Dr María de Lourdes Rico Arce
Honorary Research Associate
Department
Team
Specialism
Taxonomy and Phylogeny of former Mimosoideae (Leguminosae/Fabaceae), vascular plant systematics, floristic accounts, vegetation survey, crop wild relatives, IUCN conservation assessments, historical collections, botanical nomenclature
I have more than 30 years’ experience as a lecturer and a botanist; field work experience in Cuba, Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Belize, Guatemala, Bolivia, Armenia, Syria, Tunisia, Morocco, UK, France, Portugal and Mexico. I focus on the family Leguminosae and I keep updated on Vascular plants classification according to APG system.
At Kew I was responsible for 3 former geographical areas; I sorted incoming material and trained junior staff on plant identification key characters. I lectured on the Systematics module for the Kew School of Horticulture. I was a visiting lecturer for the MSc on Conservation of Plant Genetic Resources, the University of Birmingham, UK. I supervise MSc or PhD projects. I delivered talks in two symposia of International Botanical Congresses; two lectures in two Latin American Congresses (LAC); a television interview in the Dominican Republic (LAC). I participated in debates at two International Nomenclature sessions.
At Kew I was part of the committee to evaluate grant applications: KLARF and Mellon (1997-2008), I am associated editor for two academic peer journals. I review manuscripts. I have described at least 20 news species to science and a new genus; I have a record of scientific publication, including a book. Once in 1998, I took part in a film for a BBC television programme: ‘Short circuit series – Photosynthesis’, by The Invincible Co., based in Hammersmith. Video was aimed to Advance levels (in the UK) and the Open University courses. I am competent in using standard and specialised software packages
Contreras-Toledo, A.R., Cortés-Cruz, M, Costich, D.E., Rico-Arce, MdL, Brehm, J.M. & Maxted, N. (2019).
Diversity and conservation priorities of crop wild relatives in Mexico.
Plant Genetic Resources, 1–11
Carvalho, J.A., Rico Arce, L., Santos‐Guerra, A., Duarte, M.C., Romeiras, M.M. & Francisco‐Ortega, J. (2018).
Echium nervosum.
Curt. Bot. Mag. 35: 63-74.
Rico Arce, MdL, Duarte, M.C., Romeiras, M.M., Santos-Guerra, A., Nepi, C. & Francisco-Ortega, J. (2017).
Joseph D. Hooker's 1839 Cabo Verde Collections
Curtis’s Botanical Magazine 34 (3): 146–168
Landrum, L.R. Demissew, S., Fortunato, R.H., Freire-Fierro, A., Moore, G., Parra-O., C., Rico Arce, MdL, Smith. (2017).
Making nomenclature governance more inclusive through virtual attendance and electronic voting at the Nomenclature Section of an International Botanical Congress
Taxon 66: 4 pages.
Knapp, S., Turland, N.J., Barkworth, M.E., Barrie, F.R., Fortunato, R.H., Gandhi, K., Gereau, R.E., Greuter, W., Herendeen, P.S., Landrum, L.R., Mabberley, D.J., Marhold, K., May, T.W., Moore, G., Rico Arce, L., Smith, G.F., Thiele, K. & Zhang, L. (2016).
(286) Proposal to replace Division III of the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants.
Taxon 65: 661–664.