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Donald H. Les, Professor (Ph.D., Ohio State)

Contact Information:

Dr. Donald H. Les

Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

University of Connecticut

75 N. Eagleville Road, Unit 3043

Storrs, CT 06269-3043

Tel: (860) 486-5703

Fax: (860) 486-6364

E-Mail: les@uconn.edu

Current Areas of Research:

Molecular systematics, evolution, and ecology of aquatic angiosperms. Origin of angiosperms. Population and reproductive biology of rare plants. Invasive aquatic plants.

Selected Publications:

Les, D. H., M. L. Moody and S. W. L. Jacobs. 2005. Phylogeny and systematics of Aponogeton (Aponogetonaceae): the Australian species. Systematic Botany 30: 503-519.

Crawford, D. J., E. Landolt, D. H. Les, R. T. Kimball and J. K. Archibald. 2005. Allozyme variation within and divergence between Lemna gibba and L. disperma (Lemnaceae): systematic and biogeographic implications. Aquatic Botany 83: 119-128.

Les, D. H., M. L. Moody, A. Doran and W. L. Philipps. 2004. A genetically confirmed intersubgeneric hybrid in Nymphaea L. (Nymphaeaceae Salisb.). HortScience 39: 219-222.

Les, D. H., D. J. Crawford, R. T. Kimball, M. L. Moody and E. Landolt. 2003. Biogeography of discontinuously distributed hydrophytes: a molecular appraisal of intercontinental disjunctions. International Journal of Plant Science 164: 917-932.

Kimball, R. T., D. J. Crawford, D. H. Les and E. Landolt. 2003. Out of Africa: molecular phylogenetics and biogeography of Wolffiella (Lemnaceae). Biological Journal of the Linnaean Society 79:565-576.

Moody, M. L. and D. H. Les. 2002. Evidence of hybridity in invasive watermilfoil (Myriophyllum) populations. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA 99:14867-14871.

Les, D. H., D. J. Crawford, E. Landolt, J. D. Gabel and R. T. Kimball. 2002. Phylogeny and systematics of Lemnaceae, the duckweed family. Systematic Botany 27:221-240.

Les, D. H., M. L. Moody, S. W. L. Jacobs and R. J. Bayer. 2002. Systematics of seagrasses (Zosteraceae) in Australia and New Zealand. Systematic Botany 27:468-484.

Philbrick, C. T. and D. H. Les. 2000. Phylogenetic studies in Callitriche (Callitrichaceae): implications for interpretation of ecological, karyological and pollination system evolution. Aquatic Botany 68:123-141.

Posluszny, U., W. A. Charlton and D. H. Les. 2000. Modularity in Helobial flowers. Pp. 63-74 In K. L. Wilson and D. Morrison (eds.), Systematics and Evolution of Monocots. CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood, Victoria, Australia.

Baldo, A. M., D. H. Les and L. D. Strausbaugh. 1999. Histone genes for phylogenetic reconstruction of Sophophora. Molecular Biology and Evolution 16:1511-1520.

Les, D. H. and L. J. Mehrhoff. 1999. Introduction of nonindigenous aquatic vascular plants in southern New England: a historical perspective. Biological Invasions 1:281-300.

Les, D. H., E. L. Schneider, D. J. Padgett, P. S. Soltis, D. E. Soltis and M. Zanis. 1999. Phylogeny, classification and floral evolution of water lilies (Nymphaeales): A synthesis of non-molecular, rbcL, matK and 18S rDNA data. Systematic Botany 24:28-46.

Padgett, D. J., D. H. Les and G. E. Crow. 1999. Phylogenetic relationships in Nuphar Sm. (Nymphaeaceae): evidence from morphology, chloroplast DNA and nuclear ribosomal DNA. American Journal of Botany. 86:1316-1324.

Padgett, D. J., D. H. Les and G. E. Crow. 1998. Evidence for the hybrid origin of Nuphar × rubrodisca (Nymphaeaceae). American Journal of Botany 85:1468-1476.

Les, D. H., M. A. Cleland and M. Waycott. 1997. Phylogenetic studies in Alismatidae, II: evolution of marine angiosperms ('seagrasses') and hydrophily. Systematic Botany 22:443-463.

Philbrick, C. T. and D. H. Les. 1996. Evolution of aquatic angiosperm reproductive systems. BioScience 46:813-826.

Les, D. H., D. K. Garvin, and C. F. Wimpee. 1991. Molecular evolutionary history of ancient aquatic angiosperms. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA 88:10119-10123.

Les, D. H., J. A. Reinartz, and E. J. Esselman. 1991. Genetic consequences of rarity in Aster furcatus (Asteraceae), a threatened, self-incompatible plant. Evolution 45:1641-1650.

Courses Taught: Plant Systematics, Aquatic Plant Biology, Molecular Systematics/Evolution

Graduate Student Advisees: John Gabel, Michael Moody, Lela Schuster, Nic Tippery, Amy Weiss

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