Two women in academic regalia stand holding herbarium specimens in front of double doors leading into the LSU herbarium.

@jankm24.bsky.social and I had a nice photo shoot in the LSU #herbarium before the ceremony. Here we are both holding specimens of our “dissertation plants”: #Centropogon. We’ve been through a lot together, and I’m so proud of her!!

Phylogenetic relationships and the repeated loss of traits associated with sicklebill pollination in Centropogon subgenus Centropogon (Campanulaceae) Premise Centropogon subgenus Centropogon comprises 55 species found primarily in midelevation Andean forests featuring some of the most curved flowers among angiosperms. Floral curvature is linked t.....

Check out the most recent #LagoLab publication, now out in @botsocamerica.bsky.social American Journal of Botany 🧪! Led by @jankm24.bsky.social, it’s an updated phylogeny of subgenus #Centropogon showing the correlated evolution of pollination traits.

bsapubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...

Congrats to Janet Mansaray, the first #LagoLab grad student to defend her PhD dissertation! She gave an excellent public defense on #Centropogon phylogenomics, macroevolution, and as a system for CURE course inquiry. The finish line is in sight