Ralimanana, Hélène
Job Title
KMCC Team Manager
Department
Conservation Directorate
Section
Kew Madagascar Conservation Centre (KMCC)
Science Teams:
Joined Kew:
1999Foreign Language(s):
Malagasy (mother tongue), French and EnglishQualifications & Appointments
BSc, Univ. of Antanarivo, Madagascar, 1989
MSc, Univ. of Antanarivo, Madagascar, 1990
DEA, Univ. of Antanarivo, Madagascar, 1994
PhD, Univ. of Antanarivo, Madagascar, 2007
IUCN-SSC Madagascar Plant Specialist Group (GSPM)
AETFAT 2010 Organising Committee
Role
KMCC Team Manager, taxonomic and systematics research and environmental education.
The overall responsibility is the management of KMCC, ensuring the development of the team and delivery of Kew’s projects in Madagascar. This includes administration of the KMCC office and operations, coordinating thematic programmes, motivating and disciplining staff, representing Kew with Malagasy authorities and liaising with other research and conservation organisations. The three thematic programmes are taxonomic and systematics research, biodiversity conservation and species conservation, which aim to deliver the breadth of the Breathing Planet Programme and increase Kew’s herbarium, seed-bank and DNA collections for Madagascar. The post will prioritise development and management of protected area projects, such as the Itremo Massif Protected Area Project, and liaise with the Madagascar Science Team Leader on fund-raising and project support from Kew UK. The post will also lead on the development of KMCC environmental education work, ensuring that biodiversity conservation is understood throughout Madagascar from schools to communities and that Kew’s publications are available to natural resource managers, researchers and educators. Research areas include the taxonomy and systematics of the Euphorbiales and Rubiales, as well as supporting research by KMCC and Kew UK staff and students.
Projects
- Diversity and Conservation of Madagascar Palms
- Ex-situ conservation of Madagascar's endangered orchids
- Field Guide to the Orchids of Madagascar - COMPLETED 2009
- Field Guides: published and planned
- Grasses of Madagascar
- Itremo Massif Protected Area Project
- Madagascar Orchid Conservation Project
- Madagascar Agroforestry Livelihoods Project
- Molecular phylogenetics of Tribe Phyllantheae (Phyllanthaceae) - COMPLETED 2008
- MSBP Madagascar
- Field Guide to the Palms of Madagascar - COMPLETED 2006
- Phylogenetics and conservation of Madagascan Euphorbia (Euphorbiaceae) - COMPLETED 2008
- Phylogenetic Diversity of the Malagasy Legumes: New Insights for the Conservation of the Malagasy Flora
- Rubiaceae of Madagascar
- Systematics and biogeography of Phyllanthus (Phyllanthaceae) of Madagascar
- Yams of Madagascar: systematics, conservation and sustainable use
Selected Recent Publications
Kathriarachchi, H., Samuel, R., Hoffmann, P., Mlinarec, J., Wurdack, J. K., Ralimanana, H, Stuessy, T. F. & Chase, M.W. (2006). Phylogenetics of tribe Phyllantheae (Phyllanthaceae; Euphorbiaceae sensu lato) based on nrITS and plastid matK DNA sequence data. American Journal of Botany 93 (4): 637-655.
Ralimanana, H. & Hoffmann, P. (2006). Les Phyllanthus de Madagascar: presentation des sous-genres et repartition des especes. In Ghazanfar, S.A. & Beentje, H.J. (eds), Taxonomy and ecology of African plants, their conservation and sustainable use. Proceedings of the 17th AETFAT Congress, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 45-54.
Ralimanana, H. & Hoffmann, P. (in press). Taxonomic revision of Phyllanthus (Phyllanthaceae) in Madagascar and the Comoro Islands: synopsis and subgenera Isocladus, Betsileani, Kirganelia and Tenellanthus. Kew Bulletin.
Ralimanana, H. (in press). Biogeography and conservation status of Phyllanthus (Phyllanthaceae) in Madagascar. Plant Ecology and Evolution.
Selected Earlier Publications
Ralalaharisoa Ramamonjisoa, Z., Ralimanana, H. & Lobreau-Callen, D. (1996). Comportement de butinage d’Apis mellifera var. unicolor (Hymenoptera, Apidae) dans divers biotope. In Biogéographie de Madagascar, edited by Wilson R Lourenco. ORSTOM, Paris.
Antilahimena, P., Birkinshaw, C.R., Colquhoun, I, Ralimanana, H., Ranaivojaona, R., Randrianaivo, R. & Ravololonanahary, H. (1998). Inventaire des plantes ligneuses, oiseaux et lémuriens dans la forêt classée d’Ambato. Akon’ny ala. Missouri Botanic Garden, Madagascar.
Birkinshaw, C.R., Messmer, N., Ralimanana, H., Ranaivojaona, R., Randrianaivo, R., Ravololonanahary, H. & Razakamalala, R. (1998). Structure et flore de la forêt humide sur la pente d’Andranomay-Anjozorobe, Madagascar. Recherche pour le développement: Série Sciences biologiques n° 13. CIDST/WWF, Madagascar.
Birkinshaw, C.R., Ralimanana, H., Ranaivojaona, R., Randrianaivo, R. and Ravololonanahary, H. (1998). La forêt classée de Tampolo: présence et abondance des espèces de plante, structure de la forêt, degré de coupes illicites. Recherche pour le développement: Série Sciences biologiques n° 14. CIDST/WWF, Madagascar.
Radcliffe-Smith, A., Hoffmann, P., Ranaivojaona, R. & Ralimanana, H. (2003). Suregada celastroides Radcl.-Sm. & Petra Hoffm. (Euphorbiaceae), a new species from eastern Madagascar. Kew Bulletin 58: 965–970.
