People

Davis, Aaron P.

Job Title Leader, Rubiaceae Team
Department Herbarium
Section Dicot Systematics
Science Teams Wet Tropics: SE Asia
Rubiaceae
Madagascar
Joined Kew 2000
Foreign Language(s) French

Qualifications & Appointments

BSc (Hons), Univ. Reading, 1990

PhD, Univ. Reading, 1994.

Editorial Committee, Kew Bulletin.

Role

Taxonomy, systematics and conservation of Rubiaceae, with a focus on the Old World Tropics and Coffea (coffee); CITES for bulbs.

Taxonomy, systematics and conservation of Old World Rubiaceae, with regional focus on Africa, Madagascar and selected regions in SE Asia. Madagascar is the main area for research activities, in collaboration with institutes in Madagascar, Europe and the USA. Taxonomic research covers monography, regional revisions, global checklists, and accelerated surveys. Systematic research includes generic delimitation, tribal classification and molecular systematics. Main study groups include Coffea and Psychotria, and genera within the tribes Coffeeae, Octotropideae, Psychotrieae and Gardenieae. Study of Coffea includes molecular systematics, taxonomy, and the production of baseline resources for conservation, including databases, GIS and identification tools. Main projects are the Rubiaceae of Madagascar, Coffee Phylogeny Project, Baseline Data for the Conservation of Coffee Species, and World Rubiaceae Checklist. Engaged in the development of taxonomic products for use in conservation and committed to training and supervision in Africa and Madagascar. Long-standing research interest in petaloid monocots, particularly Galanthus and Leucojum, and acting as scientific advisor to CITES for bulbous plants.

Projects

Additions to Rubiaceae for the Flora of Tropical East Africa

Baseline Data for the Conservation of Coffee Species (Rubiaceae)

Coffee (Rubiaceae) Phylogeny

In Vitro Propagation of Café Marron (Ramosmania rodriguesii, Rubiaceae)

Role of ‘Underdeveloped’ Embryos in Germination/ Dormancy Problems

Rubiaceae of Madagascar

Solving Seed Germination Problems in Conservation Collections

World Rubiaceae Checklist

Selected Publications 2001-2005

Bishop, M., Davis, A.P. & Grimshaw, J. (2001). Snowdrops: A Monograph of Cultivated Galanthus. Griffin Press, Maidenhead. 370 pp.

Davis, A.P. & Bridson, D.M. (2004). A taxonomic revision of the genus Amaracarpus (Rubiaceae, Psychotrieae). Blumea 49: 25-68.

Davis, A.P. & Mvungi, E.F. (2004). Two new and endangered species of Coffea (Rubiaceae) from the Eastern Arc Mountains (Tanzania) and notes on associated conservation issues. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 146: 237–245.

Davis, A. P.,. Bridson, D. M & Rakotonasolo, F. (2005). A re-examination of Coffea subgenus Baracoffea and comments on the morphology and classification of Coffea and Psilanthus (Rubiaceae-Coffeeae). In Keating, R. C., Hollowell, V. C. & Croat. Festschrift, T., for Darcy, W.G. The Legacy of a Taxonomist. Missouri, MBG Press. Monograph in Systematics Botany 104: 398-420.

Lledó, M.D., Davis, A.P., Crespo, M.B., Chase, M.W. & Fay, M.F. (2004). Phylogenetic analysis of Leucojum and Galanthus (Amaryllidaceae) based on plastid matK and nuclear ribosomal spacer (ITS) DNA sequences and morphology. Plant Systematics and Evolution 246: 223-243.

Selected Publications pre-2001

Davis, A.P. & Jury, S.L. (1990). A taxonomic review of Iris L. series Unguiculares (Diels) Lawrence. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 103: 281–300.

Davis, A.P. & Barnett, J.R. (1997). The leaf anatomy of the genus Galanthus L. (Amaryllidaceae J. St.-Hil.). Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 123: 333–352.

Davis, A.P. (1999). The Genus Galanthus L. A Botanical Magazine Monograph. Timber Press, Portland, Oregon. Published in association with The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Pp. 297.

Davis, A.P., Mc Gough, N., Mathew, B. & Grey-Wilson, C.G. (1999). CITES Bulb Cheklist. The Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Pp. 134.

Davis, A. & Rakotonasolo, F. (2000). Three new species of Coffea (Rubiaceae) from Madagascar. Kew Bulletin 55(3): 405–416.