Cameron Lab people

Systematics is . . .

     “the pedestal upon which biology is built”

     “the pinnacle of all scientific inquiry”

     “the scientific study of the diversity of life on Earth”

Whether we are in the lab or the field, we embrace the discipline of plant systematics in the broadest sense.  The Cameron Lab is interested especially in questions regarding the evolution, classification, naming, and conservation of plant diversity.  Our research is grounded in phylogeny reconstruction (from both morphological and molecular data), but we also incorporate tools from other disciplines including floristics, plant anatomy, morphometrics, chemical ecology, niche modeling, kinematics, population genetics, bioinformatics, mycology and pollination biology, among others.  Our lab traditionally has had a strong emphasis on the systematics of Orchidaceae (especially North American and Neotropical orchids), but we also conduct research on the systematics of bryophytes, Liliaceae, Sarraceniaceae, and other families of monocots and eudicots as well.  We value the application of all tools available in the systematist’s toolbox – contemporary & classical – and seek to incorporate in our research a balance of data derived from fieldwork, herbarium study, library & online database investigations, as well as laboratory-based methods.

For more information about our lab contact Professor Ken Cameron