Research
The primary goal of our research is to elucidate the relationships within different plant groups. Knowledge about the relationships is essential to
- elucidate the origin of a group in space and time
- retrace its development and spread to its present distribution
- understand the evolution of morphological and chemical characters
- recognize co-evolution with other organisms
- develop a natural, phylogenetic taxonomy
The focus of our research is on the Lauraceae, one of the most abundant, species-rich and ecologically most important families in nearly all moist tropical forests worldwide. Other projects in our lab are concerned with Amorphophallus (Araceae), Gibbaeum and Glottiphyllum (Aizoaceae), Theobroma cacao (Malvaceae), diversity of lichens on islands, or termites in fairy circles.
We have established long-term cooperation projects with the research groups of Jie Li (Kunming, China), Pedro Luis Rodrigues de Moraes (Rio Claro, Brazil) and Henk van der Werff (St. Louis, U.S.A.). Within our institute, we cooperate particularly closely with the research group of Norbert Jürgens (Biodiversity, Ecology and Evolution); we share most of our resources.