, Rafaël H.A.
Job TitleSenior Checklist Compiler
DepartmentHerbarium
SectionMonocot Systematics
Science Teams:
- Lamiaceae
- Large-Scale Syntheses
- Monocots I: General Alismatids & Lilioids
- Monocots II: Commelinids
- Monocots III: Orchids
- Myrtaceae
- Rubiaceae
Joined Kew: 1994
Foreign Language(s): Dutch, French, German.
Qualifications & Appointments
BSc (hons): EHSAL, Brussels, 1994.
Convener of TDWG Geography group
Role
Compilation of World Checklists of selected plant families within a global network of contributers and reviewers
Compilation of World checklists for seed plant families, in-line with objectives of RBG Kew, Science Teams, and staff. After initial compilation, each checklist (or a part of it) is sent to internal and external specialists for verification and comment. The data sets are then prepared for dissemination, primarily as electronic publications but whenever possible hard copy publication is also undertaken. Website interfaces are updated to give users the different options they demand. The data sets are also constantly maintained as new information is published. A compilation tool has been developed to make checklist compilation much easier, which may also be used by external collaborators who are compiling other checklists in the World Checklist series. Data downloads are provided to other researches and databases. In particular to The Plant List in cooperation with Missouri Botanic Gardens.
The Monocotyledons have been completed and all families are now online with full bibliographic references, global distribution and life form. Other seed plant families are being compiled in-line with Kew expertise and focus as well as external expertise. This involves a global network of experts verifying and editing the data, and co-ordination of the collaborators that are compiling specific families.
Projects
- CITES Checklists
- Global overview of Lamiaceae and related families
- Global Patterns and Processes of Plant Diversity
- Monocot Checklist-Project Completed
- Medicinal Plant Name Index and Information Services
- OpenUp! – Opening up the European natural history heritage for Europeana
- South American Myrteae (Myrtaceae) Online
- Seed Information Database (SID)
- Target 1 of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation 2010- A working list of known plant species.
- World classification and phylogeny of Salix & Populus
- GrassBase
- World Checklist and Bibliography of Rubiaceae
Selected Recent Publications
Govaerts, R. (2001 publ. 2002). How many species of seed plants are there? Taxon 50(4): 1085-1090.
Govaerts, R. & Dransfield, J. (2005). World Checklist of Palms. 223 pp. Kew. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Govaerts, R., Michielsen, K. & Jablonski, E. (2011). Untraced weeping broadleaf cultivars. An overview. Belgische Dendrologie Belge. 2009: 19-30. [Publ. January 2011].
Govaerts, R., Sobral, N., Ashton, P., Barrie, F., Holst, B.K., Landrum, L.L., Matsumoto, K., Fernanda Mazine, F., Nic Lughadha, E., Proença, C., Soares-Silva, L.H., Wilson, P.G. & Lucas, E. (2008). World Checklist of Myrtaceae. 455 pp. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Huygh, W., Larridon, I., Reynders M., Muthama Muasya, A., Govaerts, R., Simpson, D.A. & Goetghebeur1, P. (2010). Nomenclature and typification of names of genera and subdivisions of genera in Cypereae (Cyperaceae): 1. Names of genera in the Cyperus clade. Taxon 59(6): 1883–1890. [Publ. December 2010].
Selected Earlier Publications
Govaerts, R. (1995). Proposal to conserve or reject three species names in Quercus L. (Fagaceae). Taxon 44(4): 631-633.
Govaerts, R. & Frodin, D.G. (1998). World Checklist and Bibliography of Fagales. Kew: Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 408 pp.
Govaerts, R. (1999). World Checkist of Seed Plants 3(1, 2a & 2b): Deurne, Continental Publishing. 1532 pp.
Govaerts, R., Frodin, D.G. & Radcliffe-Smith, A. (2000). World Checklist and Bibliography of Euphorbiaceae (and Pandaceae), 4 parts. Kew: Royal Botanic Gardens, 1622 pp. Kew.
Govaerts, R., Kato, H. & Paton, A. (2001). 414 Scutellaria longituba, Lamiaceae. Curtis’s Botanical Magazine 18(2): 85-90.
