Professor Darren Crayn

Research Interests

Most of my research is centred on plant species discovery, description and classification (systematics) with a major focus on Australia and more generally the Asia-Pacific region. I utilise a range of sources of data and analytical approaches with molecular phylogenetics featuring prominently in my research. The main themes of my current research are understanding the origins and evolution of Australia’s tropical flora, developing new tools for identifying and assessing plant biodiversity (e.g. interactive keys through to DNA barcoding), and unravelling the evolution of plant traits using a phylogenetic approach.

Recent and Current Projects Include

• DNA-Barcoding tropical Australian trees – contributing to a global initiative (Tree-BOL) to provide the tools to enable rapid, decentralised and cost effective identification of the world’s trees based on short, standardised DNA sequences (DNA barcodes)

• Phylogenetics and evolutionary dynamics of Elaeocarpaceae – using molecular data to investigate the systematics and evolution of this lineage of mostly rainforest trees at all levels of diversity (population to family)

• Phylogenetic diversity analysis of the Wet Tropics flora – applying new molecular tools to the measurement of biodiversity for conservation priority-setting

• Integrating molecular and morphological data for generic delimitation and species identification in Lauraceae

• Systematics and evolution of Ericaceae – building the phylogenetic framework for taxonomy and studies of the evolution of this major element of the Australian flora

• Phylogenetics and the evolution of ecophysiological traits in Bromeliaceae and relatives

Recent and Currently Supervised Projects

• Systematics and evolution of the rainforest tree genus Elaeocarpus (Elaeocarpaceae)

• Phylogenetics and evolution of the Astroloma-Styphelia clade (Ericaceae subfamily Styphelioideae)

• Phylogenetic diversity of the Australian Wet Tropics flora

• Evolutionary dynamics of the Cunoniaceae

Teaching

• BT3400

• BT3450

Selected Publications

Rossetto M, Crayn D, Ford A, Mellick R, & Sommerville K (2009) The influence of environment and life-history traits on the distribution of genes and individuals: a comparative study on rainforest trees. Molecular Ecology 18:1422-1438.

Maynard D, Crayn D, Rossetto M, Kooyman R & Coode M (2008) Elaeocarpus sedentarius sp. nov. (Elaeocarpaceae) – Morphometric analysis of a new, rare species from eastern Australia. Australian Systematic Botany 21: 192-200.

Rossetto M, Crayn D M, Jackes B R & Porter C (2007) An updated estimate of inter-generic phylogenetic relationships in the Australian Vitaceae. Canadian Journal of Botany 85(8): 722-730.

Jordan G J, Bromfield K E, Sniderman J M K, & Crayn D (2007) Diverse fossil epacrids (Styphelioideae; Ericaceae) from early Pleistocene sediments at Stony Creek Basin, Victoria, Australia. International Journal of Plant Sciences 168(9): 1359-1376.

Rossetto M, Crayn D, Ford A, Ridgeway P, & Rymer P (2007) The comparative study of range-wide genetic structure across related, co-distributed rainforest trees reveals contrasting evolutionary histories. Australian Journal of Botany 55: 416-424.

Butcher R, Byrne M, & Crayn D M (2007) Evidence for convergent evolution among phylogenetically distant rare species of Tetratheca (Elaeocarpaceae, formerly Tremandraceae) from Western Australia. Australian Systematic Botany 20: 126-138.

Rossetto M, Jackes B, & Crayn D (2006) Vitaceae – Molecular evolution with a focus on the Australian radiation. In A. K. Sharma and A. Sharma (eds), Plant genome: Biodiversity and evolution. Vol. 1C: Phanerogams (Angiosperm-Dicotyledons). (New Delhi: Oxford and IBH). pp. 269-292.

Crayn D M, Rossetto M, & Maynard D J (2006) Molecular phylogeny and dating reveals an Oligo-Miocene radiation of dry-adapted shrubs (Tremandraceae) from rainforest tree progenitors (Elaeocarpaceae) in Australia. American Journal of Botany 93: 1328-1342.

Crayn D M, Hislop M, & Heslewood M M (2005) Additions to Lissanthe (Styphelioideae: Ericaceae) in Western Australia: L. synandra sp. nov. and L. pleurandroides comb. nov. Australian Systematic Botany 18: 1-7.

Quinn C J, Brown E A, Heslewood M M, & Crayn D M (2005) Generic concepts in Styphelieae (Ericaceae): the Cyathodes group. Australian Systematic Botany 18: 439-454.

Horton B M, Crayn D M, Clarke S W, & Washington H (2004) Leionema scopulinum, a new species from Wollemi National Park. Telopea 10: 815-822.

Crayn D M, Winter K, & Smith J A C (2004) Multiple origins of Crassulacean acid metabolism and the epiphytic habit in the Neotropical family Bromeliaceae. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA 101: 3703-3708.

Kron K A, Judd W S, Stevens P F, Crayn D M, Anderberg A A, Gadek P A, Quinn C J, & Luteyn J L (2002) A phylogenetic classification of Ericaceae: Molecular and morphological evidence. Botanical Review 68(3): 335-423.

Crayn D M, & Quinn C J (2000). The evolution of the atpB-rbcL intergenic spacer in the epacrids (Ericales) and the systematic and evolutionary implications. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 16: 238-252.

Crayn D M, Kron K A, Gadek P A, & Quinn C J (1998). Phylogenetics and evolution of Epacridaceae: a molecular analysis using the chloroplast gene rbcL with a reappraisal of the position of Lebetanthus. Australian Journal of Botany 46: 187-200.

Crayn D M, Winter K, & Smith J A C (2001). Carbon-isotope ratios and photosynthetic pathways in the Neotropical family Rapateaceae. Plant Biology 3: 569–576.

Crayn D M, & Quinn C J (2000). The evolution of the atpB-rbcL intergenic spacer in the epacrids (Ericales) and the systematic and evolutionary implications. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 16: 238–252.

Crayn D M, Terry R G, Smith J A C, & Winter K (2000). Molecular systematic investigations in Pitcairnioideae (Bromeliaceae) as a basis for understanding the evolution of crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM). In K. Wilson and D. Morrison (eds), Monocots: systematics and evolution. (Melbourne: CSIRO). pp. 569–579.

Crayn D M, Kron K A, Gadek P A, & Quinn C J (1998). Phylogenetics and evolution of Epacridaceae: a molecular analysis using the chloroplast gene rbcL with a reappraisal of the position of Lebetanthus. Australian Journal of Botany 46: 187–200.

Crayn D M, & Quinn C J (1998). Archerieae: a new tribe in Epacridaceae. Australian Systematic Botany 11: 23–24.

Powell J M, Crayn D M, Gadek P A, Quinn C J, Morrison D A, & Chapman A R (1996). A reassessment of relationships within Epacridaceae. Annals of Botany 77: 305–315.

Crayn D M, Fernando E S, Gadek P A, & Quinn C J (1995). A reassessment of the familial affinity of the Mexican genus Recchia Moçiño & Sessé ex DC. Brittonia 47: 397–402.