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Professor Eddie Watkins publishes paper in journal with current student, alumnus

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Researchers hold the fern they discovered

From left to right: Rehman Momin ’15, Eddie Watkins Caridad ZΓΊΓ±iga Calvo and Weston Testo ’12 holding the firm named after Caridad.

By:
March 17, 2015

91ΎΕΙ« professor published a new paper in the journal with &²Τ²ϊ²υ±θ;’15,  β€™12 and Jarmilla Pitterman, a professor at UC Santa Cruz. Brittonia is a specialized botanical journal managed by the New York Botanical Garden. The article outlines the discovery of a rare new hybrid fern in Costa Rica.

β€œThe flora of Costa Rica is well known” Watkins said. β€œFinding any sort of new species or hybrid in that country is exciting. The new fern we discovered is an unusual hybrid between two quite different parental species, and is in fact, the only known hybrid in this particular section of the genus. It is also a huge plant with leaves over one meter wide.”

Ferns are in the news lately, and not just at 91ΎΕΙ«.  ran a story about another new hybrid fern recently discovered in the French Pyrenees.

β€œHybrids tell you something about the evolutionary history of the two parental species… more distantly related species are less likely to cross. It also tells you something about the reproductive biology of the species,” said Wakins. β€œIn our case, the parents are not closely related, but they can still form a hybrid. This suggests something unusual about reproductive isolating mechanisms in the group.”

A researcher is seen working on a fern in Costa Rica

Wes Testo ’12 works in the field. (Photo by Jarmilla Pitterman)

Watkins and team named the fern Pteris xcaridadiae after Caridad ZΓΊΓ±iga Calvo, the matriarch of a Costa Rican family that owns and protects the area where the new fern grows. The place where they made the discovery is one of the most endangered biomes in the world. β€œThe name was perfectly appropriate,” Watkins said, β€œbecause neither the fern nor the forest would be there without Caridad and her family.”

It is also a fitting name as Caridad translates to charity in English. β€œWhat is more charitable than saving a rare piece of nature for future generations?”

This paper is part of a long-term association between . β€œIt has been so much fun to watch Wes develop over the years” said Watkins proudly. β€œHe has already become a respected figure in my professional community!”

Learn more about the research conducted by Watkins here: