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This page is setup to introduce you to the Wolfe lab and the systematics program at Ohio State University. I have included links to several other sites of general interest to plant systematists and evolutionary biologists.
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| From left to right: Chris Randle, Shannon Datwyler, Andi Wolfe. Shannon finished her Ph.D. in August 2001 and is currently teaching in the Department of Biology at Whitman College. | ||||
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The Wolfe Lab is conducting research in plant systematics of plants in the snapdragon family (Srophulariaceae: tribe Cheloneae; Penstemon); Orobanchaceae:Hyobanche, Harveya) and molecular evolution of photosynthetic genes in nonphotosynthetic plants. Other research projects focus on hybridization and the study of pollen presentation theory in the genus Penstemon. We also pioneered the use of ISSR markers in natural populations for studies of hybrid speciation, hybridization and conservation biology.
Plant systematics is an active area of research in the Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology. Areas of interest range from conservation biology, hybridization and introgression, biogeography, phylogeny reconstruction, and molecular evolution.
Research in the Wolfe lab includes plant systematics and molecular evolution of photosynthetic genes in parasitic plants. The range of taxa encompassess nonparasitic and parasitic plants of Scrophulariales (Scrophulariaceae and Orobanchaceae) and mycoheterotrophic plants of Ericaceae. We are working on projects dealing with diploid hybrid speciation, gene flow, and phylogenetic reconstruction as well as charting the molecular changes associated with loss of photosynthetic ability in parasitic plants.
John Freudenstein joined EEOB in October, 1999. He is the director of The OSU Herbarium, and he has an active research program in systematics of Orchidaceae and many other interesting groups of plants. Check his website for details.
Wolfe Homepage
Research
Interests 
Penstemon Website