February Noon Lecture: Rediscovering a Southeastern Endemic Plant

Dr. Alford will share the story of how unusual spurge plants in Mississippi were ultimately recognized as a new species occurring infrequently throughout the southeastern United States.

Mississippi Natural Heritage program scientists had suspicions about the classification of this "thing" for decades, and a graduate student and Honors student at the University of Southern Mississippi followed up with targeted field work, statistics, and genetics. Thought to be a new species, examination of type specimens turned up a close match described over a century ago and subsequently ignored.

Their work highlights the unrecognized diversity that may be overlooked and the work, time, and collaboration needed to solve species problems.

You may also like the following events from Mississippi Museum of Natural Science:

• This Friday, 5th December, 09:00 am, S.T.E.M. with Snowflakes in Jackson
• Next Saturday, 13th December, 06:00 pm, Snow Much Fun in Jackson
• Next Sunday, 14th December, 01:00 pm, Scout Winter Workshop: Great Gingerbread Escape in Jackson