People

De Kok, Rogier P. J.

Job Title Leader, SE Asia Team
Department Herbarium
Section Regional Teams
Science Teams Wet Tropics: SE Asia
Lamiaceae
Joined Kew 2002
Foreign Language(s) Dutch

Qualifications & Appointments

Doctorandus (MSc), Rijkuniversiteit Leiden, 1993

DPhil, Univ. Oxford, 1998

Board, Flora Malaysiana

Council, Systematics Association.

Role

Conservation and systematics of SE Asian plants and the families Verbenaceae and Lamiaceae in particular.

The generic definitions within the SE Asian Verbenaceae/Labiatae are confusing at the moment. The genera are taxonomically complex and many problematic species occur in SE Asia. Redefining generic boundaries and producing floristic treatments for the region is the main focus of taxonomic research. The SE Asia team is currently running two projects funded by Darwin initiative grants. The first will assess and conserve plant diversity in commercially managed tropical rainforests in Sabah (Malaysia). The second will produce a Field Guide to the Forest Trees of Southern Thailand. This work requires a broad knowledge of the flora of SE Asia and Indochina. A recent product of studies by a joint Leiden/Kew team was an interactive key to Malaysian Seed plants. Responsibilities additional leading the SE Asian Team include the organisation and running of an annual Tropical Plant Identification Course.

Projects

Assessing and Conserving Plant Diversity in Commercially Managed Tropical Rainforests in Sabah

Chemosystematics and Biological Activity of Lamiaceae

Digitising the Specimens and Archive of A.F.G. Kerr, Pioneering Botanist in Thailand

Field Guide to the Trees of Southern Thailand

Global Overview of Lamiaceae and Related Families

Interactive Key to the Malesian Seed Plants

Lamiaceae for Flora Malesiana

Phylogeny and Pollination Biology of Westringieae, Lamiaceae

Systematics of Lamiaceae Subfamily Viticoideae

Taxonomic Research on Ecologically Important Plant Families in South East Asia

UK Darwin Initiative Papuan Plant Diversity

Selected Publications 2001-2005

de Kok, R.P.J. (2002). Adaptations to grow on Ultra-basic soil, rare or common? A few case studies from New Caledonia. Adansonia 24: 229-238.

de Kok, R.P.J. & West, J.G. (2004). A revision of Pultenaea Sm. (Fabaceae) 3. The eastern species with recurved leaves. Australian Systematic Botany 17: 1-53.

Mabberley, D.J. & de Kok, R.P.J. (2004). Labiatae. In Morat, P.& Mackee, H.S. Flore de la Nouvelle-Calédonie et Dépendances 25. Muséum National D'Histoire Naturelle. Paris.

Steane, D.A., de Kok, R.P.J. & Olmstead, R.G. (2004). Phylogenetic relationships between Clerodendrum (Lamiaceae) and other Ajugoid genera inferred from nuclear and chloroplast DNA sequence data. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 32: 39-45.

Malesian Key Group (2004). Interactive key to the Malesian seed plants. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew & Nationaal Herbarium Nederland, Leiden.

Selected Publications pre-2001

de Kok, R.P.J. & Atkins, S. (1997). The genus Archboldia Beer & Lam is put into the synonymy of Clerodendrum L. (Labiatae). Kew Bulletin 52 (2): 503-504.

Grayer, R.J. & de Kok, R.P.J (1998). Flavonoids and verbascoside as chemotaxonomic characters in the genera Oxera and Faradaya (Labiatae). Biochemical Systematics and Ecology 26: 729-741.

de Kok, R.P.J. & Mabberley, D. J. (1999). The genus Faradaya Muell. F. (Labiatae). Blumea 44: 321-342.

de Kok, R.P.J.& Mabberley, D. J. (1999). A synopsis of Oxera Labill. (Labiatae). Kew Bulletin 54: 265-300.

de Kok, R.P.J, Grayer, R.J. & Kite, G.C. (2000). Relationships of the endemic Australian genus Huxleya Ewart & Rees (Labiatae) based on fruit and flavonoid characters. Australian Systematic Botany 13: 425-428.