Stephanie Bailey - Stephanie is working on a phylogeography project of carnivorous pitcher plant native to south-eastern North American, Sarracenia rubra (Sarraceniaceae). She is using chloroplast DNA sequences of individuals collected across S. purpurea geographic range as well as specimen from herbaria to reconstruct recent evolutionary history of this species.

Paige Graves - Another native carnivorous pitcher plant species, Sarracenia purpurea, (Sarraceniaceae), is a study organism of Paige’s project. Currently, she is looking for variable chloroplast DNA sequences. Once cpDNA polymorphism is identified, she will survey cpDNA genetic diversity across the species geographic range. We will also correlate cpDNA genetic structure with already published genetic structure based on allozymes (nuclear markers) and morphological variation.

Jackie Helwege - Jackie is working on her Senior Honors Thesis with sea oats, Uniola paniculata (Poaceae). She is reconstructing intra-specific phylogeographic history of U. paniculata, based on genetic variation in chloroplast DNA sequences. Sea oats is a dominant, native dune grass distributed along south-eastern North American coast. She is using samples collected along the coast as well as herbarium specimen.

Kelly Ingram - Kelly is interested in phylogeography of a native medicinal herbaceous plant, ginseng, Panax quinquefolium (Araliaceae). Ginseng is a popular species that is becoming rare over much of its range due to overcollecting for medicinal use. We are collaborating on this project with Dr. Jenny Cruse-Sanders from Atlanta Botanical Gardens.