Thomas, Melanie (C.M. Wilmot-Dear)
Job TitlePlant Taxonomist
DepartmentHerbarium, Library, Art and Archives
SectionRegional Teams
Science Teams:
Joined Kew: 1973
Foreign Language(s): Latin, French, Spanish (basic); Chinese (very basic).
Qualifications & Appointments
BSc (Hons), Botany/Zoology, Univ. London, 1973.
Role
Systematics of Urticaceae (Worldwide), Mucuna (Old World).
Research currently focuses on Urticaceae and is mainly collaborative. A monograph of the tribe Forsskaoleae was produced, and subsequent work has focused on the tribe Boehmerieae, with the aims of (1) redefining generic limits using morphological and fruit-anatomical data, (2) producing monographs of individual genera, (3) producing or giving input into accounts of the family for flora projects. Two revisions, New World Boehmeria and Pouzolzia, and Old World Pouzolzia, have so far been produced, and Old World Boehmeria is in progress. Input has been given to Urticaceae for 'Flora of China', accounts of Boehmeria and Pouzolzia written for 'Flora Mesoamericana', and three papers on fruit anatomy have been co-authored. Also work on Cannabaceae, Casuarinaceae, Ceratophyllaceae, Ulmaceae and Compositae for regional African Floras, have produced several revisions in Old World Mucuna (Leguminosae) including an updated account for the 'Flora of Thailand' and (co-authored) for 'Flora of China'.
Projects
Selected Recent Publications
Wilmot Dear, C.M., Friis, I. & Thomas Z (2010). New species in Old-World Boehmeria (Urticaceae) Edin. Journ. Bot. 67(3): 43 1-450.
Ren, Sa & Wilmot Dear, C.M. (2010). Mucuna. In Wu, Z. & Raven, P.H. (eds), Flora of China, Vol. 10 (Fabaceae). Science Press, Beijing, and Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St. Louis. pp 207-218
Wilmot Dear, C.M. (2009). Urticaceae for the non-specialist: identification in the Flora Malesiana region, Indochina and Thailand. Blumea 54:233-241.
Wilmot Dear, C.M. & Friis, I. (2006). The Old World species of Pouzolzia (Urticaceae tribus Boehmerieae): a taxonomic revision. Nordic Journal of Botany 24 (1): 1-115.
Chen Jiarui; Lin Qi; Friis, I.; Wilmot-Dear, C.M; Monro, A.K. (2003). Urticaceae. In Wu, Z. & Raven, P.H. (eds) Flora of China, Vol. 5 (Ulmaceae through Basellaceae). Beijing/St. Louis: Science Press/Missouri Botanical Garden Press. 76-189.
Selected Earlier Publications
Kravtsova, T.I.; Friis, I.; Wilmot Dear, C.M. (2003). Morphology and anatomy of fruits in Pouzolzia (Urticaceae) in relation to taxonomy. Kew Bulletin 58: 297-327.
Kravtsova, T.I.; Friis, I.; Wilmot Dear, C.M. (2000). Morphology and anatomy of fruits in New World Boehmeria in relation to taxonomy. Kew Bulletin 55: 43-62.
Wilmot-Dear, C.M. & Friis, I. (1996). The New World species of Boehmeria & Pouzolzia (Urticaceae tribus Boehmerieae): a taxonomic revision. Opera Botanica. 129, 103 pp.
Friis, I. & Wilmot-Dear, C.M. (1988). A revision of the tribe Forsskaoleeae (Urticaceae). Nordic Journal of Botany 8(1): 25-59.
Wilmot-Dear, C. M. (1988). An account of the genus Debregeasia (Urticaceae-Boehmerieae). Kew Bulletin 43: 673-692.
