John Hayden's Lab

Considered broadly, my lab investigates botanical biodiversity with two general aims, to improve our understanding of plant relationships (systematics) and to document the plant diversity that exists within particular geographic locations. Our approach is largely structural, ranging from overall plant form, to morphology visible with the naked eye, to anatomical features discerned with light or scanning electron microscopy and work is done both in the field and in laboratory settings. Systematic work has often focused on plant family Euphorbiaceae and inventory projects have been carried out in central Virginia and the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico. Research is supported by greenhouse and herbarium collections.

Current Projects

  • Flora North America: I am one of several contributing authors for family Euphorbiaceae and I am on the Southeast US review team with responsibility for the state of Virginia.
  • Anatomy of Physalis (Solanaceae)
  • The genus Acalypha (Euphorbiaceae) in Yucatan

Current Lab Members

Camile Fagan '14