Prychid, Christina J.
Job TitleElectron Microscope Unit Manager & Plant Cell Biologist
DepartmentJodrell
SectionMicromorphology
Science Teams:
Joined Kew: 1992
Foreign Language(s): Basic French, basic Polish
Qualifications & Appointments
BSc (Hons), Molecular Biophysics, Univ. Leeds
MSc, Crystallography, Univ. London (Birkbeck College).
Role
Comparative and developmental anatomy and ultrastructural research; management of EM unit, visitors and staff; supervision and training.
Specialising in electron microscopy, current research work is focused on evaluating ultrastructural and structural characters of systematic and phylogenetic importance. Research work to date has covered two main areas: a) floral biology, including pollination studies, and ultrastructural work on reproductive structures in early diverging angiosperms, such as Trithuria (Hydatellaceae), and various monocots, as part of projects on early angiosperm evolution and monocot floral evolution and development and; b) formation, systematic distribution and utilisation of plant biominerals, such as calcium oxalate crystals and silicon dioxide aggregates – inorganic compounds that are formed to varying extents within specific cells and tissues in the vast majority of plants.
Projects
Selected Recent Publications
Choat B, Jansen S, Prychid C and PrometheusWiki contributors. 2011. "PROTOCOL: Preparation of Material for TEM Examination." PrometheusWiki. [Internet] , 28 Jun. 2011 Web. 27 Jul. 2011.
Prychid CJ, Sokoloff DD, Remizowa MV, Tuckett RE, Yadav SR and Rudall PJ. 2010. Unique stigmatic hairs and pollen-tube growth within the stigmatic cell wall in the early-divergent angiosperm family Hydatellaceae. Annals of Botany doi: 10.1093/aob/mcr021
Tratt J, Prychid CJ, Behnke HD and Rudall PJ. (2009). Starch-accumulating (S-type) sieve-element plastids in Hydatellaceae: implications for plastid evolution evolution in flowering plants. Protoplasma 237: 19-26.
Rudall, P.J., Remizowa, M.V., Prenner, G., Prychid, C.J., Tuckett, R.E. & Sokoloff, D.D. (2009). Nonflowers near the base of extant angiosperms? Spatiotemporal arrangements of organs in reproductive units of Hydatellaceae and its bearing on the origin of the flower. Americal Journal of Botany 96: 67-82.
Prychid, C.J., Jabaily, P.S. & Rudall P.J. (2008). Cellular ultrastructure and crystal development in Amorphophallus (Araceae). Annals of Botany 101: 983-995.
Remizowa, M.V., Sokoloff, D.D., Macfarlane, T.D., Yadav, S.R., Prychid, C.J. & Rudall, P.J. (2008). Comparative pollen morphology in the early-divergent angiosperm family Hydattelaceae reveals variation at the infraspecific level. Grana 47: 81-100.
Sajo, M.G., Furness, C.A., Prychid, C.J. & Rudall, P.J. (2005). Microsporogenesis and anther development in Bromeliaceae. Grana 44(2): 65-74.
Selected Earlier Publications
Strange A, Rudall PJ and Prychid CJ. (2004) Comparative floral anatomy of Pontederiaceae. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 144: 395-408.
Prychid, C.J., Rudall, P.J. & Gregory, M. (2003 [2004]). Systematics and biology of silica bodies in monocotyledons. Botanical Review 69(4): 377-440.
Prychid, C.J., Furness, C.A. & Rudall, P.J. (2003). Systematic significance of cell inclusions in Haemodoraceae and allied families: silica bodies and tapetal raphides. Annals of Botany 92: 1-10.
Wilkinson, T., Wetten, A., Prychid, C. & Fay, M.F. (2003). Suitability of cryopreservation for the long term storage of rare and endangered plant species - a case history for Cosmos atrosanguineus. Annals of Botany 91: 65-74.
Prychid, C.J. & Rudall, P.J. (1999). Calcium oxalate crystals in monocotyledons: structure and systematics. Annals of Botany 84: 725-739.
Rudall PJ, Prychid CJ and Jones C. (1998) Intra-ovarian trichomes, mucilage secretion and hollow styles in monocotyledons. In: S.J. Owens and P. Rudall, eds, Reproductive Biology in Systematics, Conservation and Economic Botany. Proceedings of Reproductive Biology 96: 219-230. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Prychid, C.J., Owens, S.J. & Rudall, P.J. (1998). Fruit and seed set in Strongylodon macrobotrys. In Owens, S.J. & Rudall, P. (eds) Reproductive Biology in Systematics, Conservation and Economic Botany. Proceedings of Reproductive Biology 96: 345-352. Kew: Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Owens SJ, Prychid C and Cox AV. (1995) Structure and development of the stigma, style and ovary of Caesalpinia pulcherrima (L.) Sw., post-anthesis, pre- and post-pollination. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 118: 275-288.
