Main Research Interest Plant Systematics and Biogeography Current Position Head of Division Reader in Plant Systematics

FOR MORE DETAIL, CHECK OUT MIKE'S WEB SITE: http://online.anu.edu.au/BoZo/Crisp/

Background
I originated from Adelaide, South Australia, obtaining my Ph.D. at the University of Adelaide in 1976. From there I moved to the Australian National Botanic Gardens, Canberra as a botanist involved in research and the development of the Gardens. During my tenure there I was appointed Australian Botanical Liaison Officer at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, London, for 1981-2. I moved to my present post at Botany and Zoology at ANU in 1991. In 1997-8 I spent a sabbatical at the University of Cape Town, South Africa, researching southern hemisphere biogeography with Prof Peter Linder.

Research Interests
I am involved in:

- revisionary and nomenclatural studies (classifying and naming plants)
- developing identification tools such as floras and interactive computer keys
- cladistics (reconstructing evolutionary history)
- biogeography (relating evolutionary history to earth history) and
- comparative biology (evolutionary process such as speciation and adaptation).

I use both traditional morphological methods and newer molecular techniques. Emphasis is upon Australian flora, especially the legumes (Fabaceae), but including a wide range of vascular and non-vascular plants, lichens and fungi. Current research projects include:

- molecular phylogeny of the Australian and African legumes (with S. Gilmore and others);

- historical biogeography and endemism of plants in Australia and the southern hemisphere (with P. Linder and P. Weston);

- taxonomic revision of legume genera Daviesia, Gastrolobium, Mirbelia, and Nemcia (with G. Chandler and others);

- taxonomic revision and phylogeny of Pittosporaceae (with L. Cayzer and I. Telford);

- phylogeny and evolution of adaptive traits, such as pollination syndromes, in Australian legumes.

Link with CSIRO
I have a close collaborative relationship with the Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research (CPBR), CSIRO, located just across the road. My students have full access to the facilities there, as well as co-supervision by leading systematists such as Drs Judy West and Randy Bayer.

Selected Publications
Crisp, M. D., Gilmore, S. R., and Weston, P. H. 1999. The phylogenetic relationships of two anomalous species of Pultenaea (Fabaceae: Mirbelieae) from molecular and morphological data, and description of a new genus. Taxon 48: 701-704.

Cayzer, L.W., Crisp, M.D. and Telford, I.R.H. 1999. Bursaria (Pittosporaceae): a morphometric analysis and revision. Australian Systematic Botany 12: 117-143.

Crisp, M. D., West, J. G., and Linder, H. P. 1999. Biogeography of the terrestrial flora. In 'Flora of Australia. Volume 1. Introduction'. (Eds A. E. Orchard and H. S. Thompson.) 2 edn. pp. 321-367. (CSIRO: Melbourne.)

Chandler, G.T. and Crisp, M.D. 1998. Morphometric and phylogenetic analysis of the Daviesia ulicifolia complex (Fabaceae). Plant Systematics and Evolution 209: 93-122.

Crisp, M.D. and Chandler, G. 1996. Paraphyletic species. Telopea 6: 813-844.

Linder, H.P. and Crisp, M.D. 1996. Nothofagus and Pacific biogeography. Cladistics 11: 5-32.

Crisp, M.D. 1995. Contributions towards a revision of Daviesia (Fabaceae: Mirbelieae). III. A synopsis of the genus. Australian Systematic Botany 8: 1155-1249.

Crisp, M.D. 1995. Revision of Brachysema (Fabaceae: Mirbelieae). Australian Systematic Botany 8: 307-353.

Crisp, M.D., Linder, H.P., and Weston, P.H. 1995. Cladistic biogeography of plants in Australia and New Guinea: Congruent pattern reveals two endemic tropical tracks. Systematic Biology 44: 457-473.

Crisp, M.D. and Doyle, J.J. 1995. 'Advances in Legume Systematics, Part 7, Phylogeny'. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Crisp, M.D. 1994. Evolution of bird pollination in some Australian legumes (Fabaceae). In 'Phylogenetics and Ecology', ed. P. Eggleton and R.I. Vane-Wright, pp. 281-309. Academic Press, London.

Crisp, M.D., and Weston, P.H. 1993. Geographic and ontogenetic variation in morphology of Australian waratahs (Telopea: Proteaceae). Systematic Biology 42: 49-76.

Current Research Group
Greg Chandler, Ph.D., 'A taxonomic revision of Gastrolobium (Fabaceae)', co-supervised by Randy Bayer (CPBR). greg.chandler@anu.edu.au or gregory.chandler@pi.csiro.au

Ed Cross, Ph.D., 'The systematics of the Rhodanthe (Asteraceae: Gnaphalieae: Angianthinae), a combined molecular and morphological approach', co-supervised by Randy Bayer (CPBR).

