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Biographical Memoirs Volume 83 (2003) / Chapter Skim
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Warren H. Wagner, Jr.
Pages 300-319

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From page 301...
... The result was the birth of his groundplan divergence index, for which he soon became widely known. Herb's insight and instigation, coupled in ensuing years with computer-assisted analysis of comparative data, revolutionized the fundamental methods and concepts of phylogenetic reconstruction, leading directly to the burgeoning field of cIadistic analysis of evolutionary relationships among plants.
From page 302...
... Wherry was a mineralogist who became an expert on fern habitats and the first to point out the important associations of epipetric ferns with particular rock types. This undoubtedly nurtured Herb's enthusiasm for mineralogy, later his extended field trips with students often included a day of mineral collecting.
From page 303...
... His student colleagues from 1945 to ~ 950 incluclecl Charles Heiser, Ernest GifforcI, lack Rattenbury, Isabella Abbot, Frank Ranzoni, Verne Grant, Art Krukeberg, en cl Ecl Cantino. Their teachers incluclecl Melvin Calvin, Richard GoIcischmicit, Curt Stern, G
From page 304...
... In the summer prececling his cleath Herb en c! Florence concluctecl fielcl work in Alaska en cl in southwestern Canada, from both places returning with, of course, new species of Botrychium.
From page 305...
... appreciation of the fact that fertility couIcl be restored to "sterile" species hybrids through allopolyploidy, a simple doubling of the basic number of chromosomes (1954~. Thus the now well-known Appalachian Asplenium triangle was resolver!
From page 306...
... Subsequently verified through artificial crosses, flavonoicl chemistry, en cl allozymes, this moclel of reticulate evolution quickly became the basis for making sense of similar species complexes in other fern groups en cl in seecl plants. Revolutionary in its time, attributing an important role to species hybrids in plant evolution (196S, 1969)
From page 307...
... His naming of this extinct species was hard to accept by many and led to a decade of alternative proposals designed to avoid postulation of a missing species. As with the Asplenium triangle, subsequently derived molecular evidence supported Herb's conclusion.
From page 308...
... In 1963 with Aaron I Sharp he publishecl a paper in Science describing "a remarkably reclucecl vascular plant" the fingernail-size gametophyte of the fern genus Vittaria.
From page 309...
... in bryophytes, indefinite persistence of the supposedly ephemeral gametophyte phase through vegetative reproduction was an unheard of phenomenon in ferns. Furthermore, these inclepenclent gametophytes were very common in the southeastern Unitecl States, covering square meters of moist cliff surfaces much the same as bryophytes.
From page 310...
... ability to coax hoards of students en cl amateurs to crawl through meadow vegetation on hands en cl knees they began detection of a much larger complex of species than ever imaginecI.2 Their uncanny ability to discern sub tie morphological clifferen ces reve ale cl a diversity of cliploicI, tetraploicI, en cl hexaploicl species now totaling 303 en c! illustrating as well as any organisms the concepts of cryptic speciation ~ ~ 983)
From page 311...
... , the Wagner tree inscription appropriately recognizes his profound influence on modern phylogenetic reconstruction. Herb emphasized that a major goal of his groundplan divergence index was to teach concepts in systematic botany.
From page 312...
... For students clisplaying genuine interest in their research discoveries he quickly multipliecl that interest through his own. His clear excitement over discoveries large and small was the genius of his inspirational leaclership.
From page 313...
... to the classroom. In aciclition to numerous research fielcl trips, Herb selclom macle a seminar visit to a new or botanically interesting area without insisting on an accompanying field!
From page 314...
... Other anecdotes en cl observations extent! from my Tong association with the Wagners, as a graduate student in Ann Arbor en cl in many subsequent fielcl trips en cl discussions of plants, people, en cl philosophy.
From page 315...
... Methods for computing Wagner trees.
From page 316...
... 83:261-80. 1957 Heteroblastic leaf morphology in juvenile plants of Dicranopteris linearis Gleicheniaceae ~ .
From page 317...
... Pteridology of the highlands biological station area, southern Appalachians.
From page 318...
... 1 995 Evolution of Hawaiian ferns and fern allies in relation to their conservation status.


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