Tracey L. Nowell
Lecturer
Botany
Rhodes University
South Africa
Biography
"Tracey’s research interests centre around understanding the spatial and temporal dynamics of evolution in plants. Phylogeny reconstruction forms a major part of her approach and is the starting point for examining variation within and between species, not only in terms of genetics but also their morphology, distributions and ecology. Tracey works across a range of taxonomic levels, from populations to species and beyond, and uses an array of molecular techniques and analytical approaches. Much of her work has been on diversification in the southern African members of Crassulaceae: Cotyledon, Tylecodon and Adromischus, with ongoing research focussing in on Cotyledon orbiculata – a widespread and highly variable species complex that presents a host of research questions around pollinator-mediated differentiation, contrasting geographic isolation vs. sympatry, together with niche specialisation."
Research Interest
Tracey teaches courses on plant systematics and biogeography.
Publications
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Trinder-Smith TH, Linder HP, Verboom GA, van der Niet T & Nowell TL 2007. Plastid DNA sequences reveal generic paraphyly within Diosmeae (Rutoideae, Rutaceae). Systematic Botany 32(4): 847-855.
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Verboom GA, Archibald JK, Bakker FT, Bellstedt DU, Conrad F, Dreyer LL, Forest F, Galley C, Goldblatt P, Henning JK, Mummenhoff K, Linder HP, Muasya AM, Oberlander KC, Savolainen V, Snijman DA, van der Niet T & Nowell TL* 2009. Origin and diversification of the Greater Cape flora: Ancient species repository, hot-bed of recent radiation, or both? Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 51: 44-53
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Mort ME, O’Leary TR, Carillo-Reyes P, Nowell TL, Archibald JK & Randle CP 2010. Phylogeny and Evolution of Crassulaceae: past, present, and future. Schumannia; 6: 69-86.