Scot Kelchner, Ph.D., 'Phylogenetic structure, biogeography, and evolution of the Myoporaceae', co-supervised by Judy West and Randy Bayer (CPBR). scot.kelchner@pi.csiro.au

Simone Louwhoff, Ph.D., 'The lichen family Parmeliaceae in the Pacific Islands: Speciation and distribution', co-supervised by Jack Elix (ANU) and Patrick McCarthy (Australian Biological Resources Study). simone.louwhoff@anu.edu.au

Anna Monro, Ph.D., 'Systematics of the Australian Polygalaceae sens. lat.', co-supervised by Randy Bayer and Curt Brubaker (CPBR). a.monro@pi.csiro.au

Bernard Pfeil, Ph.D., 'Systematics of the Hibisceae (Malvaceae) in Australia', co-supervised by Curt Brubaker and Lyn Craven (CPBR). bernard.pfeil@pi.csiro.au

Lina Juswara, M.Phil., 'Systematics of Goodyera R.Br. sect. Otosepalum Schltr. and related taxa (Orchidaceae)', co-supervised by Mark Clements and Judy West (CPBR). lina.juswara@pi.csiro.au

Emma Lumb, B.Sc.(Hons), 'Is Podolobium ilicifolium (Fabaceae: Mirbelieae) a species complex?', co-supervised by Judy West and Andrew Young (CPBR). s3069883@bohm.anu.edu.au

Past Students
Scott Gilmore, B.Sc.(Hons), 1999. 'Is Dicranoloma robustum conspecific with D. billarderii?'. Now working in London.

Mant, J.G., B.Sc.(Hons), 1998. A phylogeny of Triodia R.Br. and related genera (Poaceae: Triodieae). Now enrolled in a Ph.D. with Rod Peakall (ANU) and Peter Weston (Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney). jim.mant@rbgsyd.gov.au

Cayzer, L.W., Ph.D., 1997. Revision of the family Pittosporaceae in Australia. B.Sc. (Hons.), (1993). The investigation of phenotypic variation within and between three eucalypt taxa occurring in the A.C.T. Now working at the Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, CSIRO, Canberra. lindyc@anbg.gov.au

Lyne, A.M., Grad. Dip Sci., 1997. Analysis of the geographic variation exhibited by Leptospermum brevipes F. Muell. Now working at the Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, CSIRO, Canberra. andrew.lyne@ea.gov.au

Telford, I.R., Grad. Dip Sci., 1997. Morphological variation in the Sicyos australis Endl. complex (Cucurbitaceae) and a preliminary investigation of the sectional classification of the genus. Now an Hon. Research Associate of Botany, UNE and actively contributes to the curation of the NCW Beadle Herbarium.

Monro, A., B.Sc. (Hons.), 1997. Phylogeny and biogeography of the Mirbelia spinosa group (Fabaceae: Mirbelieae). Now enrolled in a Ph.D. with myself and Randy Bayer (CSIRO). a.monro@pi.csiro.au

Alvarez de Glasby, B., Ph.D., 1996. The phylogenetic relationships of the family Axinellidae (Porifera: Demospongiae). Now working at the National Institute of Water and Atmosphere, Wellington, New Zealand. b.glasby@niwa.cri.nz

Hoebee, S., B.Sc. (Hons.), 1996. Ecological and evolutionary aspects of a Daviesia (Fabaceae) hybrid zone. Now enrolled in a Ph.D. with Peter Kanowski (ANU) and Andrew Young (CSIRO). susan.hoebee@pi.csiro.au

Chandler, G.T., B.Sc. (Hons.), 1995. A revision of the Daviesia ulicifolia Andr. species complex. Now enrolled in a Ph.D. with myself and Randy Bayer (CSIRO).

Parrish, T., B.Sc. (Hons.), 1994. The systematics of two species of Waratah, Telopea mongaensis F. Muell. and T. oreades Cheel (Proteaceae). Now enrolled in a Ph.D. with Peter van Dijk at the Netherlands Institute of Ecology. parrish@cto.nioo.knaw.nl

Flood, P., B.Sc. (Hons), 1994. Characterisation of a hybrid zone between Daviesia leptophylla and D. mimosoides.

Possible Honours Projects
I am willing to supervise honours and postgraduate students on any aspect of plant systematics, phylogenetics (including molecular phylogenetics), biogeography and evolution. To date I have supervised students working on groups as diverse as angiosperms (several families), mosses, lichens and marine sponges. For examples of projects, see my statement of research interests and those of my past and current students. I am happy to discuss any potential projects with prospective students.

Courses Taught
'Plant Reproduction and Systematics' [soon to become something like 'Plant Diversity'] (BIOL2023), 2nd year. Contact hours: 18 hours lecturing; 18 hours practicals; 1 weekend field trip. 20-30 students.

'Biodiversity and Systematics' (BIOL3021), 3rd year course. Contact hours: 18 hours lecturing; 18 hours practicals; 8 hours field trip. 25-35 students.

'Evolution' (BIOL3012), 3rd year seminar course. Contact hours: 18 hours supervision of seminars and discussions (evenings); 12 hours tutorials (rehearsing student seminars). 30 students (quota).

Other Activities
Councillor, Society of Australian Systematic Biologists (http://www.science.uts.edu.au/sasb/)
Board member, International Federation of Systematic Societies
Editorial Board, 'Systematic Biology'
Editorial Committee, Australian Biological Resources Study
Associate, Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian National Herbaium, CSIRO, Canberra

Contact Details

Email: mike.crisp@anu.edu.au
Ph: 61-2-6125 2866
Fax: 61-2-6125 5573